God is the Creator
God is sovereign over all creation, because He is the Creator of all things out of nothing. A Creator is not only Almighty, but has the authority, right, and freedom to plan, create, and employ His creation in any manner that He wishes. God, as Creator, will govern all things only in a way that is consistent with His divine perfection and holiness. Scripture clearly reveals this as seen in the passages below:
Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Is. 45:7,12,18 “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things. I have made the earth, and created man on it. It was I–My hands that stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded. For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
Heb. 11:3 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
Rev. 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
God is Self-Sufficient
Being the eternal Creator, God is self-sufficient–not dependent upon any creature either for His existence or for help to carry out His decrees. God states this most clearly when he calls His name “I AM WHO I AM. And He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” (Ex. 3:14). Notice also the following passages:
Psa. 50:10-12 “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.”
Jn. 5:26 “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.”
Acts 17:24-25 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.”
God makes it abundantly clear to Job in the closing chapters of the book of Job that He alone is sovereign. No man may question the right of God to do as He pleases, since it is God alone who has created and who preserves His creation. For anyone who still questions the right of God to do all things as He pleases, Job chapters 38-42 is “must” reading.
Job 38:2-4 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” So the Lord continues to flood Job with questions which he cannot answer–which only a sovereign Creator could answer.
Job 40:1-5 “Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said: Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
Then finally, in Job 42:1-3, Job must humbly acknowledge that God alone is sovereign: “Then Job answered the LORD and said: I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
Blog post content is taken from Rev. Paul Treick’s book, Faith of Our Fathers, Living Still: A Study of the Five Points of Calvinism. It is posted with the gracious permission of the author. If you’ve enjoyed reading it, you can purchase a copy for yourself. If you want to read other blog posts from the beginning, start here.