Chapter 21. The name of the message is the
sovereign over sovereigns. The sovereign over sovereigns.
Now we have a lot of things occurring in the world right now. A lot
of things that could trouble our hearts. And we see different
saber rattling going on all around the world and different things,
different events coming on that can trouble our hearts as we
see things. But we have to be constantly reminded that Our
sovereign God is in absolute control. He's in full control.
He's king of kings and lord of lords. He is the sovereign over
sovereigns. He is the sovereign over sovereigns.
Turn if you would to Proverbs 21 verses 1 and 2. Look at these
marvelous words. The king's heart. So you can
put there the president, the prime minister, any leader. And even civic leaders. police
officers, anyone. The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord. As the rivers of water, he turneth
it whatsoever he will. Every way of a man is right in
his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts. So today we'll look
at how our sovereign God, Jehovah, is the sovereign over sovereigns. He's the sovereign over sovereigns.
And I pray that this will bring us great comfort. As we live
our lives in this world of woe, and as we see events occur around
us, that we will keep this in mind, that the heart of the king,
or the heart of the president, or the heart of any leader in
this world, is in the Lord's hands. It's in His hands, and
He turns whatsoever He will. So his will will be accomplished.
And he has never abdicated his throne, beloved. Think of this.
Empires have rose. Rome was a was a majestic power. Babylon was a majestic power
in the ancient world. Where are they now? They're gone.
But who's still upon the throne? The one who turns the hearts
of the kings, our great God and our sovereign, the Lord Jesus
Christ, and he He is sovereign over all rulers and He has never
abdicated His throne and He rules supreme. He rules supreme as
the King of kings and as the Lord of lords. Turn if you would
to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. The first thing I'd like to look
at is Jehovah. Our God is superior to sovereigns
in His nature and in His titles. In His nature and in His titles. Beloved, He is supreme. He's supreme. And also put your
finger in Romans chapter 13. 1 Timothy 6 and Romans chapter
13. And let us remember that all
governments, all civil authority comes from God. And every civil
authority is appointed by God. and they serve as his minister.
But look at here, we see some of his titles here in 1 Timothy
6, verses 15 and 16. Which in his times he shall show
who is the blessed and only potentate. He's the only ruler. He rules
supreme over all. The only potentate. Now there's a man in Rome who
claims to be a potentate, but he's nothing but dust, beloved.
He's nothing but dust. This one spoken of in scripture
is the only potentate. And look, here's his title, the
King of Kings. The King of Kings. Do you see
why the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord? Because he's
the King of Kings. He's the Lord of Lords in the
scripture key and Lord of Lords Look at this who only hath immortality
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto Whom no
man hath seen nor can see to whom be honor and power Everlasting
his powers everlasting beloved. It'll never it'll never it'll
never wane. It'll never Fade he has all power
all authority belongs It's an everlasting rule, an everlasting
reign. And then look at Romans 13, verses
1 to 6. It's scripture declares, let
every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there's no
power but of God. There's no power but of God.
The rulers that be are ordained of God. Our rulers are ordained
by God. And what comfort that brings
us as believers, right? To know that no matter who's
in power, God has ordained them to be there. Our God. And they're like water in His
hands. They're like water in His hands.
He can do with them whatever He pleases. It says, whosoever
therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God.
And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For
rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Think of
this. We have nothing to fear from
the law unless we've broken it. Now think of this in light of
God's justice. We broke the law of God, every
one of us, right? Every one of us, every human
being on this earth, but praise be to God for we who believe.
Christ fulfilled the law for us. Do you see where the terror
of the law has gone even for we who believe in Christ? It's
been fulfilled. He's done it all. He's done it
all. So it says here, for rulers are
not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then not be
afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou
shalt have the praise of the same. For he is the minister
of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is
evil, be afraid. Be afraid. For he beareth not
the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God,
a revenger to execute wrath upon them doeth evil. Wherefore ye
must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience
sake. For this cause pay ye tribute
also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this
very thing. So our Lord Jesus Christ, our
God Jehovah, is superior to sovereigns in His nature and in His titles.
The second thing I'd like to look at is our God is sovereign
over sovereigns in His works. in his works. Turn, if you would,
to Daniel, chapter 2, verse 21. Daniel, chapter 2, verse 21.
