Sovereign means supreme, permanent authority. Kings are also called sovereigns.
To say that God is sovereign is to say that He is the ultimate authority and ruler over all creation. God is in control.
God’s sovereignty is a more specific description of one aspect of God’s infinitude. God is not only sovereign on earth, but He is also infinitely sovereign.
That means that He doesn’t just dictate what does happen, but He also allows everything that happens to happen.
And this is where a lot of moralists start to seriously question God, asking “how could He…,” “why would He…”
If God is good, and loving, and in control, then why would He let this happen, or how could He make that happen. For example, why would a loving God create hurricanes that destroy people’s lives?
From our limited and finite perspective these questions make sense. But God does not operate from our limited and finite perspective. And God does not put the same importance and priority on things as we do.
I can’t answer the “why would He…,” “how could He…,” questions, and I am not presuming to be coming to God’s defense (because He doesn’t need me to defend Him). What I’m trying to get at is the fact that we can’t bring God on trial and ask Him why He does anything. We can ask Him “why” all we want, but we can’t judge Him for His answer - we don’t even have the right to expect an answer.
The fact is, God is in charge - of everything - whether we like it or not. You can disagree and rebel against Him all you want - because He allows you to do that - but you can’t change His mind through moral reasoning, and you certainly can’t assert any kind of authority over Him. We accuse God of letting bad things happen to good people, but we fail to remember that no one is good in God’s sight unless they take Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.
Human sin has tainted God’s creation. God painted a beautiful painting and humans dumped ashes all over it before the paint was dry. And now we get upset because God is upset with us - all while continuing to vandalize and desecrate everything that God created for us and in us.
God’s sovereignty means that we do not get to approach Him as an equal. We should count ourselves blessed to even be able to kneel before Him. Being in His presence is the highest privilege we can ever hope for - and being expelled from His presence the meanest curse. God is our High King. Not a human king. Not even a universal king. But an infinite KING.
It’s hard to fathom, I know. That there is a being higher than yourself to whom you must eternally surrender every ounce of will, and every shred of dignity, and every bit of determination.
God is so much greater than I that in His presence there is no I. I’m there, and He sees me, but I am there in complete admiration, devotion, and surrender to Him! His strength is my strength. His satisfaction is my satisfaction. I am filled with loving awe and wonder, and my gaze is fixed upon Him.
And apart from Him is nothing - bitter nothingness.
God’s sovereignty is not just the fact that God is in control of everything. It’s that He is the entire reason that we, or anything else, exist.
It’s by God’s grace that we can question His motives, but it’s by His sovereign will that we even have the breath to do so.
God’s kingdom come! God’s will be done!
Exodus 18:11 (NLT) I know now that the LORD is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.”
Psalm 115:3 (NASB95) But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Matthew 10:29 (NLT) “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
Romans 9:15 (NASB95) For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”
Ephesians 1:11 (NLT) Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
1 Peter 3:17 (NLT) Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!