In the strictest sense our text refers to that blessed day that is yet to come when all opposition to Christ has been eliminated from the earth, when Babylon is cast into the sea of God's wrath. It refers to that day when "the kingdoms of this world became the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ," when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, and "nations shall learn war no more." But the doctrine taught in our text is a blessed truth in all ages, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" Forever before the worlds were made and forever after the worlds are dissolved, and at all times and in all places from the beginning to the end, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" All God's saints, in all ages rejoice to sing with unison this great Hallelujah Chorus – "Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"
Specifically, when our text speaks of "the Lord God omnipotent," it is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Many of the heathen religions of the world teach that God reigns. The Jews firmly hold to the truth that God reigns. But the doctrine of the Bible, the doctrine of the gospel, the doctrine of our text is this: The Lord God omnipotent, the triune Godhead, exercises his sovereign dominion and government over all the universe in the Person of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus Christ has taken unto himself, by Divine right and by merit of his obedience as the sinner's Substitute, all power, authority and dominion. Hallelujah, the God-man reigns over all things! He has the right to reign as sovereign absolute Lord over all things because he is God. And as a man he earned the right to reign over all things by his obedience unto death. Christ's universal dominion is the effect and reward of his accomplished redemption.
Blessed is the man who can, upon solid and scriptural grounds, rejoice in the fact that Christ is the sovereign Monarch of the universe. Blessed is the man who make the sovereign dominion of Christ a matter of joyful praise. Blessed are they who see, acknowledge and admire the universal dominion of Christ and willingly bow before his throne as voluntary subjects of his dominion.
Proposition:The sovereign dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ is a matter of joyful, heartfelt praise among the redeemed.
Divisions:I have already told you that this King is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the incarnate God-Man, the Mediator between God and men. He is the very same Man who died as the sinner's Substitute. The One whom the Jews crucified. He is the "Faithful and True Witness." He is the Lamb of God. "His name is called the Word of God." He is "King of kings and Lord of lords." This great King is our Savior, this Man who died as our Substitute, this Man who is seated upon the throne of everlasting dominion, this Man whom we trust is "The Lord God omnipotent!" His name is El-Shaddai, God Almighty. He is the Lord Jehovah with whom is everlasting strength - (Isa. 26:4). He is the God with whom all things are possible and nothing is impossible. (Matt. 19:26; Luke 1:37). He is the One of Whom David spake, when he wrote, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" (Ps. 139:14-17).
A. Jesus Christ Is, Himself, The Eternal God.He is not a God, or one like unto God, or a creature of God. He is himself God manifest in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16). "In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). All the fullness of the incomprehensible, triune God resides in the body of that Man who is our Savior, Jesus Christ! He is "over all, God blessed forever!" (Rom. 9:5). Our Lord Jesus Christ is "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto: whom no man hath seen nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen" (I Tim. 6:14-16).
We are Trinitarians. We worship One God in the trinity of his Sacred Persons (I John 5:7). We worship, trust and love the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But we recognize that we have no knowledge of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, except as they are revealed in the Person and work of Christ, our Divine Mediator – (John 1:18; Heb. 1:1-3).
1. All that the Father says or reveals he says and reveals by the Son.
2. All that the Father possesses or gives is in Christ the Son.
3. All that the Father does, he does through the Son.
4. All that the Father receives from his creatures, he receives through the Son.
5. As for the Holy Spirit, he is the Spirit of Christ, leads men to Christ, speaks only of Christ, and magnifies none but Christ.
6. The Holy, Triune God has put all things in the hands of Jesus Christ, the Mediator, that he might have all honor, preeminence and glory (Matt. 11:27; John 5:19-24; 14:6-9; Col. 1:17-18).
7. This great God is the One who lived, died, arose, intercedes and reigns in heaven as our Savior.
Our Savior is and must be both God and Man in one glorious, indivisible Person Were he not man, his work could not be imputed to Man. Were he not God, his work could not be worthy of and satisfy God.
a. God came into this world as a man, to save men – (Matt. 1:21-23).
b. God lived as a Man in perfect righteousness to establish righteousness for men – (Isa. 42:4).
c. God died upon the cross as a Man, under the wrath of God, to satisfy the justice of God and put away the sins of men – (Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:24).
d. God arose from the tomb in the body of a Man, ascended back to heaven and reigns upon the throne of glory, for the salvation of men - (Heb. 10:5-14).