And then also put your finger in Proverbs, chapter 8. Daniel,
chapter 2, verse 21. And Proverbs, chapter 8. And
we'll be looking at verses 14 to 16 in Proverbs. And I'll read
what Samuel, what's written over in Samuel. Because our God, He
has all power and all power to set in power whom He wills to
accomplish His will. 1 Samuel 9 says this, Now the Lord
had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, Tomorrow
about this time I will send thee a man. of the land of Benjamin,
and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people." See,
God is the one who has ordained that Saul would be captain over
his people, over my people Israel. "...that he may save my people
out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people,
because their cry has come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul,
the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee
of." This same shall reign over my people. Then Saul drew near
to Samuel on the gate and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where is
the seer's house is? And Samuel answered Saul and
said, I am the seer. Go up before me into the high
place, for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will
let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. And
as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not
thy mind upon them, for they are found. And on whom is all
the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on thy
father's house? And Saul answered and said, Am
I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel and my
family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore
then speakest thou so to me? He's shocked. But because God
has ordained that he will be the leader, he will be the leader. Now, look at here. Look at here
in Daniel 221. Our king. Our king is the one who has the
real power in the universe, beloved. These kings and sovereigns spoken
of in the scriptures and in our presence, they have borrowed
power. It's given to them. It's given to them by God. Look
at this. It says, and he changes the times
and the seasons. He removeth kings. God does this. He removeth kings and setteth
up kings. Who has power here? Our God. He giveth wisdom unto the wise
and knowledge to them that know understanding. And then turn
over to Proverbs chapter eight and we keep this in mind. Oh,
beloved, he is the one who removes kings. He is the one who who
raises up kings. Look at Proverbs chapter eight.
And remember this brother Marcus and I were talking yesterday
about about our God and about our king. Scripture declares
the heavens can't even contain him. He is so great. He's infinitely great. His power
is infinite. Infinite. And this is our God.
This is the one who came to redeem our souls. Look at Proverbs chapter
8, verses 14 to 16. Look at this. Counsel is mine
and sound wisdom. I am understanding. I have strength.
Look at this. By me, kings reign. By me, kings reign. Now think
of that. Kings are like our president
who reigns over this whole nation. The scriptures here declaring
that these kings reign by God's power and by God's decree.
By me, kings reign and princes decree justice. That ties in
with what we looked at at Romans. By me, princes rule and nobles,
even all the judges of the earth, beloved, Our God is superior
to sovereigns in all His works. All His works. Now, monarchs
may claim absolute rule over their subjects, right? Back in
the days when we had kings and they had absolute rule. We don't
necessarily see that as much anymore, but they had absolute
rule. It was almost like a dictatorship. It was a monarchy. But you didn't
go up to the king and say, what are you doing? He liable to lop
your head off. They had absolute rule, absolute
rule. And they may claim absolute rule.
Leaders may even now claim absolute rule over their subjects and
over their people, and even the power of life and death. But
Jehovah, beloved, exercises absolute rule over monarchs, over monarchs,
over kings. And those monarchs on earth,
the only reason they have the power they do, because it's all
according to God's will and God's purpose. Daniel 5, 18 says this
in 19, O thou King, the Most High God, gave Nebuchadnezzar
thy father a kingdom and majesty and glory and honor. God gave
him that kingdom. God gave him that kingdom. And
for majesty that he gave him all people, nations, and languages
trembled and feared before him whom he slew and whom he would
keep kept alive and whom he would set up and whom he would put
down. God gave him the power. He gave him all the power. He
allowed him to have that. So think of that. When we see
world events going on, and we see them all the time, right?
We see saber-rattling going on by leaders. Rest and trust, knowing
who's in control. Knowing who's in control. Those
leaders are like water. Again, we're going to look at
that. They're like water in our sovereign's hands. Now think
of this. Our God, Jehovah, is sovereign
where sovereigns are not. In the heart. Look at our text again. The king's
heart is in the hand of the Lord. As the rivers of water, he turneth
it whatsoever he will. Every way of a man is right in
his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts. Sovereigns can exercise
control and power and authority over man's bodies, but not in
their hearts. Not in their hearts, beloved.
