Sermon Cloud

Daniel 1:1-2

In 1981, Harold S. Kushner wrote a best-selling book entitled "When Bad Things Happen to Good People". He wrote it to express his attempt to make sense out of the debilitating disease that brought great suffering to his son. In his book, Kushner questioned whether God can be all-powerful but not good or good but not all-powerful. The essence of such a question is a denial of God's power to control our lives. In fact, many who read this book expressed comfort in the belief that the events in their lives were, at least in part, dictated by chance.

Living in a random universe - believing that God is not sovereign and in total control, is sometimes a comfort to those who do not know God. Those who do not know God cannot take comfort in His sovereignty. But we know that God's sovereignty is extolled on almost every page of the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible is God's sovereignty more on display than through the verses of the Book of Daniel.

The theme of the Book of Daniel is the our God reigns. Daniel's life and ministry were ordained by God to encourage His people during the Babylonian exile by assuring them that He was still in control. Through the stories and visions of Daniel, God revealed His sovereign plans for world history and the coming of the Messiah through whom He would fulfill His promises to the nation of Israel which provided them with comfort and confidence while sojourning in a foreign land. Kings and kingdoms on earth will come and go ultimately serving to advance the eternal purposes of the Most High God who has established His throne in Heaven. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all those who honor and serve Him will reign with Him forever. While we wait for that glorious day to come, we can trust that God's sovereignty is reigning over all things, even when it seems like our world or our lives are spinning out of control.

Nothing brings a believer more joy than to know that God is sovereignly in control of every aspect of their life. And nothing is too large or too small to escape the notice of our sovereign God or avoid His ever loving care. He cares for us in a way that brings Him the highest glory and us greatest good.

Contrary to the conclusion of Kushner, we know that God is both good AND sovereign. This is what gives us hope and comfort!