There are many precious truths taught throughout the Bible, but there is one that seems to gleam and radiate on every page of Holy Scripture; that of divine sovereignty, our God is God. He is on a throne of absolute and universal dominion; directing, controlling, ruling, regulating all things after His wise and eternal counsel (Eph.1:11). "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven above and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places" (Ps. 135:6). What does the scriptures say that it pleased the Lord to do? There are many things we could consider, but there are five that are plainly revealed in scripture.
1. It pleased the Lord to make you His people! (I Sam. 12:22) Israel of old provides us a good picture of God's sovereign electing love, He passed by all the other nations and set his heart upon Israel. Did they merit His favor? Certainly not: read the record, "Ah a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity." He set His love on them because of a covenant made with Abraham. Likewise, we do not merit God's electing love. He chose His spiritual Israel unconditionally. There was nothing in them to merit His love. He set His love on us because of the eternal covenant of grace made with our Surety, Jesus Christ (Heb. 7:22).
2. It pleased the Lord to bruise His Son (Isa. 53:10)! Jesus Christ stood as the Mediator of the people that were given Him in eternity (John 6:37). In order to redeem them and save them He had to shoulder their sin debt. That's what happened at Calvary, substitution and satisfaction (2 Cor. 5:21; I Jn.3:5).
3. It pleased God by the preaching of the gospel to effectually call out His elect (1 Cor. 1:17-24)! God in His perfect wisdom purposed to reveal the gospel through the very means this world calls foolishness (2 Cor.4:5-7).
4. It pleased God to save His people by His grace (Gal. 1:15)! When will a man be saved? The only scriptural answer is when it pleases God in sovereign grace to do so (2 Tim.1:9).
5. It pleased God to put all spiritual blessing in Christ (Col. 1:19)! Only in our Lord Jesus Christ is the fullness of redemption, righteousness, and reconciliation to be found. The believer in Christ stands perfectly complete before an all demanding God (Eph.1:6).