God's Sovereignty in Reversing Human Expectations in Scripture
God's Sovereignty in Reversing Human Expectations
The concept of God's sovereignty is deeply intertwined with the theme of reversing human expectations in Scripture. This is evident in various biblical passages where God's actions contradict human anticipations, showcasing His absolute authority and power. One such instance is found in Psalms 33:10, which states, "The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples" [1]. This verse highlights God's ability to overturn the plans and expectations of humanity, demonstrating His sovereignty.
The decrees of God, as described in Easton's Bible Dictionary, are "his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition" [2]. This definition underscores the comprehensive nature of God's sovereignty, suggesting that His plans are not limited by human expectations or understanding.
The biblical account of the Fall in Genesis 2 and 3 illustrates how human expectations were reversed by God's actions. The narrative records the revolt of humanity against God, resulting in sin and its consequences [3]. According to Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, the sin of the first pair was "heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator" [6]. This event demonstrates God's sovereignty in responding to human disobedience and shaping the course of human history.
The theme of God's sovereignty in reversing human expectations is also evident in the context of salvation. According to Tyndale House's commentary on Romans 1:18, Paul teaches that "Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin's power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own" [7]. This understanding underscores God's sovereignty in salvation, as humanity's expectations of achieving righteousness through their own actions are reversed by the reality of their sinful condition.
The sovereignty of God is further highlighted in the context of miracles, which are described as events "brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses" [4]. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, miracles serve to "authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message" [4]. This understanding emphasizes God's sovereignty in acting beyond human expectations and understanding.
In the Reformed tradition, the sovereignty of God is closely tied to the concept of His decrees. Calvin's commentary on Isaiah emphasizes that "it was necessary that godly minds should be raised above the world, that they might not view the grace of God as limited to human means" [8]. This perspective underscores the idea that God's sovereignty operates beyond human comprehension, often reversing human expectations.
The Presbyterian interpretation of 1 John 3:8 highlights the contrast between those who commit sin and those who do righteousness, attributing the former to being "of the devil" [5]. This understanding is rooted in the idea that human actions are influenced by forces beyond their control, with God's sovereignty playing a role in shaping the course of human events.
Matthew Henry's commentary on Romans 9:14 emphasizes the absolute sovereignty of God in disposing of the children of men with reference to their eternal state [9]. This perspective underscores the idea that God's plans and purposes are not limited by human expectations or understanding.
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 33:10 (BSB) — The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fall of man — An expression probably borrowed from the Apocryphal Book of Wisdom, to express the fact of the revolt of our first parents from God, and the consequent sin and misery in which they and all their posterity were involved. The history of the Fall is recorded in Gen. 2 and 3. That history is to be literally interpreted. It records facts which underlie the whole system of revealed truth. It is referred to by our Lord and his apostles not only as being true, but as furnishing the ground of all God's subsequent dispensations and dealings with the children of m”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Miracle — An event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses, and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message (John 2:18; Matt. 12:38). It is an occurrence at once above nature and above man. It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind, a power interrupting the fixed laws which govern their movements, a supernatural power. "The suspension”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 3, section 8.25: it was necessary that godly minds should he raised above the world, that they might not view the grace of God as limited to human means. We see that the Prophet does not merely teach that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, but applies to the present subject all that he relates concerning God’s infinite power; and in like manner it is fitted for our guidance. When any adversity befalls us, our salvation is hidden, and, as if a cloud had come between, the power of God is concealed; we are held in astonishment, as if the Lord had forsaken a”
- Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 9:14: The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty of God, in disposing of the children of men, with reference to their eternal state. And herein God is to be considered, not as a rector and governor, distributing rewards and punishments according to his revealed laws and covenants, but as an owner and benefactor, giving to the children of men such grace and favour as he has determined in and by his secret and eternal will and counsel: both the favour of visible church-membership and privileges, ”