A series of events, experiences and Bible study have converged to inspire this study on God’s Perfect Sovereignty. God’s sovereignty means that He is the ultimate ruler and controller of the universe, having supreme power and authority over all things. It signifies that God is not bound by the limitations of His created beings and is in complete control over everything that happens on Earth and in the universe. We are familiar with the GPS which is the Global Positioning System that we use on a daily bases to give us travel directions. Recently, we have become aware that this system is not without flaws as we had entered a destination only to be taken in the wrong direction! Psalms 18: 30 states, “As for God, His way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” This verse emphasizes that God’s ways are without error with unwavering reliability. There are many examples in Scripture where people thought they were following God’s direction, but in reality failed to discern His guidance and ended in failure and sometimes even in death. We cannot know God’s direction for our lives apart from His Word. Paul in 2 Timothy 3: 16 states “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.” The Bible is God-inspired or God-breathed emphasizes its Divine origin and authority as the Holy Spirit guided the human authors in writing the scriptures, ensuring the accuracy and truthfulness of the message. God’s paths are trustworthy, for He loves us and has our best interests at heart. In Psalm 32:8 God promises “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” He desires for us to follow Him willingly and promises His everlasting presence as we do so: “The LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the one who trust in Him.” (Ps. 32: 10) God’s Perfect Sovereignty will guide and shape our lives as we diligently study the Bible. If the true GPS is guiding us, then there is no need to panic nor fear for He will not leave nor forsake us!
God is described in the Bible as all-powerful and all-knowing: “Great is our LORD and mighty in power—His understanding is infinite!” (Psalm 147:5); is outside of time: “Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God!” (Psalm 90:2); and responsible for the creation of everything; “In the beginning God created the heavens and in the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). These divine traits set the minimum boundary for God’s sovereign control in the universe, which is to say that nothing in the universe occurs without God’s permission. God has the power and knowledge to prevent anything He chooses to prevent, so anything that does happen must, at the very least, be “allowed” by God. While God is sovereign and can intervene in any situation, He also allows for human volition and accountability, which sets a boundary for His direct control. “I call the heavens and the earth to witness about you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD your God, listening to His voice, and clinging to Him.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20). This means that while God is in control of all circumstances, He allows for human choices and their consequences, even if these are not what He would prefer. The idea of God's sovereignty is also evident in how He works through both good and evil to achieve His ultimate purposes. For instance, the book of Job illustrates God's sovereignty by showing how He allows Satan to test Job, ultimately revealing Job's faith and God's control over all circumstances. “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye has seen You. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42: 5-6) The reality of human volition (and human accountability) sets the maximum boundary for God’s sovereign control over the universe as God intends for good what Satan meant for evil. (Gen. 50: 20) God desires to take what feels like destruction and use it to produce His anointing and power in one’s life, leading to success and blessings.
This principle is clearly illustrated in the Book of Ruth which was written during the times when judges spoke God’s will and plan for the people but when everyone did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21: 25) We find the account of a Jewish couple—Elimelech and his wife Naomi who had two sons—Mahlon and Chilion. It is quite evident from the account of their journey from the land of Israel to the land of Moab that they had not sought God’s guidance about the move. There was a time of famine in Bethlehem in Judah so instead of seeking God’s provision, they lit out to a pagan territory. We read in Deuteronomy 30:15 that God set before His people a choice—life and good or death and evil. We read in Ruth 1: 1-5 the sad outcome as Elimelech died. Then, the two sons married Moabite women who did not follow the Sovereign God of Israel but worshipped other gods and violated His command in Deuteronomy 7:3. God does not bless what does not honor Him. Both Mahlon and Chilion died with no children. Having lost her whole family, Naomi began to listen to the Lord that He had visited His people in Israel in giving them food. (1:6) Truly God’s grace is extended to us when we wander from His chosen path and draws and restores us with His cords of love. In verse 13 Naomi expressed her grief as she said: “the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me.” Dr. Stanley had this to say about Naomi: “As Naomi looked at the shambles of her life, she could see only a barren field of sorrow—yet she clung to the roots of hope. Even though my sons and husband are gone, she may have thought, perhaps I may yet see fruitfulness in my life. God had not abandoned her, and in time Naomi reaped a rich, unexpected yield of love. Naomi placed her faith in the Lord, and He provided for her.”
