I want to review some of the passages that we read last week that speak of God as the great king. Psalm 24 is a wonderful psalm praising God as the king of glory. Psalm 2 prophesies the coming of Christ, where the father says, as for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill. Probably the main truth that was revealed in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah was that he would be the king who would rule over all the earth. Isaiah chapter six, verse one is one of multiple passages in which the Lord gives a prophet a vision of himself seated on his throne in heaven. It says, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. We have the magnificent prophecy that is given to Daniel in a vision where he sees the coming Messiah. Already he has seen in the vision the Ancient of Days seated on a throne. And in Daniel 7 verse 13, Daniel writes, I saw in the night vision, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. And he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." So the Old Testament speaks of the sovereignty of the Messiah in the same terms in which it speaks of the sovereignty of God. Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 through 11 prophesies that final day when Christ returns and says, therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The title for Jesus Christ, Lord, speaks of his complete sovereignty over all things. And on that final day, every individual will bow in homage before Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 1 Timothy 6.15 praises God, saying, He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, There is only one who is sovereign over all. There's only one who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that is the God of the Bible. And because Jesus Christ is given the same, or the same truths are ascribed to Jesus Christ, that is an inscription of deity to Jesus Christ, when it speaks of his sovereignty over all things. As we're told in Revelation 19, verse 16, when Christ comes again, on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So, the Son and the Father are one in sovereignty, equal in sovereignty. The Holy Spirit is also equal in sovereignty, though there's not as much stated about the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit. But as He is equal with the Father, equal with the Son of one essence, He likewise is sovereign over all things. Now, that brings us to the end of last week's study. Let's go further this evening by considering how we can define God's sovereignty and what it means and some aspects of His sovereignty. I think Arthur W. Pink gives us a good definition of God's sovereignty. He's written a good book called The Attributes of God that has one chapter on the sovereignty of God. He's also written another book that was published by Banner of Truth titled The Sovereignty of God that goes much more into the sovereignty of God than he can in The Attributes of God. Both good books to read. Arthur W. Pink wrote, the sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of his supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of heaven and earth, subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent. God does as he pleases, only as he pleases, always as he pleases. None can thwart him, none can hinder him. Divine sovereignty means that God is God in fact, as well as in name. That he is on the throne of the universe, directing all things, working all things after the counsel of his own will. Ephesians 1.11. Understand that when the Bible speaks of God's sovereignty, it is not talking about a limited sovereignty. We may speak of earthly sovereigns. We may speak of the King of England or the Queen of England as a sovereign. Any earthly sovereign has a limited sovereignty, a delegated sovereignty from God. But God's sovereignty is not limited in any way. God's sovereignty is an absolute sovereignty. As we read in Psalm 103, verse 19, the Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all. His kingdom rules over all that is in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all that is in the earth. Turn over to Psalm 47, a psalm that praises the Lord's sovereignty over all things, His absolute sovereignty. Psalm 47. There's a good number of psalms that praise the sovereignty of God. We call some of them enthronement psalms because it speaks about the Lord enthroned over all things, reigning over all things. Psalm 47, I think, fits that category. The psalm is written by the sons of Korah. It says, clap your hands, all peoples. Shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the most high, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. God has gone up with a shout. The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God. Sing praises. Sing praises to our King. Sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with a psalm. God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is highly exalted. The psalmist is praising what God reveals about himself throughout his dealings with Israel. As you read Exodus, as you read Numbers, as you read Joshua, as you read Samuel, you are seeing how God has acted in history and his acts in history reveal him as sovereign over all things, as the king over all the nations. Just think about what we've already seen in the book of Joshua. And no one could stand against Joshua because