Job
At the end of the debate of the book of Job, it is God versus Job in a predictable win for the Lord God Almighty. In 40:8-14, God asks, "Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? There are echoes of this sentiment in Paul's words about replying against God, in Romans. The doctrines of Sovereignty at first glance seem "unfair" , "unjust" .
But as Job (42:1-2) eventually concedes, "...no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."
God will do what He pleases, for His own purposes, and if that sounds cold and hard at first, it must be balanced with the other things we know of this God, that His mercy endures forever, that He is love, that His compassion was manifest through the Person and Life of Jesus Christ, who had a reputation for hanging around "sinners".
Psalms
The Psalms are rich in proclaiming God's sovereignty. I regularly find new instances, and the following list is probably far from complete.
We start with the famed second Psalm, where God declares a decree. Now it is the "decree" that is at the bottom of Sovereignty. God decreed day and night, sun and moon. He decreed all that we can see and all the invisible too. His decrees are what keep the planets in order and the revolving of the Earth.
Most readily agree with this assessment but begin to balk when it is asserted that He also decrees the actions of people, and His eternal relationships to them. Hopefully, no one has a problem with verse 7 and following, where God decrees that His Son is to be King over all the Earth, and that all nations will bow to that kingship.
This is predestination in its purest form. God says He will have a Son and that that Son will reign. Any arguments?
What if He said He was going to have many sons, adopted of course, and that they all should reign too? What if He could tell you their names because He chose them from the foundation of the Earth? Have I gone too far? Do the Scriptures go that far?
Let's get some help for that question in our next Psalm, 33. The publisher of this Bible calls Psalm 33 "The sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History." That sums it up pretty well... But to some specifics: Verse 11,
"The counsel of the Lord stands forever..." Once He says it, it's going to be done. With or without our approval.
Verse 12: "Blessed... is the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance." The Psalmist had Israel in mind, the Spirit had the "Greater Israel," which includes the true Church of Jesus.
Yes, nations, you say. I get it. General organizing of the nations and supervising history's flow, yes, that works.
Keep reading. 14-15
"From the place of His habitation He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually..."
From sun and moon we have suddenly come to your heart and mine, fashioned by God. And Who can resist His will? Take a look at this Almighty God as, perhaps, you have not seen Him before.
And what saith David about the perseverance of the saints? Have you ever read Psalm 37:28 with this question in mind? "...His saints...are preserved forever..."
What of war and peace, and their Predestinator? Go to Psalm 46 and read of His decrees: "...He uttered His Voice, the earth melted...the Lord makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire...I will be exalted in the earth!"
David again speaks of the called individual in 65:4. "Blessed is the man whom you choose..."
But more. He not only chooses that man but "causes [him] to approach" to Himself. That sounds a lot like irresistible grace. How else will that man choose to come to God? His choice-maker was forever damaged in the Garden. He knows how to choose evil, ever since he saw it, but to choose good is not with him.
So the chosen one needs an assist. And he gets it. And who receives, therefore, all (not half) the glory? We'll see this spelled out in the New Covenant later, but it is fascinating to know that our God spoke hints to His sovereignty long before Matthew 1.
Next is one of the many promises our God makes to His people with no apparent conditions attached. 73:24, "You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." No intermediate possibility, "You just might decide that my works are not acceptable and send me to Hell." First the counsel, then the glory. Period.
75:7, could all this be spoken more clearly? "But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another."
Then the no-brainer of Psalm 100:2, "It is He that has made us, and not we ourselves." If that concept is so obvious, why not the concept of the new birth? It is He that has re-made us, and not we ourselves. God decided to have a child. We are the result. What can you do but cooperate when you are being given birth or being created?
Truly, Psalm 115:3, "...our God is in heaven. He does whatever He pleases!"
Moving quickly through the Psalms we come to another reminder of His preserving power: 121:7, "The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
That's poetry, you say. Yep. And that's fact. Just like Psalm 23 is poetry, yet to be trusted. And it reminds us of words from the New Testament, too. "He who began a good work in you will finish it...(Philippians 1:6)."
Psalm 135 gives us another reminder that the Lord does whatever He wants to do, then gives us a list of many of those things, like judging His people and having compassion on His servants.
There are of course many more passages, but the point is made. Spirit-filled David and his associate song-writers knew of the "doctrines of grace."
(2,500 years before John Calvin!)
Proverbs
David's son, no less than David, held on to the truth that God does what He pleases, whether it pleases us or not (4:18).
In 16:4: "The Lord has made all things for Himself, yes even the wicked for the day of doom." We inherit many of the Lord's blessings, but step back and see that, originally and ultimately, it's all for Him.
In the plan of God, even wicked people have a part. He will receive all the glory on that day when wickedness and its vessels are all finally thrown into the Lake of Fire. None of God's true church will question these choices, no one will shed a tear for those who with obstinate hearts stood in the way of their Maker.
And later in this chapter, verse 9. Though you may think you have a great plan for your life, don't be surprised if it gets a bit "adjusted" so that the great Plan-Maker will have His way: "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."
Similar sentiments in 19:21, "There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel- that will stand." Not just my plans and your plans, but also the plans of the government rulers themselves: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord...He turns it wherever He wishes (21:1)."
In fact, there is "no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord (21:30)." You won't surprise Him, He'll surprise you. You won't counter His plan, He'll counter yours. You won't think any thought that He has not already incorporated into the Grand Scheme of things.
You'll see.
Ecclesiastes
The classic third chapter of Ecclesiastes with its talk of a "time for everything", or 1:10's mentioning of the fact that there is nothing new, speaks of His sovereignty, and especially 3:14, "I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever..."
Not as strong a case perhaps in this book, but we have already seen that the author was fully aware of God's sovereignty. Perhaps in his turning away from God and settling his mind on earthly things, he was more aware than most that a man outside God's plan is a miserable man. Yet even his being allowed to lapse, turns into a blessing to readers of all generations, another signal that all things come from the Creator for His own purposes.
I was unable to pinpoint Sovereignty statements in Song of Solomon. Again, the author is on record as a witness to this matter.
Let us pass to the final section of the Old Covenant books and see what the prophets add to the discussion.