Nebuchadnezzar required his subjects, remember, to bow before an idol,
under pain of death. Under pain of death. But three
Hebrew men did not regard his command in their hearts, and
Jehovah overruled the king's scheme to execute them. So Jehovah, our God, is sovereign
where kings are not sovereign. In the hearts of His people.
In the hearts of His people. And He exercises, think of this,
He exercises His sovereignty, again, over the king's heart
like water. Like water in His hands. Water
is fluid, right? It's fluid. It's easily moved. It's easily directed. Likewise, kings in Jehovah's
hands are pliable and moldable to whatever his will is. Whatever
his will is. Water is unstable. Likewise,
no king has stability unless Jehovah gives it to him. No king has stability unless
Jehovah grants it to him. Water seeks the lowest level.
Likewise, kings will sink to their lowest level unless Jehovah,
our great God and King, the sovereign over sovereigns, raises them
up, raises them up. And water is incapable of flowing
upward. Likewise, kings are incapable
of rising up against Jehovah. They're incapable of rising up
against the great God and King, Jehovah. who rules supreme. This is our God. This is our
Savior. So when we see world events going
on, let us rest and trust in the fact that our God is in full
control. And He is in control over all
these events. And I know it's easy for us to
get caught up in things that are going on. I know it is. And
we should be aware of things that are going on. But let us
not get so troubled that we're doubting our great God and King. The next part I'd like to look
at is Jehovah is sovereign over sovereigns by using them for
his purpose. For his purpose, whatever God's
purpose is for that leader, it shall be accomplished. It shall
be accomplished, whether it's to give us a reprieve or whether
it's judgment upon a nation. God's will will be done. His
will will be done. Now men have witnessed Him, God
turning the hearts of kings for His own purpose. Turn, if you
would, to Exodus 4, verse 21 in Ezra, chapter 7. Ezra, chapter 7. Exodus 4, verse
21 in Ezra, chapter 7. And then we'll look at Acts.
I've got us jumping around a little bit today. I always love to have
scripture verify scripture. Look at this in Exodus 4. Jehovah
hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in judgment against
this tyrant for his sin. Look at Exodus 4, verse 21. And
the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return unto Egypt,
see that they will do all these wonders before Pharaoh, which
I have put in thine hand. but I will harden his heart that
he shall not let the people go. Do you see that? Our God is in
full control. Full control, but I will harden
his heart that he shall not let the people go. Now he finally,
that last judgment, that was it, wasn't it? But yeah, but
that was God's timing. That was God's timing. And then
look at Ezra, chapter 7, and I'll read a verse from Ezra 6,
which says this, 22, verse 22, So God, Ezra 6, 22, says that
God turned the heart of the king of Assyria, which is what we
see in our scripture. The heart of the King, the King's
heart is in the hand of the Lord. And He turneth it. Like rivers
of water, He turns it however He wills. Look at Ezra 7, verses
27 and 28. Blessed be the Lord God of our
fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the King's heart,
to beautify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem,
and hath extended mercy unto me before the King and his counselors,
and before all the kings and mighty princes. And I was strengthened
as the hand of the Lord, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon
me. And I gathered together out of the Israel chief men to go
up with me." But look, note in verse 27, the king's heart. He put this in the king's heart.