the Lord was with Joshua. The Lord fought for Israel. He gave them victory after victory. No one could thwart the Lord's purposes. Now, the psalmist reflects on the history of Israel, and he rightly praises God in the terms that he does. In verse 2, the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared a great king over all the earth. And he repeats that again in verse 7, for God is the king of all the earth. Therefore, he is to be praised. God's sovereignty is something that should, or the study of God's sovereignty is something that should fuel our praise to God. There are so many Psalms that are written to direct us to praise God for His sovereignty, including His sovereignty over all things. Understand there is not a single subatomic particle in all the universe, not a single spirit in any realm over which God is not sovereign. He's sovereign over every electron, proton. He's sovereign over every angelic being, every demonic being. Nothing is outside the sovereignty of God. Now, the Bible speaks of God's sovereignty, especially in three different realms. It speaks of God's sovereignty in creation. How he spoke that authoritative command, let there be light. and let there be all the other parts of creation. And what did not exist came into existence in obedience to the authoritative command of the great king. He was sovereign in creation. The Bible also speaks about a second realm of God's sovereignty. He is sovereign in his providence. He is in providential control over all things that occur. He is governing his universe. He is accomplishing his purposes, his plans. He has decreed all things that come to pass and he is unfolding that decree. He is guiding history, causing everything to be done according to his perfect plan. He is sovereign in providence. And thirdly, he is sovereign in salvation. Think about what Ephesians chapter 1 says about how God's people were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in God's sights. And we will study in a later study in depth God's sovereignty in salvation, how he has mercy on whom he will have mercy. God's sovereignty is seen in those three realms, creation, providence, and salvation. And His sovereignty includes at least three aspects that we can distinguish from one another. His sovereignty includes authority. His sovereignty includes control. And His sovereignty also includes freedom. Let's first of all compare and contrast God's sovereign authority, and his sovereign control. John Frame helps us when he writes, control means that God has the power to direct the whole course of nature and history as he pleases. Authority means that he has the right to do that. From our standpoint as creatures, God's authority is his right to command, his right to tell us what we ought to do. When he issues commands, he is supremely right in doing so. Thus, his word creates for us an obligation to obey. That's what Israel should have been thinking when they heard God speak to them the Ten Commandments. that God has, it is right for God to give these commandments to his people. Thou shalt have no other gods before you. You shall not make any graven image. You shall not use my name in vain. You shall treat the Sabbath day as holy. You shall honor your father and your mother and all the way down the line. It is right that God gives us such commands. When we study the scriptures and we come across the commandments of God, whether they're in the Old Testament or they are in the New Testament, Christ's new commandment, love as I have loved you, we should always be thinking this comes from one who is sovereign, who has all authority. He has the authority to command me as his creature and how to live. It is right for him to lay down this commandment for me. God's sovereign authority is taught in 1 Chronicles 29. Please turn there with me. In 1 Chronicles 29, David has invited the Israelites to give offerings for the future building of the temple. And after the offerings are presented, David leads the congregation in a great prayer of praise. We'll start in verse 10. Therefore, David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said, Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel, our father forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand is it to make great and to give strength to all. Notice how David refers to the Lord at the end of verse 11. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. That word head speaks of authority. Whether we are in Ephesians 5, the husband is the head of the wife, or we are here that the Lord is exalted as head above all. He is an authority over all. And the reason why he is an authority over all is given earlier on in verse 11, when it says that all that is in the heavens and in the earth is God's. Everything in the creation belongs to the creator. Even before you were redeemed and the blood of Christ was applied to you by the Holy Spirit, even before you were among the redeemed, you already belonged to God because he created you. Every single human being in this world belongs to God. He owns us because he's our creator. And as our owner, he has all authority over our lives. We have no rights. God has all rights over us. He is sovereign. He has authority over all. The authority of Christ was something that we saw in Matthew 28, verses 18 through 20 last time. When the Great Commission, Jesus says, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Jesus Christ is the great king. He has all authority as the great king. And because he has authority, we all are to learn to obey his commandments. John Frame writes, we live in a world obsessed by autonomy. As with Adam and Eve in the garden, people today do not want to bow the knee to someone other than themselves. God's lordship confronts and opposes autonomy from the outset. It demands a recognition that all things belong to Him and are subject to His control and authority. That demand is unacceptable to people who are outside of Christ, and to some extent, even believers chafe when the demand is clearly made. When we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we wanted to be our own sovereign. We wanted to be the one in authority over our own lives. And the Holy Spirit brought the scriptures to us, and brought to us the truth of who God is, and how we are related to Him as the sovereign one, how we belong to Him by virtue of being created by Him. and how He is worthy of our full obedience. He demands our obedience. He has a right to our obedience. And at first, we chafed against that. Our flesh continues today to chafe against the sovereignty of God, His authority to command us. But we are being made new as Christians. We have been given already a new heart by the Holy Spirit. not a heart of stone like we had before, but a heart of flesh. What is the characteristic of a heart of flesh? A heart of flesh is a heart that is sensitive to God, that loves God, that no longer is a rebellious heart. And so we are being taught to submit gladly like the Psalms invite us to do. We're learning to submit gladly to the great king who has all authority over our lives. But we look forward to that final day when we'll be glorified and there no longer will be the flesh chafing against the sovereignty and the authority of God. Now let's consider God's sovereign control. His sovereign control is taught in Isaiah 43. Please turn with me to Isaiah 43. I'll begin reading at verse 10. You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen. that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me, no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord. And besides me, there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed when there was no strange God among you. And you are my witnesses, declares the Lord. and I am God. Also henceforth, I am he. There is none who can deliver from my hand. I work, and who can turn it back? God is in absolute control over all things. No one can deliver from God's hand. No one can turn back the work of God. God is in absolute control over all things. No one can thwart His plans. No one can keep Him from doing what He has purpose to do. We see the same thing in chapter 46. Turn with me to chapter 46. I'll start at verse 8. Verse eight, remember this and stand firm. Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me. 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, 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." The Lord says in verse 10 that in the very beginning, He declared the end. In the very beginning, he had already planned all of history, including the very end of history. He declared the end from the beginning. From ancient times, he declared things not yet done. He said, my counsel shall stand. I will accomplish all my purpose. He's in absolute control over all things. He calls a bird of prey from the east, the man of his counsel from a far country. I have spoken, I will bring it to pass. I have purpose and I will do it. Absolute control over all things. Now, in future studies, we're going to study God's authority in greater detail when we study his decree. His decree is mentioned here in these verses. And we will study his control further when we study his providence. But let's now turn to the third characteristic, or the third aspect of God's sovereignty, and that is his freedom. So, so far we've seen his sovereign authority, his sovereign control, and then the third and final aspect we're looking at, his sovereign freedom. A.W. Tozer is interesting. He's written a good book, The Knowledge of the Holy. The Lord used that to really, in college, give me a much higher view of God, to put me in much more awe of God than I'd ever been before. A.W. Tozer is interesting in his chapter on God's sovereignty, because when he talks about salvation, he writes as an Arminian. But he makes a wonderful statement in this chapter about God's sovereign freedom. After reading the statement, you would never think that he would have an Arminian view of salvation. Look at what he writes. His sovereignty requires that he be absolutely free. which means simply that he must be free to do whatever he wills to do anywhere at any time to carry out his eternal purpose in every single detail without interference. God is said to be absolutely free because no one and no thing can hinder him or compel him or stop him. He is able to do as he pleases always, everywhere, forever. Understand that God does not need anyone's permission to do anything that he does. He does not seek anyone's permission. He's not kept from saving someone because that person will not give him permission to be the Lord of his or her life. He has the freedom to give mercy to whomever he will give mercy. He has the freedom to regenerate