At first glance this list of Old Testament proverbs may appear like a hodgepodge of random thoughts. A closer look, however, reveals a common theme we tend to overlook or ignore, and that is the theme of God’s absolute sovereignty over His creation. By sovereignty, I mean God’s right as the King of the universe to rule as He sees fit-without question, limitation, accountability, or resistance.
Let’s take a deep look at 21:1 – This is a comparative couplet: something is compared to something else. Most comparative couplets end with the comparison and leave it at that, but this proverb concludes with a declarative statement that offers the reader a timeless principle. Observe the comparison: “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord.” The Hebrew sentence doesn’t begin with the “the king’s heart” but rather with “like channels.” The Hebrew term translated “channels” referred to small irrigation ditches running from a main source-a reservoir-out to dry, thirsty flatlands needing refreshment. In other words: “Like irrigation canals carrying water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand.”
What’s the point? The king’s heart-his inner being, the internal part of him that makes decisions-breathes out and communicates attitudes and policies, edicts, and laws. As a result, he may appear to be in charge, but the entire matter from start to finish silently and sovereignly rests in the Lord’s sovereign hand.
All activity and events remain under God’s ultimate and absolute control, but He grants us varying degrees of freedom to choose our path. The Bible affirms the sovereignty of God over all minutiae of life, yet the Scriptures-especially the book of Proverbs – continually appeal to our will, urging us to make wise choices.
Think about this: God is your King and Judge, but He grants you latitude to make responsible choices. How do you see your freedom in relation to God’s sovereignty?