Put this. Now think of this with the Israelites
too. After the death angel had went
through and slain the firstborn, and the Israelites were leaving, the Egyptians were giving them
their jewels. They were showing favor in the
eyes of the Egyptians. They spoiled the Egyptians. That
was God turning their hearts, beloved, to do that, to do that. It's incredible. Our God is in
absolute control. Absolute control. Acts chapter
4 says this in verses 27 and 28. For of a truth against thy
holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius
Pilate were the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered
together. Now Herod and Pontius Pilate were enemies, but now
they're confederated against our Lord. to do God's will. And it says for to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Acts chapter
four, verses twenty seven and twenty eight. Whatever God determined
to be done shall come to pass. Shall come to pass. And then
look at Acts chapter two, verses twenty two and twenty four. In light of this, that God can
do whatever he pleases. Look at this. Now, in religion,
you listen to people in religion and you think that God went to
plan B when Adam fell, right? I remember thinking that if the
Israelites had have accepted Christ, then we would have ushered
in this millennium. It's such a false teaching because
the cross was determined by God. And it must occur. Christ must
go to the cross to purchase his people, to redeem us from our
sins. Both Jew and Gentile, one, the
body of Christ. We're all in one. Look at this
in Acts 2, verses 22 to 24. You men of Israel, hear these
words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God. He's God's man. He's God's fellow, beloved. He's
God incarnated in the flesh among you by miracles and wonders and
signs which God did by Him in the midst of you as you yourselves
also know. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. It was God's plan all along
that Christ would go to the cross. Remember the Lord on the way
to the cross, He looked at the ladies and He said, weep not
for me. Why did He say that? Because His face was set like
a flint, beloved. Must redeem my people from their
sins and that's what he did He redeemed us He redeemed us. So so the cross the death of
Christ is all look at this him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain Whom God has raised up heaven
loose the pains of death because it was not possible that she
should be holding of it and Oh, our Savior's a risen Savior.
He's a successful Savior. And He went and died upon the
cross and He raised from the grave by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God. It's God's plan. And what God
decrees shall come to pass. Shall come to pass. The next
point I'd like to look at is Jehovah is sovereign over all
His subjects. Turn up your wood to Romans chapter
9. He's sovereign over every man like the potter over his
clay. When I was a young man in grade
7 or 8, I think it was, we had a pottery class. And I'll never
forget it. It was a blessing to go there.
I'd never worked with pottery before. And so they gave me a
lump of clay. They gave me a lump of clay. had the water on it, and the
wheel was spinning, and it was fascinating. And so then they
taught us how to mold that. And I molded mine into a candlestick,
and it was a pretty funny looking candlestick, because I was just
a little fella. But my mom loved it. Moms always loved stuff like
that, no matter how. And then I made a crude bowl
and stuff. But never once did that clay
say to me, I want to be a pot. Or, you know, I want to be something
else, Wayne. No, that clay was pliable in
my hands, and I made it into whatever, whatever I wanted to
make it into. Beloved God has the power, the
power over we who are the clay. Look at this, Romans chapter
nine. Romans chapter nine, we'll look at verse 11 and 12, and
then we'll look at, or 11 to 13, and then we'll look at Romans
9.21, but look at this. for the children, being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of
God, according to election, might stand not of works, but of him
that calleth. It was said unto her, The elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated. Now a lot of folks like to focus
upon Esau have I hated. And say, well, you're telling
me God hates people? Well, if you ever come to know how it
can be that God loved Jacob, Then you understand the rest
of this state. How can God love Jacob? How can
God love me? Sinner. But look at Romans 9 21 in light
of that. Look at this. Hath not the potter
power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto
honor and another unto dishonor? He has the power to do whatever
he It's like I had the power to make that clay into a candlestick,
into a vase, into a pot, into a ball. And the clay didn't say
to me, hey, I want to be this. No, as my crude hands molded
it into whatever I, in my mind, wanted it to be. But think of
that in light of God. He can mold vessels of honor
in vessels of this. Whatever He's pleased to do. Whatever He's pleased to do.
And God's people, beloved, are vessels of honor. Trophies of
the grace of God in Christ. Now we know that no man has sovereignty
over his heart, because the heart is deceitful above all things
and desperately wicked. And who can know it? But because
Jehovah has sovereignty over His subjects, He can do whatever
He will with us. And every man is deceived by
his own heart and cannot remove its own wickedness, so that we
may willingly serve Jehovah. So Jehovah, who is sovereign
over the hearts of men, gives his people a new heart. One that
hungers and thirsts after righteousness. One that hungers and thirsts
after Him. None but Him can remove the stony heart and replace it
with a heart of flesh. A new heart also will I give
you. And a new spirit will I put within
you. And I'll take away the stony heart. The stony heart, the heart
of flesh. And I'll give you a heart as
a flesh. He gives us a heart that desires
to serve him. Desires to hear the gospel preached. When we never used to desire
to hear the gospel preached. Desire to be with God's people.
My, my. And think of this in light of
the new heart. Listen to this in Acts 16, 14.
