What Makes God, God? His Sovereignty: Daniel 2:21

 Daniel 2:21- "He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings."

Have you ever wondered what makes God, God? Is it the miracles He performs? Is it the power He displays? I don't think His miracles or His power proves He is the God the Bible portrays. God proves who He is every time He relates to you and me. What greater miracle is there than the God who spoke the universe into existence speaking to us? The fact that we can relate to a God who creates by mere word is proof-positive that He is the only true God. 

This series of devotions is going to show how the living God of the universe relates to us by exploring:

• His sovereignty
• His love
• His faithfulness
• His grace
• His mercy
• His justice
• His Word 

Before you can ever consider Him as the God you can know, you must encounter Him as the God who reigns beyond all your comprehension. Scripture presents Him as the Creator, the Savior, the King, the Almighty God, and the everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). 

This key verse in Daniel describes His accessibility as well as His transcendence. His transcendence means He is far beyond anything we could ever reach. Isaiah 55:9 illustrates His transcendence by declaring, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

However, His transcendence does not limit His accessibility. In fact, his transcendent nature is what makes Him accessible. Other religions worship a god who is separated from the creation, but must be somehow appeased or understood by our righteous good works. Our God, though, is altogether beyond our comprehension, but is also the God who can be found (Isaiah 55:9). 

Daniel knew this when He cried out to Him. Our transcendent, sovereign God stepped into these young boys' tormented world when they needed Him the most. Yet, Daniel did not exalt God's personal nature after receiving an answer. Daniel praised God for His transcendence, which meant several things according to Daniel's prayer:

• God controls all wisdom and authority (v. 20)
• God controls the world's events and decides the rulers of the world (v. 21)
• God is the source of all knowledge (v. 21)
• God reveals what can only be known through Him (v. 22)
• God dwells in the light (v. 22)

Then notice Daniel 2:23. "To You, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.” 

This God who owns all things (Psalm 50:10) still regards you and me. This God who is infinitely beyond anything we could ever imagine still makes Himself known to us within our limited imaginations. 

• God gave Daniel wisdom and knowledge though He controls all knowledge. 
• God answered Daniel's prayers, though God controls all world events. 
• And God provided Daniel the way out of a dark situation because He dwells only in light. 

I want you to notice that last point. Don't skip over that detail. The fact that God protected these young men from of a dark situation speaks more to Daniel's relationship with God than it does God's nature. Because Daniel lived his daily life in the light of God, God moved him back into the protection of His marvelous light when the enemies of darkness surrounded him.

It has always been the will of God to make His transcendent self accessible to His earthly creation. Remember Peter describes us as people who have "been called out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). That eternal gap between a mortal, sinful creature and the sovereign, transcendent God has been closed through the death of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. When the enemies of darkness surround you, it is the will of our sovereign God to protect you under the pinions of His light. 

Life Application

Does God's sovereignty require our response? Or is it just an important theological point to know about God? The sovereignty of God demands our response because when we stand in Daniel's place of tribulation and trouble we want God to be God. 

Several people learned this when they came face to face with the sovereign God. Notice their reactions:

• Moses asked, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11).
• David danced in the Presence of God (2 Samuel 6:14-15).
• Isaiah was humbled (Isaiah 6:5).
• Ezekiel fell on his face (Ezekiel 1:28). 
• Paul was struck speechless (Acts 9:7).
• John fell at His feet (Revelation 1:17). 

How can you respond to the sovereignty of God? 

Stop what you're doing right now to:

• Honor Him as the only God. 
• Exalt Him with worship because He alone deserves your worship.
• Dedicate a moment of time to Him because He alone is worthy of all your time. 
• Commit your life to Him because He alone controls life and overcame death. 
• Give Him your offerings and tithes because He alone owns the cattle on a thousand hills! 
• Pray to Him because He alone is the answer. 
• Obey Him when He calls.
• Cry out to Him because He alone is your hope. 
• Dance before Him because He alone is your joy.
• Remain silent because He alone is the Word.  
• Bow before Him because He alone is God.

"Sovereign God, I bow in your Holy Presence. I offer my worship in this moment to you alone as God. Use me for your sovereign purposes. When you call, I will answer, "Send me." You alone are God. I offer my life as a grateful response to you as my Lord and God."

Use this song to worship our sovereign God today!