(90) God's Sovereignty Over History

Pick up the newspaper or turn on your favorite news channel on any given day and you’re sure to come across news of some international conflict, terrorist plot, or political unrest. You’ll see a world in upheaval.

You want to see change and so you vote for the candidates and policies you think will help bring about a better world. Sometimes you feel like your vote makes a difference, other times you wonder whether it’s worth voting at all. Everything just seems to be such a mess. Sometimes, if you know enough about what’s going on in the world, it seems like everything is totally out of control. It can be pretty depressing. And, it would be very depressing and truly hopeless if the events of history were in fact random events, the product of evil men in control, making decisions with evil intentions.

But history is not the succession of random events or the product of evil intentions. History is not out of control. God is in control. This is His-story. We live. We die. Governments come. Governments go. Nations rise and fall. God is behind it all.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:26 NIV)

God started with one man, Adam, and from him He has created every nation. He has determined when each nation would exist and where they would exist. Kings, dictators, and presidents think they rule the world. They are wrong.

Daniel was a prominent government official in the empire of Babylon. He was also a great prophet of Jehovah who understood what was really happening in the world. Carefully consider Daniel’s perspective on world events.

"Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.” (Daniel 2:20-21 NAU)

Bible scholar Gleason Archer explains what Daniel is saying in verse 21. “God determines when in history events are to take place (“times”) and how long each process or phase in history is to endure (“epochs”).” The New Living Translation of this verse also helps us get a better understanding of the significance of this verse. “He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.”
History is not moving along haphazardly. The events of history take place exactly according to the timing of God and last only as long as God has determined they would.

I know this presents lots of questions for us when we see all the evil in the world, but our questions must not lead us to alter the clear teaching of scripture. God is in control of all the events of history. Though this is confusing, think of the alternative and you realize any other solution is impossible. How could God declare the certainty of future events as He does all through scripture if He is not in control of history? How could we rely on the promises of God if God is not in control of the events of this world?

God is in control. He is sovereign over all the events of history, past, present, and future. And, He is orchestrating all these events to fulfill His great plan, to fulfill His purpose for His pleasure.

We can find calm, peace, and rest in the midst of political upheaval and a world that is filled with evil because our God is still on the throne of creation. God is in control!

You can find calm, peace, and rest in the face of troubling events in your life. You can find calm, peace, and rest in the face events that threaten your stability and even your life as you acknowledge and embrace the sovereignty of God over all of your life circumstances. Choose to submit to His plan, and find peace in the truth that He is orchestrating every event in your life for your highest good and His greatest glory. God is in control!

SDG


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