He is sovereign and His sovereignty is both exhaustive (covering the whole sweep of history) and meticulous (covering every detail of time and place as the stories of Joseph and Esther demonstrate). God is not evil but He controls both good and evil while His holiness is in no way compromised.
Joseph’s brothers, moved with envy, sell him into Egypt. They are following their sinful motivations. But God’s purpose moves forward. Potiphar’s wife invents a wicked story to condemn Joseph to prison. Again, God’s programme takes a further step towards its intended goal. Sin is the driving force but the will of God is being accomplished.
What about you?
Maybe you have been sinned against. Are you offended or outraged? Maybe you are inclined to throw in the towel and give up. But what about God’s sovereign hand upon your life? Are you simply the plaything of circumstances or are you the apple of His eye? Are you at the mercy of random events or are you His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for works prepared beforehand for you to walk in (Eph. 2:10 NASB).
Paul calls us God’s work of art and artwork can have bright and dark aspects, and many shades in between. Will you only trust Him when all is straightforward and plain sailing? It was in the midst of a life-threatening storm at sea that Paul, a prisoner in chains, emerged from a time alone with God and told his terrified companions ‘I believe God!’ and as a result, though still a prisoner in the midst of a terrifying gale, took control of the ship (Acts 27:25).
There are some teachers among the churches today who call themselves ‘open theists’. They hold that God certainly knows everything past and everything present, but cannot know the future, free choices and actions of the men and women He has created. Their very freedom as creatures implies that no-one (not even God!) can know in advance what they will freely choose.
The Bible, on the other hand, shows a God who works all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11) and can tell many years in advance what will take place in His creation, such as Bethlehem being the place where the Messiah will be born and that men will gamble for the Saviour’s robe. Yet no-one is forced to act against his own will or preference. Men stay true to themselves and make their own choices, yet find themselves fulfilling God’s great plan.
Following the opening of the Red Sea and the destruction of Egypt’s army, Moses sings his inspired song (Exod. 15), celebrating God’s mighty deliverance. Having an awesome revelation of God, he sings of His great triumph and unique power. He then starts to sing with prophetic insight and revelation about Zion, God’s holy mountain, and the sanctuary that will be built there (Exod. 15:17).
Hold on Moses! They might change their minds! They might decide not to go to Canaan or capture Jerusalem or build a sanctuary. Don’t get carried away! Who knows what will happen? Happily, God does!
Let me suggest to you that we take the same stance as the Apostle Paul who cried, ‘Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who became His counsellor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever Amen’ (Rom. 12:33-36).
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