El Elyon
Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, King of all kings
| | How is He sovereign? | What is He sovereign over? | What difference does it make? | |
| Daniel 4:34-35 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” | His dominion is an everlasting dominion, his kingdom endures forever He does according to his will in heaven and earth His will is final and His authority and power is IT | All the inhabitants of heaven and earth (vs. 35) Everything – Eternal Supreme Authority (dominion is everlasting) | God does his will both In heaven and on earth (nothing is outside of his authority) No one can thwart His will No one can question what he does To know the Sovereign God is to find peace in the problems and pressures of daily living. He is free from all external controls and other controlling influences | |
| Job 1–2 | Even Satan answers to Him | Every being everything | We learn the lesson of trust in the school of trial. Fiery trials perfect our faith. | |
| Isaiah 14:24-27 The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, 25 that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.”26 This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? | Context: God as a reflection of His sovereignty over nations, predicts the destruction of What God intends will happen What He plans will stand No one can frustrate His plans No one can turn back His hand *Removes yokes and burdens (vs 25) | Enemies and even their plans against me Jeremiah 29:11 – No one can undo this promise that God is in control of my present and my future | WE ARE NOT VICTIMS OF CHANCE OR FATE OR LUCK God is greater than my biggest problems My enemies can’t do anything to me outside of God’s permission | |
| Isaiah 46:9-11 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. | Remembers all former things There is none like Him Declares things from even ancient of days, beginning to end his counsel stands and He accomplishes all His purposes | Every purpose he has from the beginning of time to the end Every purpose and plan Declares, Speaks, Counsels, Brings to pass, DOES IT. | My counsel is limited God’s counsel is unlimited His knowledge of what was, is and will be is limitless…He sees all and plans with that knowledge of being all knowing | |
| Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel answered and said:“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.” | Context: Upon receiving the answer to his prayer for the interpretation of the King's dream, Daniel praises God for His sovereignty over all things whether they be epochs (a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.) empires ( a group of people ruled by a sovereign To Him Belong wisdom and might: Changes, removes, reveals, knows, gives | Times & epochs (history) Kings (rulers/governments) Wisdom & knowledge Hidden things The darkness | He is in control of all of his-story Every king or president etc.. Everything past has not been out of his control………. Wow…. Every rise and fall of every kingdom has been by His hand There have been no mistakes… | |
| Isaiah 5:5-7 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! | He puts hedges and takes away Breaks down or builds up Decides whether we be pruned and receive water..etc… He let | Hedges of protection Walls (boundaries/safety) Pruning Water (refreshing thirst?) | Contrast Man's Futile Attempts: The ancient Chinese sought security from the barbaric hordes that swept down from the north, so they erected the Great Wall of China, which stretches for 1500 miles, is 12-40' wide and 20-50' high, too high for the enemy to scale, too thick to tear down, and too long to go around. Yet in the first 100 years of the wall's existence, We can do our best to build our best kingdoms and even if we do a good job – God knows so much better. It’s not always about the kingdom. He cares more about our character than our safety. In His name alone are we truly safe. | |
| Deuteronomy 32:39 “‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. 1 Samuel 2:6, 2 Kings 5:7, James 4:12 | No one else has this ability to have control over our death and our life. Repetition of I – highlights God’s sovereignty stressing God alone (no other gods (idols, culture, media, etc.) ego eimi | Death and Life Wounding and healing Deliverance | God is in control of our entire life…good and evil death and life woundings and healings etc… ex. John Piper’s message - God rules the world in such a way that all calamities and all sin remain in his ultimate control and therefore within his ultimate design and purpose. | |
| 1 Samuel 1:5-6 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. | He opens and closes wombs | Birth – babies/ the open and closing of wombs | Those 4 years of Joel’s death, many miscarriages, and finally Sophia being born was all ordained by God and although I can’t understand completely – I trust His Good Will | |
| 1 Samuel 2:6-10 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world. 9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” | He alone brings up and down, death and life, rich and poor, low and high, guards, cuts off, breaks to pieces, judges and gives strength, exalts He does it…no one else. NOT Fate or chance…. | Our life Our financial situations Our status and positions Our help to receive He rules over the lives of the wicked as well as His own Giver of strength and judger of all | The circumstances of life are not by chance or due to this or that …because I did this then this happened…is not the way to think because then I will think…if I just do this then this can happen… (socercery/witchcraft) ---But the Lord does it…disciplines those he loves but we can rest in Him even in His discipline… not manipulate circumstances by my hand…just seek to obey and honor and glorify my God | |
| Isaiah 45:6-7 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. | There is NO other He forms light and darkness (creates) He makes well and creates calamity He does all these things | Sicknesses and Healings and Peace God causes well being All Calamity God creates disaster | When bad things happen I don’t have to feel out of control because I am in the good hands of the one who is in control. He IS IN CONROL… He does all these things. Then why do I feel afraid? He can turn any difficulty into an opportunity. | |
| John 19:10-11 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” | He gives all authority – so every authority in our life is ordained by God. | All the authority and leadership in my life. Both good and bad ones. | I don’t have to feel hopeless when there is bad authority because they will answer to Him. When I don’t get my way I don’t have to turn my wheels… I am called to be a joy and crown to my hubs and submit to elders…etc… | |
2. How would I explain God’s sovereignty to another person (based on what I’ve learned HERE]?
3. If you believe in God’s sovereignty, how would it change your thinking about your particular circumstance?
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