“‘Have you not heard
Isaiah 37:26 (ESV)
that I determined it long ago?
I planned from days of old
what now I bring to pass,
that you should make fortified cities
crash into heaps of ruins,
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, was expanding his empire. He had conquered many nations, including the northern kingdom of Israel. And he had then proceeded into Judah, capturing most of their fortified cities, and had besieged Jerusalem.
Isaiah 36 records that Sennacherib had sent a message to Hezekiah, the king of Judah, boasting about all of the countries and their gods that he had defeated. And he mockingly claimed that Judah and God would be no different.
God’s response to Sennacherib is found in Isaiah 37:21-29. And the verse quoted above is at the heart of His response. What was happening was according to God’s plan. A plan that had been made long before, from days of old. And Sennacherib was only a tool that God was using.
Sovereign Over History
The implication of this is that God exercises at least some control over history. He has a long-range plan that He is working out. That plan included using Assyria as an instrument of punishment for Israel and Judah. His plan also included the defeat of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians.
But this raises the question of just how much control God exercises. Was it God’s plan for Israel to reject Him? Or did His plan take into account that they would? Is the course of history, including my own personal history, predetermined by God’s foreordained plan? Or does God foreknow and take our actions into account within his plan? What responsibility do I have for my actions?
The intersection between God’s sovereignty and human free will, and the question of responsibility, is a challenging one with no easy answers. However, it is clear from Scripture that God is sovereign, He is in control, and He is working out His plan for creation. It is also clear that He held Assyria responsible for what they freely did (Isa. 10:5-19) and that He holds us accountable for our actions as well (Isa. 3:8-19)—actions that are often contrary to His desire for us (Matt. 23:37).
I do not claim to have more than a dim understanding of God. His glory, power, and wisdom are beyond me. But I am thankful that He is in control. Regardless of what any person or nation may do, it only serves to further God’s plan. He is sovereign, the almighty God.