Our great King is God. But our great God is a Man! His name is Immanuel. He is one of us, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh – (I John 1:1-3).
B. And Our God, Jesus Christ, Is Omnipotent!He has all power. Therefore he is able to do whatever he is pleased to do in all things. And he always does exactly that which pleases him (Ps. 115:3; 134:6; Isa. 46:9-11). Omnipotence is essential to Divinity. A weak, helpless, frustrated, defeated God is absurdity. If there is anything God cannot do, which is consistent with his nature, if there is any power greater than his power, any will greater than his will, any desire of his Being that he does not satisfy, any purpose that he does not accomplish, then God is dead! There is no God! The universe is in chaos! And man is without hope! A god who is not omnipotent is no God at all. Only a fool would worship, trust and serve a weak god. I would just as soon worship a piece of wood as worship a god who lacks the power to do all his pleasure. We worship the sovereign, eternal, unchangeable omnipotent God of glory, Jesus Christ! You can trust an omnipotent God, for "none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou?" (Dan. 4:35).
1. He created the world out of nothing, by his omnipotent Word (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:12; John 1:1-3; Heb. 11:3).
2. He upholds, sustains and rules the world, by his omnipotent power (Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:3).
3. He saves sinners by his omnipotent grace (Ps. 65:4; 110:3; I Pet. 1:5).
This is our great King, Jesus Christ, "The Lord God omnipotent." We rejoice in him. He is God. He is Man. He is the omnipotent God-Man, in whom we safely trust. But…
II. How Did He Come To Be Such A King?Without question, the Lord Jesus Christ has always been the King of the universe. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, He is King by Divine right, because he is God. He is King by Divine decree, because he was ordained by God to be a Mediator King from old eternity in the covenant of grace. And he is King over all things, by right as the Creator and Owner of all things. But our text speaks specifically of Christ in his Mediatorial character as the King, Ruler and sovereign Monarch of all the universe, And as our Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ earned the right of sovereign dominion over all things by his obedience to God as a Man – (Ps. 2:6-8; Isa. 53:9-12; Dan. 7:13-14; John 17:2; Acts 2:29-36; 5:32; Rom. 14:9; Phil. 2:9-11).
Our Lord's government of the universe in the nature of man is the effect and reward of his obedience unto death as our Substitute, for the fulfillment of the everlasting covenant of grace.
NOTE: This will not be the end of his reign. His throne, dominion, and reign is forever. This will be the end of time and beginning of eternity, The end of his covenant engagements.
III. What Is The Extent Of Our Lord's Dominion?"Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him? As a man, our Lord bought the right to rule as sovereign Monarch over all creatures, all events, all angels, all men, in all places, for the accomplishment of the salvation of his elect. This is our glad song: "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"
A. The Lord Jesus Christ Reigns As Sovereign King Today!The text does not say, "The Lord God omnipotent shall begin to reign." It says, "He reigneth!" The fall of Babylon is not the beginning of his reign, but the consummation of his reign. We are not waiting for some future age when Christ will become a King. Christ is King today. And he reigns as King today over all things.
a. The Lord Jesus Reigns In Heaven With Undisputed Sway –He is seated now at the right hand of the majesty on high. And there, in heaven's glory, Immanuel reigns as King (Heb. 1:3; 10:12-13).
1. All the holy angels, seraphim and cherubim bow before his august throne with delight, sing his praise and rush to do his will (Isa. 6:1-7).
2. All the redeemed of the Lord, those spirits of just men made perfect delight to honor, adore, worship and serve Christ as their rightful King.
In the splendors of the celestial worlds one spot transcends all others in beauty, glory and praise. And that spot is the throne of grace upon which Christ sits as King. But do not imagine, as so many do, that our Lord's dominion is limited to the world above.
b. The Lord Jesus Christ Reigns Today As Sovereign Monarch Over All The Earth – (Isa. 40:12-31; 45:5-12; Dan. 4:35-37).There is absolutely nothing and no one in the world which is not under the absolute rule of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is King everywhere and over all things. I wish so much that we could learn this: "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" Our Savior is King! Our God is in charge! (Rom. 11:36).
