Isaiah 10 and the sovereignty of God

What kind of Biblical category do you have when it comes to the sovereignty of God? Wayne Grudem, the author of Systematic Theology, gives this definition of the sovereignty of God: "God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he 1. Keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which He created them; 2. Cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and 3. Directs them to fulfill his purposes."
Ultimately the purpose that God fulfills in all that He does is for the glory of His name.

In the first 3 months, yes 3 months, of our fall class we will cover the following about God:
1. His significance (the glory of His name)
2. His sovereignty
3. His self-sufficiency

I think you may be surprised how each of these important characteristics impact the way we live out our Christian lives. The reason for the email this morning is because of my time this morning in Isaiah Chapter 10. This section of Isaiah will be the focus of one class session as it regards the sovereignty of God. If you can grab your Bible, turn to Isaiah 10:5-15 and think about not only what God is doing, but how God is doing it.

Isaiah 10:5-7, 12, 15
5 "Woe to Assyria, (this starts out with a warning like, you are in big trouble Assyria, you who are what?) the rod of My anger, and the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
Do we get the point?
Assyria you who are carrying out My will, My rod in My hand doing exactly what I ordain you to do, now you might ask how can Assyria be in trouble with God for doing what He has ordained them to do? Folks these are the kinds of questions we must wrestle through when we turn to and read Scripture.
6 I send it against a godless nation (who is this? It is Israel), and commission it against the people of My fury, to capture booty and to seize plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
The next verse is critical in understanding what is going on here
7 Yet it does not so intend, nor does it plan so in its heart, what does that mean?, do you see the point of it?
They are being commissioned by God to do the very things of God but they do not see themselves as the instrument of God but rather it is its purpose to destroy, and to cut off many nations . . . (Assyria is selfish and arrogant and they are doing this entirely for their own benefit, they have no idea that as they do this they are carrying out the very will of God)
12 So it will be when the Lord has completed all his work on Mount Zion (this means the work that God ordained Assyria to do) and on
Jerusalem, He will say, 'I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of
Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness . . .
15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? (who is the ax? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who chops with it? Answer – God)
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?'" (who is the saw? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who wields it? Answer – God)
Assyria is raised up by God and given the military prowess that they have, used and ordained by God to carry out this work to bring judgment against His own people then when they have finished it, God then holds them accountable for what they did. Not so much for the work they did but for the intent of the heart in which there was pride and arrogance and selfishness.
They are judged for what they did even though they did exactly what God ordained them to do.

As you meditate on these verses are questions arising in your mind about the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man? Well these are some of the critical issues we will cover this fall as we touch on this all important things of Scripture. I maintain that right living is manifested by right thinking.