God's Word For You is a free Bible Study site committed to bringing you studies firmly grounded in the Bible – the Word of God. Holding a reformed, conservative, evangelical perspective this site affirms that God has provided in Jesus Christ his eternal Son, a way of salvation in which we can live in his presence guilt free, acquitted and at peace.

 
 

WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

Copyright Rosemary Bardsley 2007

# 8 THE SOVEREIGN LORD

The Bible reveals God as the Sovereign Lord of all. He is called 'God of gods', 'King of kings', and 'Lord of lords'.

To him 'the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were dust on the scales'.

So great and all-encompassing is his power and control, that even things that are contrary to him he takes and uses in his over-riding purpose. We can see this in the history of Joseph, who suffered because of human sin, his own included. Yet God worked with those sins to bring life to many.

The same sovereign control is seen in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In that death the leaders of men conspired together, but, in the words of Jesus himself, they had no power over him, except what was given 'from above'. Here in this death is the ultimate vindication that God is so great and so powerful that even what is utterly opposed to him he can and does use to bring his purpose to pass. Rather than achieve its purpose of undermining his purpose sin becomes, in his hand, a tool by which he brings his purpose to pass.

With this confidence Paul wrote 'I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

If this God, this God of gods, Lord of lords, King of kings,  is for us, in the ultimate sense, nothing can be against us, for all that is against us, can be taken by him and used for his good purpose. His power, the apostle Paul assures us, is active for us.

In him we trust.

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 10:17; Revelation 19:16; Isaiah 40:15; Genesis 45:5-8; 50:20; John 19:11; Acts 2:23,36; 3:13-15; 4:24-28; Romans 8:28,31,38-39; Ephesians 1:18-21; 3:17b-21.