The Lord of History

MEMORY VERSE: “God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” —Psalm 47:8

AMOS 1:3-5; 2:4-8; 9:7,8

WHILE God has permitted sin and death to reign throughout the earth during all the centuries since the fall of man, he has never relinquished his sovereignty in the affairs of men. This is particularly true in connection with the outworking of his plan for the recovery of man from sin and death. However, the Scriptures do not support the thought that the Creator has directed all the affairs of the nations of earth, and is, from this standpoint the Lord of history.

To Israel God said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2) Many of the punishments which came upon the Israelites were inflicted by the nations with which they were surrounded. This meant that God some times took a hand in the affairs of these nations. The Lord refers to the king of Assyria as the rod of his anger to punish his wayward people, the Israelites. The Lord foretold that when he had thus used the Assyrian king, he would then also punish him too.—Isa. 10:5-12

In our lesson the Lord declares that he would punish and destroy certain ones, including the people of Damascus. The Lord sometimes directed the affairs of Israel’s neighbors because their actions have a bearing on his dealings with the Israelites. The prophecy was fulfilled.—Amos 1:5; II Kings 16:9

In Amos 2:4-8 the Lord explains that he would punish both the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Essentially all of Israel’s kings were sinful, and encouraged idol worship, and this was also true of many of Judah’s kings. Thus the Lord punished them all, eventually directing the affairs of Israel so that a majority of the people were taken into captivity in Assyria; and later the people of Judah to Babylon. In all of this, while God’s chief interest was in his own professed people, he overruled in the affairs of the other nations to bring about the punishment of his own.

In chapter 9:7,8 this fact is further amplified. Here we find another truth of history foretold; that is, the complete and lasting destruction as a nation of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel and the severe punishment, but not the complete destruction, of the two-tribe kingdom of Judah. Even when the last king of Judah was overthrown and the people taken captive to Babylon, we are told through the Prophet Ezekiel that this was merely an overturning “until he come whose right it is,” and that it would be given to him.—Ezek. 21:25-27

The One “whose right it is” is Jesus, the promised Messiah and King who was to be raised up from the house of David. (Luke 1:30-33) Jesus did not set up his kingdom at his first advent. That important feature of the plan of God was to be accomplished at his second advent. But from the Creator’s standpoint, his kingdom, when fully established and operative, though different in the sense that it will be spiritual, will be the continuation of the kingdom of David and of Judah.

Through the Prophet Amos the Lord foretold, “In that day [the day of the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom] will I raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.”—Amos 9:11,12

In the New Testament James quotes this prophecy, and shows its fulfillment to be after the Lord’s calling of the Gentiles during the present age. We quote: “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: that the residue of men [Amos says, ‘the remnant of Edom’] might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.”—Acts 15:14-17

Our memory verse is an interesting one. As we have seen, God has never given up his sovereignty over the condemned and dying race; and through the Messiah he is actually to be the Ruler of all mankind. We think that this text is a prophecy of that time, and particularly of the period following the messianic reign, after all enemies, even death, shall have been subdued and destroyed. Paul foretold this, and tells us that then God will be all in all. See I Corinthians 15:25-28.

QUESTIONS

Has God ever relinquished his sovereignty in the affairs of men?

For what reasons has God at times interfered with the course of nations?

What relationship will Christ’s kingdom have to the typical kingdom of David and of Judah?

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