1. He rules over all the Physical World (Nah. 1:3; Ex. 9:26; Matt. 5:45; Gen. 41:32; Amos 4:7; Acts 14:17).
2. King Jesus rules over all the Animal World (Gen. 31:9; Ps. 104:21; Dan. 6:22; Matt. 6:26; 10;29).
Illus: He fed his prophet by a raven! (I Kings 17:4-7).
3. Our Lord holds dominion over every nation in the world (I Chron. 16:31;
Ps. 33:10; 47:7; Dan. 2:21; 4:17; Amos 3:6).
4. Our omnipotent God and King sovereignly rules all men in this world (Ex. 11:7; Ps. 37:23; Pro. 16:9; 21:1).
c. Even The Kingdom of Darkness And Hell Itself Is Under The Total Dominion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
He holds the key of death and of hell. He reigns in the regions of the damned, over the demons of hell and over the prince of darkness.
From the bottomless pit to the highest heaven, Jesus Christ reigns as King. "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"
d. Particularly, Christ is King In Zion.He is the sovereign over everything. But he is King in Zion. He reigns in his church and in the hearts of his own people by right, but here he reigns with the full consent of his subjects – (Matt. 23:8-10).
1. The church of God is not a democracy, but a monarchy, a theocracy – Christ alone rules in His Church!
NOTE: Any Church that is not subject to the rule of Christ has no right to be called a church.
2. Every believer is a voluntary bondslave to Christ as his King."He reigns in the hearts of his people. There he writes his precepts, impresses his image, and erects his throne; ruling them, not merely by an outward law, but by an inward secret influence, breathing his own life and Spirit into them; so that their obedience becomes, as it were, natural, pleasureable, and its own reward. By the discoveries he affords them of his love, he wins their affections, captivates their wills, and enlightens their understandings. They derive from him the 'spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind; and run with alacrity in the way of his commandments." (John Newton).
E. The Object Of Christ In His Sovereign, Universal Rule of All Things Is The Eternal Good of His Elect – (Rom. 8:28).
"The Lord God omnipotent reigneth;" so that he may accomplish his eternal purpose of grace toward his chosen, redeemed people (John 17:2). Let him do what seemeth him good, for what he does is good, always good, only good and eternally good for his elect. This omnipotent God reigns upon a throne of grace and gives grace to whom he will (Rom. 9:16).
IV. Why Is This King So Highly Extolled By His Subjects?In our text all the hosts of God's elect gathered around the throne of God extol, honor, magnify and praise the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Because they are the willing subjects of his government, because they are pleased with his appointed way of salvation, because they are pleased with his appointed way of salvation, because they cheerfully resign themselves to the disposals of his providence, and because they adore his glorious Person, they gladly sing his praise.
A. They Praise Him For His Salvation And The Glory It Brings To His Holy Name – (v. 1).
B. They Praise Him For The Exercise Of His Judgment Upon The Wicked – (vv. 2-4).
C. They Praise Him For His Sovereign Dominion (v. 6). V. What Is My Relationship With This Omnipotent King?Am I his enemy or am I one of his willing subjects? Let each one decide for himself. But this issue must be decided. The eternal ruin or eternal bliss of your soul will be determined by this. Is Christ your Lord and King? Does The Son of God rule in your heart? I know that he is King over you. But is he King in you?
A. There Is Only One Way Of Salvation – You must submit to and commit yourself to the rule of Christ as your Lord. Anything short of this is not saving faith – (Ps. 2:10-12; Matt. 10:37-39).
B. How Grateful We Ought To Be, If Christ Has Conquered Our Hearts And Established His Rule In Us – (Rom. 12:1-2).
Children of God, love your King! And serve him with all your heart. Do you remember where and what you were when he saved you by his grace (Isa. 50:1)?
1. He loves us – You can trust One who loves you.
2. He lived for us – You can trust One whose life is lived only for you.
3. He died for us – You can trust One who lays down his life for you.
4. He reigns for us – You can trust a King whose throne is erected and dedicated for your good.
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