Page 6 - The Christian Life and the Church Life_Government of God

Table of Contents 5

Message 1

The Universal Government of God

Scripture Reading: Dan. 4:26, 34-35; 1 Pet. 1:2, 17; 2:21-25; 3:15; 4:12,
15-19; 5:5-8
I. We must come to “know that the heavens do rule”—Dan. 4:26:
A. The kingdom of the heavens is a realm where the heavens exercise
authority—Matt. 4:17; 5:3:
1. God rules and exercises authority from the heavens as His
dwelling place—1 Kings 8:39.
2. The throne of God’s authority is in the heavens—Psa. 103:19;Rev.
4:1-2.
3. The kingdom of the heavens is the reign of the heavens where God
dwells; it is the rule of the heavens.
B. God’s “dominion is an eternal dominion: / And His kingdom is from
generation to generation”—v. 34:
1. “He does according to His will in the army of heaven / And among
the inhabitants of the earth”—v. 35a.
2. “There is no one who can resist His hand / Or say to Him, What
are You doing?”—v. 35b.
C. As those who have been chosen by God to be His people for the
preeminence of Christ, we are under God’s heavenly rule; we need to
realize this and be submissive to God’s heavenly rule—v. 37.

II. The Epistles of 1 and 2 Peter are on the universal government of God:
A. The subject of 1 Peter is the Christian life under the government of
God, showing us the government of God especially in His dealings
with His chosen people—1:2.
B. The subject of 2 Peter is the divine provision and the divine
government, showing us that as God is governing us, He supplies us
with whatever we need—1:1-4; 3:13.
C. God governs by judging; this judgment of God is for the carrying out
of His government—1 Pet. 1:17; 4:17:
1. Because 1 and 2 Peter are concerned with the government of God,
in these Epistles the judgment of God and of the Lord is referred to