When we hear about world affairs, we cannot help but reflect upon the question: “Who is in control?” We might wonder: Is the finger of God the force behind every event that occurs in life? Is God working only through the country I am living in, or is He working in other nations? Let us consider these matters.

God’s intervention in the nations of men today comes under His divine providence. Job asked, “Who does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” (Job 12:9-10). Every day, God’s divine and sovereign hand is at work providing care and protection, and exercising control and judgment in the affairs of the nations of men.                    

In present day affairs, the providential workings of God are sometimes difficult to accurately discern. One may determine the working of God by the result of events; but even then, it is a personal conclusion not divine revelation. But according to Scripture, it is certain that God is providentially working through the governments of men. The Scriptures not only depict His loving kindness in His providential care of nations, they also record the wrath of God being brought upon wicked nations (e.g., the Jews – Rom. 11:22). God permits every nation and government (great or small) to come into power and enjoy a period of prosperity. As a nation moves in the direction of spiritual and moral depravity conclusion – and they all do, in time – they become increasingly alienated from God, and, in their idolatry, that nation positions itself for inevitable destruction. God will, at some point, then bring that nation to an end (e.g., the Amorites – Gen. 15:16; Lev. 18:25-30; 1 Kings 21:25-26; 2 Kings 21:10-15).

Behind the scenes of human activity, the Creator of the universe is clearly in control (Isa. 46:11). Every nation needs to remember that in the eyes of God: “the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales. . .” (Isa. 40:15). The apostle Paul declared, “He has made ... every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (Acts 17:26). Job said of the Almighty, “He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them” (Job 12:23). No matter how powerful or weak a nation may appear to be, Jehovah God“rules over the nations” (Psa. 22:28; cf. 47:8). Because “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Dan. 4:32), people in every nation today had better wake up and respectfully recognize the ultimate Sovereign and that “Heaven rules” (Dan. 4:26; cf. Pss. 24:1; 72:11; 115:3; 117:1; Rev. 4:11). No one – no person or nation – has a right to dispute with the Almighty about how He exercises His will (Isa. 45:9; Dan. 4:35). The fact is, God’s ways are beyond human analysis (Isa. 55:8, 9; Rom. 11:33-34).

God’s use of the nations today is based on what we know God has done in the past. In the Old Testament, we can see the hand of God in human affairs. In the nation of Babylon, God had Daniel to interpret the visions and dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar which pointedly revealed that the God of Heaven “removes kings and raises up kings. . .” (Dan. 2:21) as He “rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men” (Dan. 4:17). God has a standard – righteousness – by which He judges all nations. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). God has always brought about judgment against a nation when there is insufficient salt (righteousness) to save it (Gen. 6:1, 5; 15:13-16; 18:25-33; etc.). When that righteousness is smothered so that its influence is no longer useful, the days of that corrupt nation are numbered (cf. Gen. 18:23-26; Prov. 28:2).

In the New Testament, we can also see the hand of God in human affairs. When Pilate said to Jesus, “Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” (Jn. 19:10), he thought he was in charge (Pilate represented the civil law of Rome and Caesar). But Jesus told Pilate that his authority was not as he thought: “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. . .” (Jn. 19:11). No civil authority could exist without God’s approval. The Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul to declare: “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Rom. 13:1). Therefore, the power and authority exercised by Pilate were given to him (and all civil government leaders) by the privilege and permission of God (cf. Acts 17:26).

In the Old Testament, God revealed that His rule in all nations was to accomplish His divine purpose – saving humanity through His Messiah. From the foundations of the world (Acts 15:18; 1 Pet. 1:20), God foreknew the time and even what nation He would use to accomplish His will (Dan. 2:44). To reveal His scheme of redemption at the right time and place in human history (Gal. 4:4), God called Israel out of all the nations. In time, He established them as a nation (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:18), and protected them (or a least a faithful remnant out of Judah) so that the promises regarding the Messianic line would be preserved throughout the nations and history of men. In one example, we see Jehovah providentially using Joseph and the nation of Egypt to sustain the Egyptians, the world, and more importantly the Hebrews as they came and sojourned in the land of Egypt (Gen. 39:2; 45:5-9). Later Joseph declared to his brethren: “you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Gen. 50:20).

Even in the New Testament, God rules in all nations to accomplish His divine purpose through the preaching of the gospel. This is seen clearly in one passage where the Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul to write to Timothy (and us): “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Paul reveals why God is working in the nations of men: “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:2-4). God-fearing people, in whatever country they live, praying for government officials no doubt accomplishes much good (cf. James 5:16).