and give a new heart to whomever he chooses. He's absolutely free. He doesn't need anyone's permission to do anything. He's able to do, he's free to do everything he pleases to do. Nothing that God does can be questioned. We read last week in Daniel chapter four, those wonderful words of Nebuchadnezzar after the Lord had humbled him, in which he wrote, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 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? God is free to do whatever he pleases to do. So therefore, he cannot be questioned. Why did you do that? How could you do that? Can't be questioned. He's free to do as he pleases. He's the only one, the only being that has sovereign freedom. By virtue of being a creature, you do not have sovereign freedom to do anything you please. You live under the domain of the great king. He is the one who is sovereign, not us. Now God's sovereign freedom is taught in several places. Let's turn to Psalm 135. Psalm 135, I'll start at verse five. Verse five, for I know that the Lord is great. and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does in heaven and on earth and the seas and all deeps. He's absolutely free to do whatever he pleases. Turn over to the New Testament, Matthew chapter 20, to a parable that I just love. Jesus' parables. really stick with us. So the way that he crafts them, we see Christ's incredible wisdom in these parables. In this one, it's the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. You have the master who owns a vineyard. And at the very beginning of the day, he goes out and he gathers some workers to work in his vineyard. And he works out an agreement with these day laborers that they will work for one denarius. They think that's very reasonable. A denarius was a day's wage in that time. And so they begin working at the very beginning of the day in the vineyard. The third hour comes around and the master goes out and he finds more laborers. And he tells them, at the end of the day, I will give you what is right. The sixth hour, I think, comes, and he gathers more laborers. The ninth hour, he gathers more. The 11th hour, this is a 12-hour workday. It's longer than most of us work in a day. The 11th hour, he goes out. The sun is really heading towards its setting, but he gathers some more laborers. He brings them in. They work for one hour. Now think of the difference. The first laborers worked 12 hours. They worked in the heat of the day. Then you have some that are less and less, all the way up to people that only worked one hour. Now, the end of the day comes, and the master calls all his workers to him to receive their wages. And he starts with those who were called last. Let's pick it up at verse 10. Now, when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more because they've worked longer. The Lord, the master so far has given everyone a denarius, starting with those who worked only one hour. Now, when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it, they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, these last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he replied to one of them, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? So the last will be first and the first last. Who does the master represent? God. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? This is at the heart of the Godhood of God, that God can do what he chooses with what belongs to him. In Christ, likewise, as God, he has the freedom to do with what he has as he chooses. There's nothing wrong with the master of the house giving the first workers one denarius. Even though they worked more than others who received the denarius, they had agreed at the very beginning. That's what they would work for. And the Lord can do with what belongs to him as he chooses. He is free. He has sovereign freedom. So I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. It's his prerogative to do so. Now let's turn over to one more passage. Romans chapter nine, verses 13 through 18. Also speaks about the sovereign freedom of God. Verse 13. As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. The Lord cast a special love upon Jacob that he did not cast upon Esau. In comparison, it was like the Lord hated Esau and loved Jacob. Not saying God had a malicious attitude towards Esau, but the Lord loved Jacob more. He loved Jacob with a special love. And this was not based on anything that Jacob Esau did. The Lord had the freedom to give this special love to Jacob and not to Esau. Verse 15, what shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means. For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. He's quoting very significant words that God spoke to Moses after Moses asked God to show him his glory. God reveals something very fundamental about what it means that he is God. