God is the Sovereign LORD!

God is the Sovereign LORD!

“But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge” Ps 73:28

A name.  What’s in a name?  Is it really just a word or words we use to identify something?  In the Old Testament a name often captured the essence of the person.¹  When God tells us one of His names in the Scripture, we should be careful to glean the proper understanding of what He is telling us about Himself by using a specific name for Himself.  We have studied the name Immanuel and YHWH.  Now let’s take a look at Adonai.

Adonai is an emphatic form of the words “'âdôn  'âdôn” a root Hebrew word meaning to rule or be sovereign (a controller).  Often this root word is translated “lord” or “master” or “owner”.²   This word can also mean “firm” or “strong” and is used to reference people with a general recognition of  superiority (I.E. lord, master, prophet, priest, captain, governor, prince, and king). ³  Adonai is a derivative of this root word.  This is a unique word is an emphatic form of “'âdôn  'âdôn” which is used only as a proper name of God.  Often we find the word Adonai combined with the Tetragramaton for a combination of YHWH Adonai.  This compound name for God is found in 291 OT verses.  Of these verses 271 are found in the prophets and 210 are found in the book of Ezekiel.  This compound name of God is translated by modern versions of the bible in different ways.  The KJV, NASB, and ESV translate this as “Lord GOD,” which does denote in the word “Lord” the idea of master.  However, the CEV translates the same compound name as “LORD All-Powerful” and the NIV translates it as “Sovereign LORD.”  When we combine what we know of YHWH meaning “I am” or “I will be,” we get the meaning of “I am All-Powerful” or  “I am Sovereign.”

It is interesting to note that when the Lord speaks to Ezekiel to speak on behalf of Himself to the people He says “…Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says…’” (Eze 2:4) and later “…But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says…’” (Eze 3:27).  This is the name that God is calling Himself.

When we start to look at the context surrounding the name YHWH Adonai, we gain even more understanding of aspects of this name of God.  Let’s look at a few together:

Ps 60:20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

Here the Psalmist sees the “All-Powerful, Sovereign LORD” as the only one who can save us and give us an escape from death.

Ps 71:5 For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.

Ps 71:16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.

Here the Psalmist sees the Sovereign LORD as his hope and confidence because of His mighty acts and the perfect righteousness that belongs to the Sovereign LORD alone.

Ps 73:28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

The Psalmist here sees the Sovereign LORD as good and as a refuge because of all the deeds the Sovereign LORD has done.  The All-Powerful, Sovereign LORD is our master, our mighty one, to whom all authority is given in heaven and on earth and to whom no other power or ruler could compare.

Ps 109: 21 But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

Here the Sovereign LORD is entreated to deal favorably with the Psalmist because part of His All-Powerful nature is to deliver and to be good.  Who would want to follow an All-Powerful bad leader, anyway?  Could there be any sense of justice in such a case?  Could there be any hope of benevolence toward his subjects?

Ps 140:7 O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle—

We can look to the Sovereign LORD for deliverance, to be strong on our behalf and to shield us when times get tough and the battle rages.

Ps 141:8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge--do not give me over to death.

The dictionary tells us “Sovereign” means “having supreme rank, power, or authority; preeminent, indisputable; greatest in degree; utmost or extreme; being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.”⁴  What a beautiful description of who God is!  He is supreme over all.  He has all the power.  He is the ultimate authority.  He is the preeminent one.  There was none before Him.  He is indisputable.   He is extreme.  He is above all others in character.  He is most important.  He defines excellence.

The All-Powerful, Sovereign LORD is our refuge, our shield, the one who does mighty deeds, whose character is above all others, and who deals with us beneficially, who knows everything.  We can take confidence in the All-Powerful, Sovereign LORD, because He will sustain us.  “Sovereign LORD” – what a wonderfully powerful name!

