Sovereign Grace of God - The Sovereign God

SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD Concerning 'The Gospel' LORD JESUS CHRIST Grounded In Biblical Truth
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PSALMS 103:19 "The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."

This Psalms ends as it began, the psalmist speaking to His soul, saying: "Bless the Lord". I have brought messages from this psalm before and I have spoken to you of some of "His benefits" for which we should bless the Lord. Usually it is difficult to get beyond the first benefit that is mentioned: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities". That alone is cause to bless the Lord forever and ever. Think of the great expense on His part that He might forgive "all of thine iniquities." The giving of His Son as a propitiation for our sins (I John 4:10). The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, I would like for us to consider another truth set forth in verse 19 for which we should say to our soul : "Bless the Lord", God’s Sovereignty. God’s Sovereignty is brought out in these two statements : "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens" and "his kingdom ruleth over all." Let us look at these two statements, and "Bless the Lord."

I. The Lord’s Throne- ABOVE ALL "the Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens".

The word here translated "prepared" is elsewhere in these psalms translated by the words established and fixed. The thought is that his throne cannot be moved. His throne is settled. His throne cannot be shaken nor disturbed much less moved. Unlike the thrones, the seats of government in this world which have come and gone The Lord’s throne is prepared, fixed, established and it shall not be moved. In Daniel 2 :22 we read "he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:" and in Proverbs 21 :1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." His throne is in the heavens. His throne is above all other thrones for His is in heaven. His throne is above everything. Psalms 115:3 "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." His throne is above all powers and all principalities. Col 1:15 - 17 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

The Lord Jesus Christ is upon this throne, this throne prepared in the heavens far above the confusion and tumults of this world, far beyond the reach of men or devils.

Isaiah 14:12-15 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." Here is one who thought that he would "exalt his throne above the stars of God". He thought that his throne would be Prepared, fixed in the heavens. He would be like God and have a fixed throne and rule over all. Not on your life! He is brought down! There is only one throne that is prepared, fixed, eternal in the heavens, far above all that would question or disturb and that is God’s throne.

In Psalms 47:2 "For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth." This word, "terrible" when it relates to God is to elicit "awe and reverence", calls us to consider God who ruleth over all; all those events that we call great and those that we call insignificant. Psalms 99:1-3 "The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy."

In Acts 17, when the Apostle Paul preached in Athens, He introduced His message by the inscription which he had seen on one of their altars: "To The Unknown God". It is interesting to notice this about the Epicureans, and Stoics mentioned in verse 18. Among other things, these two philosophies taught this: the Stoics a type of fatalism, everything is subject to blind fate and the Epicureans that God was too big to be concerned with His creation. The Apostle Paul said that this God that you call the "unknown God" is both creator and "Lord of heaven and earth", that is, this God "ruleth over all".

This God may be known, and this God can be known only in that Man whom He hath ordained, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is amazing how many talk of luck, chance, and fortune as if there were no God, whose "kingdom ruleth over all".

We should "bless the Lord" that He is sovereign, "that His throne is prepared in the heavens and that His kingdom ruleth over all". It seems to me that there are two reasons why we would not do this.

[1]. Unbelief. We are afraid that things are not quite safe in God’s hands. That somehow things would be better if sinful, mutable man were somehow in control. We are just not sure that God can be trusted, maybe we could do a better job. Oh, what unbelief!
[2]. Ignorance. We are not aware that the Bible teaches that the Lord does reign.

Proverbs 16:33 "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD."

No wonder so many religious services are more like a circus than a worship service. This great and terrible God of the Bible is the unkown God in our day, and the god who is being worshipped does not elicit "awe and reverance". He is more an object of pity than of worship.

I have seven truths about God’s rule that I would like to mention to you today. The foundation upon which I would lay each of these seven truths is the Apostle’s statement in II Timothy 2:13 "he cannot deny Himself". When you hear a preacher preface any remark that He is going to make about God with "cannot", You had better listen up for he is going to do one of two things. He is either going to magnify the character of God or he is going to malign the character of God. The Apostle Paul magnifies the character of God: "he cannot deny Himself". He cannot act contrary to His nature.

The nature of water is to flow down hill. Water will always flow down hill. Water may be acted upon and caused to flow contrary to its nature uphill. God cannot be acted upon and caused by anything outside Himself to act contrary to His nature.

When I think about God’s rule "his kingdom ruleth over all" I do so in the light of this truth. He cannot deny Himself. If God could deny Himself then His sovereignty would not be a cause for blessing.

Let me give you an example of a man saying "cannot" in reference to God which maligns the character of God. Someone sent me an article from the newspaper written by Andrew M. Greeley. This was taken from the Religious News Service and the title of the article is "God grieved with us in Oklahoma". Andrew M. Greeley is a Roman Catholic priest, best-selling novelist and sociologist at the University of Chicago’s National opinion Research Center. Notice how he maligns the character of God: "I do not pretend to understand why God cannot prevent such tragedies, but I believe that He cannot." What possible comfort can anyone have from a God who "cannot prevent such tragedies"? That can only mean that some other being is ruling over God. It is not for us to try to explain these things but rather to trust in the Lord and to know that He is able to bring good out of evil. I’m reminded of the words of Joseph to his brethren who had sold him into slavery: "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good," Genesis 50 :20.

1. His Rule will Be Holy- God is holy, therefore His rule will be holy. Psalms 145:17 "The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

2. His Rule Will Be Just-Out of God’s holiness must flow His justice. He is Holy therefore He is Just. Abraham, called the friend of God asked God this question for He knew the answer: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Gen. 18:25 Revelation 15:3-4 "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."

3. His Rule Will Be Kind Psalms 145:9 "The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

4. His Rule Will Be Wise Psalms 104:24, "O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." There can be no mistakes, no oversights and no gaps in His rule. His plans embrace all causes and all effects, all facts and all contingencies, all actions and all words, it is impossible that anything should be overlooked.

5. His Rule Will Be Irresistible Isaiah 44:28 "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." This word concerning Cyrus was spoken some two hundred years before his birth and yet God called him by name and called him his servant who should "perform all my pleasure".

6. His Rule Will Be Sure Psalms 119:89 - 91 "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants."

7. His Rule Will Be All Powerful Psalms 62:11 "God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God." If God were not all powerful then in spite of all His other attributes, He would not be able to rule as he does. He is Almighty! His rule not only devises it operates. It not only sees how evil may be prevented, it also prevents evil and is so powerful that it brings good out of evil.

Lincoln Wood Baptist Church
11803 Adel - Houston, Texas 77067
Pastor David F. Pledger - Telephone:281-440-0623

SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD Concerning 'The Gospel' LORD JESUS CHRIST Grounded In Biblical Truth
http://www.SovereignGraceOfGod.com (Home Page)