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. I am sovereign. I have the freedom to dispense my mercy and my compassion as I please on whom I please. Verse 16, so then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, for this very purpose I have raised you up that I might show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. So then he has mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens. Whomever he wills. This hardening is an act of judgment. And again, God has the freedom to harden whomever he pleases, just as he has the freedom to have mercy on whomever he pleases. He's absolutely free. His sovereign freedom. Now, reflecting on what all of this tells us about our sin and God's grace. God's sovereign authority makes our sin exceedingly sinful. When we sin, we are sinning against one who has all authority over us. His sovereign authority makes our sin exceedingly sinful. His sovereign control makes our sin an occasion for exceeding dread. You know, we can't control our destiny. We can't control what happens to us. We can't control what God does to us. Our sin should make us exceedingly terrified of God. He's in control over our lives. And His sovereign freedom makes God's grace exceedingly amazing. It's absolutely amazing that God has had mercy on us. He didn't have to have mercy on us. He didn't have to save us. He would have been justified in judging us as he judged Pharaoh. Absolutely amazing that he had mercy on us. So his sovereign authority makes our sin exceedingly sinful, his sovereign control makes our sin an occasion for exceeding dread, and his sovereign freedom makes his grace exceedingly amazing. Do you have any questions about anything here or any comments related to these things to edify the group? Not absolute sovereignty. And you're talking about some of his other attributes. His sovereignty fits together with all of his other attributes. And we'll talk more about that later. If there was a being who was absolutely sovereign, but was not good, That would be a cause of terror for us. But the one who is absolutely sovereign is also good, is also love. And so everything comes together wonderfully. Anyone else? Tom? The elder brother, he worked so hard for his father. The younger brother, he just lived recklessly. He wasn't trustworthy. He was lazy. He didn't work hard for his father. And yet, he gets the fattened calf at the end. And of course, the elder brother, he's all infuriated about that, just like in this parable, those who worked all day long were infuriated. But God is merciful, and he can give that mercy as he chooses. Robert. Well, they're talking about God dispensing salvation and that all believers in Jesus Christ receive the same gift, the gift of eternal life. And it's not in proportion to what we have done for the Lord, but it's a free gift. And so it speaks of the grace of God, the mercy of God in salvation, that it's not according to works. That's my understanding, though I've never thoroughly studied it or preached it. And I guess I have a comment to make about God's freedom. Like three or four years ago when I used to think like, yeah, how can man not be free? Man is free and God is free and somehow it just works together. But then I realized that really there can only be one ultimately free person. Either man or God. And it's God. Good realization. Anyone else? Jose. Providence would fall under the wider category of God's sovereignty. It's specifically the exercise of His sovereignty in fulfilling His decree. His providence is how he controls everything in this universe in order to accomplish his decree. Even using the sinful acts of human beings and angelic beings, using everything to accomplish what is good that he has purposed before the foundation of the earth. Avers. all of God's attributes are equal. There is none higher or lower. And to me that makes sense. And it looks like it's reasonable to deal with that. Because God is perfect. So why wouldn't his attributes be perfectly spaced out? No attribute trumps another attribute. They all fit together perfectly. All of them are exhibited. That's why everything that God does is perfect. There's no other way to look at it. You can't look at it any other way. Good point. If there's no more questions or comments, then let's, oh, Kasia. Because God comes with grace and He gives us new life. He creates new life. And the problem of understanding, you know, freedom, freedom they have, you know, we have Christ to serve. But we still serve Him. But there is freedom also. Yes, it is. which wasn't possible before, and how great it is. And I found I love greater security and even pleasure than God's suffering. We will see later on in our study how comforting the doctor of God's sovereignty is to his children. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do bow before you. We praise you, Father, that no one is beyond the reach of your salvation, that no one can truly say, well, God could never save me. I'm too much of a sinner. I'm too rebellious against God. No, Lord, you are absolutely free to have mercy on whom you will have mercy. You can take the most wretched sinner, the most rebellious sinner, and you can bring them into a saving knowledge of your son. We recognize that you have all the rights over our lives. We thank you that you exercise your sovereignty over all things in accordance with your goodness, in accordance with your mercy, in accordance with your faithfulness and your kindness and your patience. You are not only the great king, you also are the good king. You are pure goodness. You always use your sovereignty for what is truly good. We pray, Father, that we would praise you as the sovereign one when we wake up. Throughout the day when we're in trials, when we receive blessings at the end of the day, may we always praise your sovereignty. For it is one of your perfections, we pray in Jesus name. Amen.