Footnotes
¹ Ryken, Leland, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Name." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 583. Print.
² Meyers, Rick. E-Sword. Strong’s Concordance entry: H113. Computer software. E-Sword. The Sword of the LORD with an Electronic Edge. Vers. 10.0.5. Rick Meyers. Web. <http://www.e-sword.net/>.
³ Meyers, Rick. E-Sword. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions entry: H113. Computer software. E-Sword. The Sword of the LORD with an Electronic Edge. Vers. 10.0.5. Rick Meyers. Web. <http://www.e-sword.net/>.
⁴ "Sovereign | Define Sovereign at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sovereign>.

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

God is Sovereign

“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalm 115:3

The Sovereignty of God is an important attribute when we consider who God is and what He is like.  Sovereign is defined by Merriam-Webster as “one that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere.”¹  This does not quite describe God’s sovereignty.  God’s sovereignty is supreme authority over all that exists.  God is in complete control.  He is “…God the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords…” 1 Tim 6:15-16.  God is ether completely sovereign or not God at all.  There cannot be something He does not rule, or He would cease to be omnipotent.  There cannot be something God does not know or He would not be omniscient.  Every atom, every quark, every perpetual motion particle (or whatever they find tomorrow that’s smaller), every little thing is under God’s control.  Find this hard to believe?  So do I, but it is, nevertheless the truth.  “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” Col 1:15-17.  He is in complete control, holding all things together; even the bodies of those who refuse to believe He exists. 

OK so by now, if you are like me, you are asking the question, “What about…?”  The answer is “Yes” He is in control of that too.  A. W. Tozer points out in his book Knowledge of the Holy some of the stumbling blocks we trip over trying to understand the sovereignty of God.  What about free-will?  What about evil, death, and pain in the world? God has, in His infinite sovereignty, holiness, wisdom, and goodness, allowed man to have a free-will.²  When man exercises his free-will, for good or bad, he reinforces the will of God that man should have free-will.  However, this free-will must necessarily create the opportunity for evil to exist.  Man must be able to choose good or evil if he is to be a morally free agent.  Now, man not being perfect, as God is, will eventually make an evil choice.  This is what we call sin.  Sin has corrupted the world and all that is in it – except God Himself who cannot be less than perfect or ceases to be God at that point.  So we live as fallen people in a fallen world, but God, who knew the consequences of free-will (the death of His Son as a substitute for our lives as a sacrifice for our sin), went ahead and created the world anyway.  Imagine how it must bless Him when we choose to do good and live for Him!  He has chosen to make His dwelling inside of us to help our frail wills to be able to choose good.  Tozer points out only a sovereign God in complete control would allow His subjects free-will.³  Were He not sovereign, He would be afraid to do so.  One day, He has promised to end all evil, death and pain.  Only a sovereign God in complete control could allow evil for a time and then fully expunge it.  If He were not sovereign, evil would become out of His control and He could not put an end to it.  So man has free-will and God is sovereign.  Evil exists and God is sovereign. 

When we contemplate God we must we willing to accept two things which look contradictory can exist in perfect harmony where He is involved.  He is merciful and righteous.  He dispenses blessing and wrath.  He is three in one.  He has compassion and righteously judges perfectly.  He is sovereign and has given man free will.  He is sovereign and evil does exist for a time.  One day He will roll back the sky like a scroll and reveal He is whom He claims to be, but woe to those who have not believed until that moment-they may never get the chance to accept Him as Savior. 

Nothing is forced on God.  He is never “put between a rock and a hard place.”  He has limitless power to solve problems.  He has limitless knowledge to apply to problems.  He has no problems.  Satan and God are not equal and opposite powers.  Satan is a created, limited being who is not omnipresent, omniscient, or omnipotent.  These qualities belong to God alone.  Indeed, they by definition could only belong to one being.  So here we find tremendous relief and ultimate confidence in our walk with Him.  God is sovereign.  All things are under His control and He will set all things straight in the end.  He is not governed by our time frames, nor is His required to end our pain or suffering on our schedule.  We should always pray in faith for God to heal, yet we must remember He is sovereign and our prayers do not govern Him.  Be certain, He cares.  He has provided the ultimate remedy, evil and pain and suffering and death will cease to exist at some point.  We must wait patently and look for His return and accept what He gives whenever He gives it.  However, His sovereignty does not negate our need for faith, nor our pursuit of Him.  He is faithful to His promises and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  He cannot lie and, therefore, all is promises are true.  God is a person of complete fidelity and integrity.  He can be unconditionally trusted.  The sovereignty of God does not scare us because we understand His nature.  He loves.  He is good.  He is faithful.  “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom….The lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made….The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made….The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Ps 145:3, 8, 9, 13,18.