Naomi returned to the God of her fathers just as the prodigal son did. It is never too late to return to the Father. He stands with open arms ready to welcome us back into His arms. Naomi sought to seek security for her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Isn’t that what we all want for our family? Naomi actually sets forth the instructions for achieving this in Chapter 3. While her directions involved the physical, we can glean spiritual revelation from it. (1) Verse 3. Wash yourself—repent of anything that God reveals is sin in our life and confess it before the Lord—go down—submitting to Him. (2) Verse 4. Wait upon the Lord. (3) Verses 5-6. Obey His instructions. (4) Verse 7. Come to the feet of the Lord. (5) Verse 9. Seek God’s love and grace that covers a multitude of sin. Seek Him who is our provision and covering. (6) Verse 10. God loves to shower His obedient people with amazing blessings. (7) Verses 12-13. God is our True Redeemer. (8) Verse 15. God is ready to pour out His blessings upon us. (9) Verse 18. Wait, again, we must wait upon the Lord for His direction and provision. (10) 4: 8. Redemption is a personal matter between us and God through the blood of His Son—it is a choice that each of us must make. (11) Verses 14- 17. God blessed Naomi through her kinsman redeemer Boaz and daughter-in-law Ruth with a baby named Obed that means “worshiper of God.” Obed was the father of Jesse, the Father of David in the lineage of Christ our Redeemer! God gives us new life as we choose Him. Obed’s birth brought praise and worship to God! Praising the Lord is good for us. Remember how God has cared for us and look for daily evidence of His hand on our life—The Perfect Sovereign God. God will never run out of mercy, love, or grace. Let us learn to extol Him with our whole heart! “Spiritual power comes out of inward fellowship with God and abandonment to His purposes.” (E. Stanley Jones) The lesson in this is when we act on our own terms, it impacts our life and the life of others. God has a plan for us, and we become all He has created us to be as we grow in our faith and our relationship with Him. If we are faithful, He will surely reward us.
The story recorded in the Book of Ruth pictures most beautifully aspects of our redemption. Boaz represents our Lord. Ruth stands for the believer. On our Lord’s part, He paid the price with His own blood, for He was both able and willing to redeem. God's sovereignty moves toward a particular end, a specific purpose: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13 ). God's purpose is to bring His creation—His whole creation—to fullness and completion, to fellowship with Him: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19 ).
The kingdom of God is the end toward which God moves His creation. God guides, sustains, loves, and longs to have fellowship with His creation. He reveals himself as a parent in love and in relationship with humanity. He “has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4 ). God has chosen to participate in human history to care for human beings in their strengths and their weaknesses. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NIV) Those who belong to God will not be immune from suffering; they will not be spared the brokenness which life brings to all persons. The people of God may, however, find spiritual resources and strength to persevere in time of trouble. The sovereign God of the universe chose to identify with His creation in the cross of Christ. There is no greater example of His care for His creation.
We have established that God’s Perfect Sovereignty is to be our guide throughout this earthly journey as God sees it all! Psalms 56 says “You have recorded my wanderings. You put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day I call. This I know—that God is for me. In God—I keep praising His word—in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?...For You have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” (vv. 9-11, 14) No matter how old we are and how many experiences that we have been through, we never reach the point that we think we know it all. We must run to God with each decision for His guidance.
In 2 Timothy 4: 7, the apostle Paul wrote, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." When he said he had finished the race, Paul was using a metaphor to describe his life's work and struggles in preaching the gospel of Christ. He likened the Christian journey to a race, emphasizing the challenges and the importance of reaching the finish line, symbolizing the completion of his mission and the steadfastness of his faith. We are still in the race and God is cheering us on to finish well! God is still speaking today even in ways that we do not see!
As Paul views this life journey as a race, let us look for God’s messages to us today in a literal race—the Kentucky Derby on May 3rd. The winner was Sovereignty with the odds of 7-1! Journalism was the post-time favorite and finished second after being out-dueled in the stretch run by Sovereignty. This means that post-time favorites have now failed to win each of the last seven runnings of the Kentucky Derby. Baeza with a 13-1 odds finished third. Final Gambit with 17-1 odds was fourth. God’s Perfect Sovereignty won out over: Journalism—fake news that censors freedom of speech and slanders truth; Baeza named from a family that rules the world known for their craziness; and Final Gambit—a strategic move in chess, politics and business where a player sacrifices something up front for future gain. Additionally, Sovereignty was sired by Into Mischief by dam Crowned. The first Adam was into mischief and failed. The Second Adam--Christ was conceived by a virgin through the sovereignty of God and won victory over Satan and crowned with glory! We recognize the repeated number 7 that is God’s number of completion that rules and over-rules Satan’s tactics and schemes for power and control! God’s plan for America and the Church is in His hands—He is in total control and God wins! Many have spoken of Donald Trump as a type of David chosen for such a time as this for God’s purposes and that Trump is a master of 5-D chess! God’s Perfect Sovereignty wins—show us Your glory! Like Paul, we must keep the faith, affirm our unwavering trust in Jesus and declare the Gospel message with perseverance and consistency. We must focus on the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award us on that day for all those who look for His appearing! 2 Tim. 4:8