And a certain woman named Lydia, seller of purple in the city
of Thyatira, which worship God, hurt us. Hurt us. Now religion
tells you, right? It's your decision, right? They
tell you it's all about what you do. But in Acts chapter 16
it says this, "...whose heart the Lord opened." That's what
He does for every believer. He opens our hearts to attend
to the hearing of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
we turn and flee the Christ that she attended in the things which
were spoken of Paul. She believed, she believed on
the Lord Jesus Christ. She's regenerated, born again
by the Holy Spirit of God. And then she believes, which
is the same thing that happened to every one of us who believe.
Oh my, what a great God, what a great God. So God Jehovah is
sovereign over his subjects. The next thing I'd like to look
at is Jehovah is sovereign over Christ. Christ, the king, with
regard to his incarnation. Christ was born a king according
to the will of God, and at the exact time pointed of God, he
came into this world and scripture declares this. Now, when Jesus
was born in Bethlehem, a Judea in the days of Herod, the king,
behold, there came wise men. from the east to Jerusalem, saying,
Where is he that is born a king of the Jews? For we have seen
a star in the east and are come to worship him. He's born at
the exact time by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God. But Christ acknowledged in His incarnation that He delighted
to do the Father's will. He says, I delight to do thy
will, O God. I delight. In Psalms 48, I delight
to do thy will, O God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. And Luke, he said this. He said unto them, How is it
that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about
my father's business? Remember when he was in the temple?
His parents had offed, they went, and he's still in the temple.
And he's speaking to the rulers, He says, I must be about my father's
business. I must be about my father's business. And then think of this. Think
of this, beloved, whatever the father had sent Christ to do,
he did. Whatever the father had sent
Christ to do, he did even go into Calvary. even going to Calvary
to die for the sins of his people. Listen to these words and may
they just sink into our hearts and seeing the submissiveness
of Christ to the Father. He says this, saying, Father,
if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Now, remember, he's
a man. He's God and he's man. Nevertheless,
not my will, but thine be done. Fully submitting to the Father's
will. Knowing that the Father is in
full control. Knowing that He's going to the
cross by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. My,
what a King. What a Savior we have, beloved.
What a Savior. The last point I'd like to look
at is Jehovah is sovereign over His people. Turn, if you would,
to Revelation chapter 5. Revelation chapter 5. The saints of God glorify Christ.
We sing a new song, beloved. And He's the one who's redeemed
us and saved us by the shedding of His own precious blood. Look
at Revelation 5, verse 9. And they sang a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy. Christ is the only one worthy.
Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof.
For Thou wast slain. Christ died. He died. That was slammed. And has redeemed
us. Oh, there's wonderful words for
we who believe. He's a successful Savior. He's redeemed us from our sins.
And has redeemed us to God. By thy blood. There's the payment.
Oh, the shedding of His precious blood. Out of every kindred and
tongue and people and nation. In Revelation 1.6 says this,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God. and His Father to Him
be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. And turn, if
you would, to Revelation 17. Revelation 17. God's people,
like Christ their King, delight to do the will of God and their
Father, to be about their Father's business. Oh, look at this here. They shall make war with the
Lamb. Revelation 17, 14. And the Lamb shall overcome them,
for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. And they that are with
Him are called and chosen. and faithful, called, chosen,
and faithful. We delight to do the will of
God, beloved. But we're called, chosen, and
faithful. Faithful in Christ Jesus our
Lord. And then Revelation 19, 16 says this, And he hath on
his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings
and Lord of lords. Just remember that, beloved.
If you see world events going on, on his vesture, is written,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And Lord, direct your hearts
into the love of God and unto the patient waiting for Christ. Let us pray to our sovereign,
the sovereign of all men, create in me a clean heart. Oh, God,
and renew a right spirit within me. And let us pray that he will
turn the hearts of our sovereigns, our leaders to honor him. and to be a blessing to his people.
But let us rest in comfort, knowing that our great God and King is
sovereign over sovereigns. Gracious Heavenly Father, we
thank Thee for Your goodness and mercy, and we are so thankful
that Thou rules and reigns supreme, sovereign over sovereigns. May
we rest in You and rest in this blessed fact As we see world
events and things occurring, may we just rest and trust in
the fact that You are on the throne and that You are King. In Jesus' name, Amen.