For more illumination on the sovereignty of God, look up the following scriptures: Gen 18:14, Ps 115:3, Ps 135:6, Jer 32:27, Dan 4:35, Matt 19:26, Luke 1:37.

Oh, Lord God Almighty, Sovereign Potentate, ruler of all that is, we humbly bow in Your Presence which dwells right inside us.  Help our feeble minds to comprehend more of you.  Help our souls to dwell in the awareness of Your awesome presence and power.  Help our spirits to commune with Your Holy Spirit living in us.  Help our bodies to display the actions which represent You.  We subscribe all power to You, and we thank You for giving us free-will.  Help us use it to glorify You, for you alone are worthy of all our affections and actions.  You alone are the best thoughts we could think.  You alone show us the best way to live.  Let our heart, soul, mind, strength and spirit be ever focused on and captivated by You, the Only Great and Mighty One!  Amen!

Footnotes

¹ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sovereign

² Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. 108-113. Print.

³ Tozer. 111.

Resources:

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Duffield, Guy P., and Nathaniel M. Cleave. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology. Los Angeles, Calif.: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1983. Print.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/9170/SPROUL10.HTM

Who is God?

"What comes into our minds when we think about God,

is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer¹

Ever feel like you want to know more about God but don’t know where to start?  How do you think about God?  What is he like?  Where do we begin when thinking about God?  I mean it’s not like you can flip open your Bible and go to the section marked “all about God.”  I hope to talk about who God is here in these articles and I would like to suggest some extra reading.  A. W. Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy is excellent reading on whom God is.  I read somewhere recently that you could get a great deal of understanding who God is by looking at one of my favorite Psalms.  Let me encourage you to sit down for a few minutes and read through Psalms 103.  While you are reading, consider the following questions and write down your answers.  These are good questions for you to ask any time you are reading a passage of scripture from the Bible.

Bible Study Questions:

How does God reveal Himself in this passage?

Are there commands to follow, actions to take or to avoid?

Are there promises to claim?

How can I apply these truths to my everyday life?

Write out your answers and then compare them to the ones I found below.

How does God reveal Himself in this passage?

Lord	Healer	Righteous	Slow to anger	Knowledgeable
Holy	Redeemer	Just	Merciful (does not treat us as our sins deserve)	Eternal (from everlasting to everlasting)
Benefactor	Crowner	Compassionate	Abounding in love	Faithful
Forgiver	Satisfier	Gracious		Sovereign (Ruler over all)

Are there commands to follow, actions to take or to avoid?

Praise the Lord, O my soul

Fear (revere) Him

Are there promises to claim?

Forgiveness of sin

Healing of diseases

Redemption of life

Satisfaction with life

Righteousness and justice on our behalf

God would make Himself known to us

God treats us with grace, not as our sins deserve

God has great love for us if we revere (fear) Him

God has removed our transgressions from us

God has compassion on us

God’s love is with us for eternity if we fear Him and keep His commands

God rules over all

How can I apply these truths to my everyday life?

Ask Him to forgive your sin and fill you with love.  Ask Him to purify your desires and fulfill them.  Ask Him to make Himself known to you.  Ask Him for healing He has promised you.

Thank you, God, for revealing yourself to us in your Word, the Bible!  Help us come to know you better every day.  Help us to find You, follow You, claim your promises as our own and apply Your truths to our lives.  We trust in you.  Amen!

Footnotes

¹ Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. 1. Print.

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV).

Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. Print.