God’s attribute: The Sovereignty of God Part 2

This is a series on the attributes of God.

Purpose: In this lesson we will continue to see the universal scope of God’s control specifically over angels and demons and man.

• God’s control over angels
• God’s control over fallen angels
• God’s control over man

God’s control over angels

1. God can send the angels to fulfill His will
   1. “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:31)
      1. Matthew 24 is about Jesus’ second coming.
      2. In the immediate context the “He” that is sending forth angels refer to the Son of Man.
      3. Earlier in this series we established that the Son of Man is the second person within the Godhead; thus, angels obey the Triune God.
   2. “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,” (Matthew 24:41)
      1. Here we see the angels obey the Son of man even with being sent to gather the lawless.
      2. How awesome is the thought that the lawless are weaker than angels, and though angels are stronger than humans they submit to God’s will.
2. God’s control and authority angels is seen in their worship of God: “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,” (Revelation 7:11)
   1. This is a scene from heaven.
   2. Note all the angels acknowledge his sovereignty in their physical act of worshipping Him.
3. The Four Gospels feature many account of angels doing the work of God. It shows God is in control of them.

God’s control over fallen angels

1. God’s control over fallen angels are seen in His ability to send them to places of judgment.
   1. “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;” (2 Peter 2:4)
      1. First off, fallen angels are angels who have sinned.
      2. Note here how God has the control to “cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.”
   2. “30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter [a]the swine. And He gave them permission.” (Luke 8:30-32)
      1. Jesus’ control over the demons apparently was recognized by the demons even during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
      2. Note the demon’s fear and recognition of Jesus’ power “to command them to go away into the abyss” (Luke 8:31).
      3. Jesus is able to exercise that control of power!
   3. “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,” (Jude 1:6)
      1. Some demons have not obeyed God and are extra rebellious that their judgment already happened.
      2. They are currently chained already.
   4. Summary: God is in control of demons in his judgment, some of whom He already has restrained (Jude 1:6), others will still face it in their future (2 Peter 2:4) and demons recognize that power of being cast in the abyss can occur in this side of history (Luke 8:30-32)
2. Satan asks God for permission for certain acts
   1. The Bible doesn’t say Satan asks God for permission for everything he does but we do see instances where he does ask God permission before he does something.
   2. “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.” (Job 1:10)
      1. This is Satan talking to God in heaven concerning Job.
      2. Satan recognizes there are somethings he cannot do because of God’s power.
   3. “31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has [a]demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)
      1. Context here is Jesus’ last night before His crucifixion.
      2. Here Jesus reveals that Satan has been asking God to be able to attack Simon.
      3. Again Satan acknowledges God’s control.
3. The Four Gospels feature many account of Jesus casting out demons and spirits. It shows God is in control of them.

God’s control over man

1. “The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:1)
   1. Here we see Hebrew poetry of two lines called Parallelism.
   2. It is contrastive with the content of man’s heart (“The plans of the heart”) belonging to man contrast with man’s “answer of the tongue” source is “from the Lord.”
   3. God control man’s tongues.
   4. A good example of Proverbs 16:1 illustrated in Scripture is Balaam’s intent to curse Israel ended up being pronounced blessings to Israel from Numbers 22 and following.
   5. While the heart of a man belongs to man, nevertheless as we shall see, God is still in control over man’s heart.
2. “Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)
   1. Here is another Hebrew poetry of two lines.
   2. It is a contrastive parallelism.
   3. First line makes an observation about man’s heart: “Many plans are in a man’s heart”
   4. Second line shows God’s plan is sovereign over man’s plans: “But the counsel of the Lord will stand.”
3. “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Proverbs 21:1)
   1. Here is another Hebrew poetry of two lines.
   2. This time the second line expands on the point of the first line.
   3. Among men, the most powerful is probably kings.
   4. Yet God says a “king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord”
   5. Elaborating the point the author of Proverbs adds “He turns it wherever He wishes.”
4. “The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
   1. Here is another Hebrew poetry of two lines.
   2. It is a contrastive parallelism.
   3. First line makes an observation that: “The mind of man plans his way”
   4. Yet God is the One in control since “the Lord directs his steps.”
5. Is God sovereign over man’s disability?
   1. “The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11)
      1. In context this is God’s reply to Moses’ complaint that he can’t speak.
      2. Notice here that God in a rhetorical question says disabilities such as “mute or deaf, …or blind” was made by Him.
      3. To reinforce this point notice God asks ““Who has made man’s mouth?”and “Is it not I, the Lord?”
   2. “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:1-3)
      1. Notice the wrong view the disciples of Jesus had concerning the source of disability (John 9:2).
      2. Jesus correction: ““It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:1-3).
   3. You might have a lot of questions about God’s sovereignty which hopefully we will explore in the next few sessions but for now we want to establish that God is Sovereign over individuals human lives.

Implications

1. Focus more on God than fear of demons: God is Sovereign over them!
2. In your spiritual warfare, don’t trust in yourself but in God as the angel Michael gives us the example: “But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”” (Jude 9)
3. Be careful of speaking nonsense of the spiritual realm: “Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic [c]majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.” (2 Peter 2:10b-11)
4. Praise God for His Sovereignty of our Salvation despite hostile angelic beings: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)
5. If God is in control of our individual lives, we can pray for God to change us!
6. If God is in control of our individual lives, we can pray for God to change others!
7. We should be humble about our plans and goals. Note, in a future session we will discuss more about the role of human responsibility in light of God’ sovereignty and decision making.
8. We should have a change view concerning people’s disabilities.
9. Praise God for His Sovereignty of our Salvation: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

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