In all likelihood, believers acknowledge that God exercised absolute sovereignty over Israel’s theocratic government. But what about today? What about a government that is not “Christian,” that is not conservative, that is not even moral, or that is thoroughly corrupt?

   The governing principle. The Word of God sets forth unequivocally the principle that controls all governments. Note the following iterations:

“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (Rom. 13:1).

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Pro. 21:1).

“He [God] removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan. 2:21).

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Pro. 16:9).

“Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord” (Pro. 20:24).

“Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God” (Psa. 62:11).

“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psa. 103:19).

“He [God] . . . is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of Kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15).

    A few practical examples.  How does this principle that God is in absolute control of all human government work in actual practice? Below are several of the many examples that might be offered.

“I [God] also kept you [King Abimelech] from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her [Sarah, Abraham’s wife]” (Gen. 20:6).

“I [God] will harden his [Pharaoh’s] heart so that he will not let the people go” (Ex. 4:21).

“But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand” (Deut. 2:30).

“Then the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal line” (1 Ki. 11:14).

“So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them [Israelites] away into exile” (1 Chron. 5:26).

“The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom . . . [stating that God] ‘has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem’” (Ezra 1:1, 2).

“The Lord . . . had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them [Israelites] to encourage them in the work of the house of God” (Ezra 6:22).

“Jesus answered, ‘You [Pilate] would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above’” (John 19:11).

   The volume of Scripture that must be ignored or denied should we doubt God’s sovereign hand in the affairs of human government or should we fear evil authorities is staggering. God has provided ample proof that He is trustworthy in His sovereign rule over the affairs of men. May we who know the Lord rest in Him.