Calvinism Everywhere, Part 6

Recently it was raining and thundering hard. It was awesome. The sovereign Lord was baring his arm in the heavens yet again. I love this display of holy majesty in God's glorious governance of the created order, which the Lord himself sustains by the word of his power (Heb. 1:3).

And then I thought about how unbelief speaks of the weather (always). Naturalism pervades the discussion. Boring. Idolatrous. Flip on the weather channel. What do you see and hear? Not glory, but unbelief. It's rather painful and tragic that there is never, ever any reference to the glory of God. But it's everywhere. His glory can't be hidden, despite unbelief.

Consider conversations with believer and unbeliever alike. Not one conversation in a hundred about hail, snow, rain, lightning, thunder, tornado, hurricane, tsunami, or the like acknowledges the holy hand of heaven majestically moving heaven and earth. His puny creatures stand by as the living Lord speaks glory into our world and respond perfectly pathetically. Shame on us! Hallowed be your name, O Father in heaven! As our Lord taught us to pray, May your name be hallowed, sanctified, regarded, adored, marveled at, acknowledged, praised, blessed! (Matt. 6:9). Forevermore!

Now in the course of 1 Samuel 12 there are numerous displays of God's sovereign glory.
After Saul is anointed king through the wicked desires of the people (1 Sam. 12:17), Samuel recounts something of the history of the exodus and the Lord's deliverance and provision in appointing Moses and Aaron. But despite this, the people forgot the Lord (1 Sam. 12:9). So then what happened? "The Lord sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them" (1Sam. 12:9). But this doesn't sound nice and sweet, now does it? So it never gets into Sunday school lessons, or into Sunday morning conversations. God is love, God is good, God is gooey, it would seem. Oh yes, God is love, and God is good. Essentially so. But God is also fiercely holy and just. God is great! "Holy, Holy, Holy!" cry the seraphim. The whole earth is full of the glory of the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3). So he sells his rebel people into the hand of pagans (cf. Habakkuk). This sort of thing is God's doing, and it is marvelous to the eyes of faith.

Later in 1 Samuel 12 it is acknowledged that God is the one who set king Saul over Israel (1 Sam 12:14), even though it was through the wicked hankering of the people to be like the nations that this transpired (1 Sam. 8:5; 12:13, 17, 19). Figure this one out. The people are indicted for their wicked choice of a king, which ultimately was God's doing. Even antecedent revelation foretold that there would be a king (e.g., Gen. 49:10). So the people are responsible. They freely choose according to their greatest urges within. Yet even what was freely willed wickedly does not escape the bounds of God's all-embracing reign. O adore! O stand in awe! O tremble! Give him glory—all of it!

Then (and now back to where we began), there is this passing word, an almost throwaway word, about God's sending of thunder and rain, which caused the people to fear greatly (1 Sam. 12:18). Despite the wicked unbelief of the people, they're no naturalists or deists, as we are almost pervasively and monolithically. In Scripture, it is just assumed (virtually everywhere) that God governs, guides, and dispenses "the weather." Why? Because he does. He reigns. God is God. He is Lord of all. And so we ought to give him due glory, fearing his mighty arm, standing in awe of displays of power and goodness, praising him according to his worth and word. Even the winds and seas obey our great God! (Mk. 4:41). So let's declare among the nations, "The LORD reigns! (Ps. 96:10; 97:1; 99:1). But let's first declare the same to the church, to Zion (Isa. 52:7), languishing amid Arminianism, naturalism, and deism as she is.

So, sovereign Lord, send forth your light and truth, and let them lead us to your holy hill, even to your dwelling, to you, O God, our exceeding joy! (Ps. 43:3-4). And there may we bow low in humble adoration and exultation, and praise you, O God, our God, the only and true God who lives and reigns forever and ever, Father, Son, and Spirit!