The last post was a discussion about God’s Sovereignty. And when we discuss God’s Sovereignty there is an immediate group of questions that come to mind. I wanted to give a few examples from Scripture of how God is in control, even over the free decisions of people. This should add clarity…hopefully clarity, to the discussion about God’s Sovereignty. Because this could add some blank stares to your day.
God Uses The Wicked Intentions Of Assyria
The first example is that of Assyria. This is found in Isaiah 10:5-15. God announces here that He is going to use Assyria to carry out His plan to punish His people. Now, there are some very interesting things within this story that bring some insight into the discussion.
In verse 5-6 we find that God is going to send Assyria as the rod of God’s anger against a wicked people.
Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. – Isaiah 10:5-6 ESV
Alright, so we’re tracking along so far. God is going to use Assyria to punish this rebellious people. And then the curveball is thrown.
But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few; – Isaiah 10:7 ESV
Now the picture gets a bit more clear while at the same time difficult to understand. God is going to use Assyria to punish His people. But Assyria is not going to do God’s bidding, at least they don’t think that they are. They are going to do this task out of the wickedness of their own heart.
So you have two things going on at the same time. God is punishing people through Assyria. Assyria is acting on their own wicked intentions.
Now, things get a bit more confusing in verse 12.
When the Lord has finished all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the King of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.” – Isaiah 10:12
So God is going to turn around and punish Assyria for their boastful pride and arrogance. The same arrogance that led them to do the wickedness against Israel. In fact we read in verse 15,
Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood! – Isaiah 10:15 ESV
God is the great and glorious King of All and He promised to visit judgment upon the people of Assyria for their arrogance and pride. The very same arrogance and pride that made them an axe in the hand of God.
Was the King of Assyria free to fulfill the desires of his heart? Well, yes.
Did God do all His will with the King of Assyria? Yes, but He did not cause the King of Assyria to lead in what was wicked. That’s where he naturally wanted to go all on his own. God did, however, allow it. And it was part of His plan all along.
Was Assyria following God in this? No, they were actually rebelling against God. They were not acting in accordance with God’s revealed will (Scripture). But they were still doing what God desired them to do, that is punish a wicked people.
Why was Assyria punished? They acted out of their rebellious hearts and did what was evil.
In this scenario, two things can be seen. God is in complete control. People act out of their own free will.
The Death Of Jesus And The Wicked Decisions Of People
There were a lot of things that had to happen in order for God the Son to end up on the cross. People performed the most wicked act in all of history out of the wickedness of their own hearts. People killed the sinless Jesus, but at the same time they were carrying out what God had already planned to take place (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28).
Think about that scene. The Jews wanted the Romans to crucify Jesus. Pontius Pilate wanted to keep the peace and tried for a bit to persuade them to let Jesus off, but in the end, it wasn’t worth it for him. He defended the innocent Christ for a bit but it didn’t go far. Then the Roman soldiers beat Jesus, spit on Him, mock Him, humiliate Him, and put the Son of God on a cross and crucify Him.
Yet, Peter declares with boldness that all of it took place according to the plan of God.
Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know-this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. – Acts 2:22-23 ESV
And in the prayer of God’s people, they stated much the same thing.
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. – Acts 4:27-28 ESV
So, we ask ourselves a few questions.
Did the Jews, Herod, Pilate, and the soldiers do this according to their own desires? Yes, they did. The Jews wanted Jesus dead. Herod wanted a show and cared nothing about justice. Pilate thought Jesus was innocent but wanted to keep peace in the land. And the Roman Soldiers were just doing their jobs.
Was God in control? Most definitely.
Concluding Thoughts
I remember when I was first posed with Scriptures as this one. I was in shock and quite frankly a bit terrified. But what once terrified me has become a great comfort to me. God is in control in absolutely every way. There is no speck of dust in all of creation not where it is supposed to be. And that is a comforting thing for the believer.
R. Dwain Minor
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