The Issue Of God's Sovereignty

The answer to this question is related to the issue of sovereignty. As we have seen, the Creator has the right to rule over the earth and all those dwelling in it. (Psalm 24:1;Revelation 4:11) Early in human history, however, Jehovah's sovereignty was challenged. How did this come about? Jehovah commanded the first man, Adam, not to eat from a certain tree in the garden that was his Paradise home. And if he disobeyed? "You will positively die," God told him. (Genesis 2:17) God's command worked no hardship on Adam or his wife,Eve. Nevertheless, Satan convinced Eve that God was being unduly restrictive. What if she did eat from the tree? Satan told Eve outright: "You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad." -Genesis 3:1-5.

In this statement Satan implied not only that Jehovah had withheld crucial information from Eve but also that He had lied to her. Satan was careful not to question the fact of God's sovereignty. But he did challenge the rightfulness, deservedness and righteouness of it. In other words, he maintained that Jehovah was not exercising His sovereignty in a righteous way and in the best interests of His subjects.

Subsequently, both Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah by eating from the forbidden tree. Their disobedience put them in line to receive the punishment of death, just as God had decreed. Satan's lie raise some vital questions. Does Jehovah truly have the right to rule mankind, or should man rule himself? Does Jehovah exercise his sovereignty in the best possible way? Jehovah could have used his almighty power to destroy the rebels right then and there. But the question raised pertained to God's rulership, not his power. So eliminating Adam, Eve and Satan' would not have affirmed the righteousness of God's rule. If anything, it might have called his rulership into question even further. The only way to determine whether humans could successfully rule themselves, independent of God, was to let time pass.

What has the passing of time revealed? Throughout the millenniums, people have experimented with many forms of government, including autocracy, democracy, socialism and communism. The sum total of them all is epitomized in the Bible's frank comment: "Man has dominated man to his injury." (Ecclesiastes 8:9) With good reason, the prophet Jeremiah stated: "I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step." -Jeremiah 10:23.

Jehovah knew from the beginning that mankind's independence, or self-rule, would result in much suffering. Was it unjust of him, then, to allow the inevitable to run its course? Not at all! To illustrate: Suppose you have a child who needs surgery to cure a life-threatening ailment. You realize that the operation will cause your child a degree of suffering, and this deeply grieves you. At the same time, you know that the procedure will enable your child to enjoy better health later in life. Similarly, God knew-and even foretold-that his allowance of human rule would bring along with it a measure of pain and suffering. (Genesis 3:16-19) But he also knew that lasting and meaningful relief would be possible only if he allowed all mankind to see the bad fruitage produced by rebellion. In this way the issue could be settled permanently, for all eternity.

Next time: The Issue Of Man's Integrity

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002