While a few rulers may have known God’s purpose (e.g., Joseph and Pharaoh), most rulers and nations unknowingly serve the purpose of God. Clearly, God used the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the Medes / Persians (and other nations) for His purposes even though they did not know they were being used (e.g., Cyrus the Persian – Isa. 44:28; 45:1, 3, 3-4, 5; Ezra 1:1-4). Even among the people of God, often times the providential actions of God were veiled from human perception at the time they were transpiring (e.g. Mordecai to Esther the Queen in Esth. 4:14)?

Consider for example, how God providentially used the mighty Roman Empire to accomplish His divine purpose. In the first century, God used Rome to set forth His plan to save sinners by Jesus Christ, for Him to bring about His Kingdom, and for the Gospel message to be proclaimed throughout the world. In 30 to 35 years, there were thousands upon thousands of souls saved and hundreds of local congregations established all over the known world (Col. 1:6, 23; cf. Acts 1:8). Rome unknowingly facilitated the spread of the Gospel! For example, by Rome’s adoption of the Greek language, the New Testament was composed in the Koine (“common”) Greek tongue – the spoken/written language of the Roman world and the most precise conveyance for human thought in the history of the known world. Another example is, as Rome expanded the empire and unified the civilized world, the empire was in a state of relative peace, which permitted a remnant of devout Jews living in these nations to come to Jerusalem (Acts 2:9-11) where they would hear the gospel preached, and in turn could freely travel and share it with others. Also, facilitating the spread of the gospel by the early disciples were Roman highways and shipping lanes that crisscrossed the empire, providing easy land and sea transportation. And Roman citizenship was granted to many throughout the empire which was an advantage to Christians (e.g. Paul) as they traveled with the gospel message (cf. Acts 22:25 – 26:32; Rom. 8:28).

Jehovah God can use (and has used) righteous nation(s) to overthrow a wicked nation(s) (cf. Deut. 20:16-17). And He may use (and has used) evil nation(s) the vilest of men and nations to chastise a better nation (as perceived by some), if it serves His purpose. The nations of Assyria and Babylon were thought of as far worse than Israel and Judah, yet Jehovah God used both of these idolatrous nations to punish His people who were drifting into apostasy. The prophet Habakkuk had trouble wrapping his mind around God using a heathen king and a heathen nation to chastise His own people (Hab. 1:3-17; cf. Jer. 51:11). This perplexed Habakkuk, and if we were citizens in that day, it probably would have bothered us too (cf. Jonah). Whether we understand God’s righteous ways or not, there is no arguing with Him about how He uses one nation to judge another (Hab. 2:20; Job 37:14; Psa. 115:3).

Which nations does God favor and which does He condemn today? God does not say! Many of us think God only works in our respective nation(s) (and nowhere else). We often forget that God is “ruler over the nations” (Psa. 22:28), not “nation,” and that God ruling the nations of men is an international operation (cf. Acts 17:26). Christians live all over the world, in just about every nation, and we each have our duties and responsibilities to our respective governments (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17).

Can we see the hand of God working in nations and human affairs today? Yes, I believe we can! (cf. Rom. 1:20). Almighty God acts consistently with His own sovereignty, righteousness, and purpose (whether we understand the reasons or not) and He will deal with nations in His good time (Rom. 11:33-35). In a world of nations where political, judicial, social, economic, and religious corruption abounds, and the world appears to be crumbling and decaying about us, such knowledge should give us encouragement. While political leaders are making decisions affecting many for good or evil, these world leaders do not have the last word they are not the highest power on earth – GOD is! God’s hand is in all nations using them for His purposes whether they know it or not.

Almighty God’s use of the nations continues today. He still rules in the affairs of men, He judges all nations, and His rule is absolute. Think about it if God is not working in nations of men, then why does Paul say to Timothy (and us), “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-2)? If God is not working in the nations of men, then a Christian’s prayer at God’s command would be a vain, empty, futile, meaningless exercise. Agreed, we may not always be able to discern the works and results of the providential care of God, but we know that He does act! By God using the nations of men, He accomplishes His will as He cares and provides for His faithful, obedient people.

Anthony Genton has preached at the Leeward Church of Christ near Honolulu, HI for the last five years. Anthony Genton, 94-1283-A Henokea St., Waipahu, HI 96797 a.genton@usa.net