Job understood this fact. He knew that God was the sole designer and creator of the World.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? - Job 38:4-7
Also, everyone answers to God. Even Satan must get permission to do his evil works. Nothing occurs in life without God's grace being given to allow it. It may not be God's will necessarily for certain events to occur, but God, in His long-suffering, allows them.
Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause." So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life." Job 2:3-6
Jeremiah knew that God was in control as well, and His purposes would be met.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5
For thus says the Lord: "The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black, Because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, Nor will I turn back from it. - Jeremiah 4::27-28
King Nebuchadnezzar knew of the God of Israel's dominion over the Earth and its people. He learned of God's authority after he was cast into the wilderness to live as an animal for glorifying himself when he claimed credit for the majesty of his kingdom.
And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?" - Daniel 4:34-35
And Daniel knew that the Gentiles'fate and Israel's future lay in God's hands and would culminate in the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus.
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. - Daniel 2:44
Jesus spoke on the sovereignty of God as well.
(Speaking to Pontius Pilate) Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." John 19:11
The Psalmist knew of God's great omniscience and sovereign power:
You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. - Psalm 139:2-4
For practical every day examples of how God's sovereignty is manifested, examine your life and discover the ways that God is active in it. Do you ever find yourself thrown together with people who have things eerily in common with you? Have you ever met someone who is in the same circle of friends as you and just happened to know your college roommate from 20 years ago? And how was it revealed that you both knew him?
Have you ever met a fellow Believer at work who just happened to have many things in common with you and it turns out that he went to the same elementary school with you in the same grade and even rode the same bus with you 30 years ago? How was it revealed that you had all that stuff in common?
Why am I mentioning all of this in reference to God's sovereign control over the universe? Well, it's all related to Providence and the Sovereignty of God, as well. Do you think these things are just funny random events? Or did God engineer these things behind the scenes for His unique purposes?
Truly, you are God, who hide yourself, O God of Israel, the savior! - Isaiah 45:15
The Believer shouldn't see anything random about the little events that impact his life. God's Word speaks on His ability to know everything that is taking place in His childrens' lives.
Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. - Matthew 10:29-31
It's important to know the immense power of the true Biblical God. Many sects or denominations do not hold firm to the encompassing ability of God to know all and be all to those who call on His Holy name. But God often works behind the scenes to bring things about. He doesn't always call attention to Himself. But often, that is not His style. Someone once said that co-incidence is God working anonymously. (or something to that effect) Remember Jesus' nature. In the Gospels, the miracles that He performed and the command that He had over nature, demons and diseases and ailments, it is obvious that His was the supreme power. Yet, He displayed meekness and humility in using His power. So, it shouldn't surprise us that God the Father displays His power in much the same way. He frequently answers prayers in a seemingly natural way that is often overlooked by the casual observer. How is it that a doctor just doesn't understand it when a skin sample that he was positive would be cancerous proves to be non-cancerous even after testing it three times? Is it a co-incidence that a Believer prayed that the patient would be healed and it be in a dramatic way that would glorify the Lord? In a world where people who do great things demand that they be recognized for their deeds, God uses His power in a way that does not draw attention to Himself but does get the job done. But the Believer often sees God's divine hand at work, where the un-Believer doesn't.
In life's day to day challenges, in which people tend to depend on their own ability to manage their circumstances, it's important to know that God is in control of the Believer's life's events.
Do you ever get wrapped up in the mundane drama of day to day life? Do you get consumed by all of the issues of the day? Do you feel the walls seemingly closing in on you with your job? Are you feeling the pressure to meet that deadline, make presentation or close that sale? Remember that God is sovereign and we are only created beings, made for His glory. No problem is too big or too small for Him to handle. Scripture teaches us this over and over again.
Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' Isaiah 46 9-10
I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things. Isaiah 45:7
Remember, life is not all dependent on you or me. Think about it. The Earth was here before you and I were born and if we die before the rapture, then the Earth will continue on without us. Life's events are not all dependent on you and me. After all, nothing here belongs to us. It all belongs to God. He created it all!
Did you create yourself, or knit yourself together? No! God doesn't expect more than you can give! He knows your strengths and limitations. Let Him fill in the gaps. He surely knows where you need help! As I prayed one night recently I had a sudden awareness that in life nothing belongs to me, not even my body.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. - 1st Corinthians 6:19-20
But guess what? Jesus belongs to me! I am His and He is mine and He will sustain me!
Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. - Isaiah 46:4
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." - Luke 22:19
Now, this knowledge of our dependence on God shouldn't be mis-understood as a license for us to lie down and be idle. Jesus' disciples knew even after their Lord was resurrected and caught up to Heaven that they were to press on with His work.
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. - Mark 16:19-20
And just like the Lord Jesus, we must keep doing God's work.
And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" - Luke 2:49
And ultimately the Lord's purposes will be served:
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:10-11
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. - Revelation 21:3-7
