OUR SOVEREIGN RULER
OUR SOVEREIGN RULER
This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. —Isaiah 45:1-7
The Lord works through whoever He desires and through whatever circumstances He has ordained. Nothing or no one is out o His control. He is sovereign over all. He is the only Sovereign One. The Lord said of Cyrus, king of Persia that “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’” God worked through a king that “did not acknowledge” Him to accomplish His desires— to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah’” (Ezra 1:1-2). May “the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people” (Dan 4:17). None can thwart His plans and purposes… none!
In the context above the Lord was guiding King Cyrus “for the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen.” This is what He does today as well. He works through the leaders of the world to accomplish His desires even though they may not acknowledge Him. This does not hinder our Lord from accomplishing His desires.
He has called His church “first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 1:1-4). May we be faithful in this call to prayer.
How do you see the world? Do you see it in chaos or do you see it as our Sovereign Lord accomplishing His plan’s and purposes.
Dear Father, I am so glad that when I look at the sinful mess of the world that You are working through the mess to accomplish Your purposes. This gives me great comfort and I thank You for that. May I be faithful in the part You have for me on this planet and may I do so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9TjvjBIKcw