Several times over the course of the election process, I have heard the reasoning that God is sovereign, so He is really going to be the one to determine who becomes our next President. It is true that "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." (Psalm 75:6,7) However, many times God also gives man a choice.
In America, as in ancient Israel, God has given us the choice of whom we can choose as our leaders. Israel chose to have a king as their leader, so they could be like the nations round about them. Although God did choose Saul and set him up to be the first king, it was not God's plan for Israel to have a king like the nations round about them. When Israel chose to do this, God said, "They have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (See I Samuel 8:7) Later, Israel would choose unrighteous leaders and follow unrighteous paths. They suffered much as a consequence of their own choices.
Were there not some running for President and other offices at the beginning of this election process, whose character and love for America would have been desirable? Yet, they were not chosen; in many cases, because people didn't think they could win. But, if we as Americans had given our votes and support to those who stood for what is right, we don't know who might have won. If we choose right, God is well able to raise up a righteous man or righteous men to lead our nation, even if that looks impossible to us.
If we choose an evil person, God may allow us to have the consequences of our choice and raise up that person to rule over us. But that does not mean that was God's plan. We cannot reject God's plan and choose evil, and then blame God for the consequences by saying, "Well, God is sovereign and raised this person up." Israel suffered because of the consequences of their own choices. God made that very clear in the writings of the prophets. In this country, we can choose our leaders. If we have an evil leader and suffer evil consequences, it will be the result of our own choices and choosing to go our own way.
Turn Again to the Lord