First the monarchs, and then parliaments, became the sovereign authority in society. Hegel openly viewed the state as god walking on earth in his political theology, and still the church slumbered on. Now let us turn to providence. Providence may be defined as that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator preserves all His creatures, is operative in all that comes to pass in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end. The providence of God is little spoken of today, because His powers of government have been transferred to the state and to man, together with His sovereignty.
Men everywhere believe in providence, and they look to their gods for it.
Unhappily, their gods are false gods, and not the living Lord. Berkhof summarized very ably, with supporting texts, the providential control and government of God over every area of life, from inanimate to the animate, over things great and small, over things seemingly insignificant or accidental, and over heaven, hell, and earth. It means that my life and being are under the sovereignty and government of the all-wise and most holy Trinity, whose ordering, preserving, and government of all things is for His own purpose and glory, and that my only joy and purpose is to acknowledge that sovereign, governing providence, and to rest in its sufficiency. It means that, in every area of life, I must acknowledge and establish rule, law, and authority only in terms of His law word and in faithfulness to His Kingship. This means that, in every area of life and thought, I must assert the crown rights of Christ the King and bring all things into captivity to Him.