Psalm 75:6-7 “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.”
In my recent studies of Daniel, I came to view the great king Nebuchadnezzar in a different light. To be sure Nebuchadnezzar was a rich, powerful, arrogant, and brutal man; but whenever he was disciplined by God he was always able to humble himself before God, repent of his evil ways and acknowledge the sovereignty of the Most High Lord.
I refer now to Daniel 4:17 when Daniel informs Nebuchadnezzar that God had decreed that this great king would live in the wild as an animal for seven years. The verse states: “The decision (to live as an animal for seven years) is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.” God is sovereign! God is in control!
If we are unable to submit to this truth we will never obey God as he calls us to live before Him. Without accepting that God is in control then we are only left to believe that life is one big game of chance and God’s purpose, promise, and providence plays no role in our lives. Our devotional text challenges that very thought by firmly stating that it is God who judges and exalts one man over another. The world assumes that it chooses and decides matters of wealth, fame, and power without any consideration of God’s role as creator, sustainer, and sovereign of the universe.
The world may not realize but as Christians we know that the very physical laws of nature we all rely on are sustained by the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:3). In Psalms 75 Asaph assures us that it is God who is sovereign over the nations and all men, and He alone will ensure His purpose for salvation is worked out in this world.
The question we must ask ourselves is what do we do with this truth? The answer is found in the Psalm 75:9: “As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.” Every morning is new and fresh to the Christian, and we can have absolute confidence that as we walk in this world holding God’s hand we are not to fear because we know that the Lord will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us (Isaiah 41:13). We are never so close to God as when we walk boldly in this world knowing His strength is sufficient for whatever we might face!
FATHER I HUMBLE MYSELF BEFORE YOU AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ARE SOVEREIGN OVER ALL MEN, IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR ALL TIME. AMEN!
Article by Mike White of Summit church of Christ
Hello, I really appreciate your Biblical writings. I have seen God work in my life so many times, It is awesome to see how things are going to work out when we turn them over to the Lord. Vicki