The idea of God’s sovereignty — that He has power, jurisdiction, authority, dominion, right to rule– over creation is throughout Scripture. Sometimes, it is implied in a passage. Other texts, like the book of Habakkuk, bring us crashing head-on into this doctrine at full force.
For God’s children, God’s sovereignty is ultimately comforting— knowing that there is no authority higher than the God who created us, loved us, and died to redeem us. But, His sovereignty can also be confusing— when we don’t understand what God is doing, when we see evil thriving unchecked, when God’s timing seems too long and we don’t see the promises fulfilled as WE think they should be.
Many examples are given in the Scriptures of God exercising His sovereignty over the affairs of the world. Here are 10 verses from the Old Testament in which the Lord declares His sovereignty.
10 Old Testament Verses about God’s Sovereignty:
Psalm 135:6
Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
Job 42:2
I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Psalm 115:3
But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Isaiah 40:23
He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
Psalm 90: 2
Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world. Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Proverbs 16:4
The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil.
II Chronicles 20:6
And he said, “O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens?
And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations?
Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.
Psalm 103:19
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.
Proverbs 16:9
The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
Genesis 50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
From these verses, we see that God is sovereign over heavens and earth, over creation, over rulers and kingdoms, over time, over all mankind, and even over evil. It is the idea of God’s sovereignty that allows Paul to promise in Romans:
Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
For, only a sovereign God could make that promise to His children. So, whenever we are confused or amazed by what God is doing in our lives or in the world… we can remind ourselves of God’s sovereignty and power over all.
A good, thorough, yet not overwhelming discussion of God’s sovereignty is HERE, at got questions.org