Job 12 and the Difficult Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God

If you weren’t in class this past week, or you just want a summary of what we talked about, Nate was kind enough to provide his notes on Job 12. Here they are!

The following are 12 ways in Job 12 where we see the precision of God’s sovereignty – the (sometimes) tough truth that God is always in control. God is not accountable for the sin we commit; although, He may use it (Genesis 50:20) and will cause even the sin committed against us to be turned for our good (Romans 8:28).

• God is sovereign over the structures men and women create, and He may at times choose to destroy them (verse 14a).
• God is sovereign over the bondage of men and women, and He may at times choose to maintain confinement (14b).
• God is sovereign over the weather –even our physical life source, water- whether drought or deluge (or tsunami).   He controls the “floodgates” (v15).
• God is sovereign over the spread, or messages, of truth and falsehood (v16).
• God is sovereign over the “wisdom of man”: philosophy, psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. (v17).   (Remember, it is not that God necessarily generates such philosophy but that He is able to and does control its effect.)
• God is sovereign over the oppression inflicted by powerful people, and He may liberate those suffering from such oppression whenever He chooses (v18).
• God is sovereign over powerful people themselves, undaunted by those who have positioned/bulwarked themselves in the lives of others, whether emotionally, professionally, etc. (v19).
• God is sovereign over the “voice of experience” –over age and/or the history and success of personal relationships (v20).
• God is sovereign over reputation (v21).
• God is sovereign over Truth in the sense that He can reveal it to whomever He chooses whenever He chooses (v22).
• God is sovereign over civilization –its nations and their fates (v23).
• God is sovereign over the Leader, ruling his/her comprehension, direction, vision, and stability (v24-25).

In pursuing the sovereignty of God more directly, does anyone have any good books (or other resources) they’d recommend for further study into this difficult topic?