Our God Reigns
Notes
Transcript
This year, the United States is celebrating its 250th birthday. This coming Saturday will mark 250 years since that momentous signing of the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
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Since 1954, we have pledged allegiance as “one nation under God.”
But this raises an important question.
What does it actually mean to be under God?
Is a nation under God simply because it says it is?
Scripture answers that question very differently.
Psalm 47 teaches us that no nation places itself under God.
Every nation already lives under His authority.
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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,
a great king over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
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Psalm 47 belongs to a collection of psalms celebrating the Lord as King. Whether it was sung after a military victory, during a great feast, or as part of Israel’s worship, the central message this psalm is unmistakable: our God reigns over all the earth.
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As we consider what it means to be "one nation under God", we find in this psalm the foundational truth:
Big Idea: God is the ultimate authority for all nations.
Big Idea: God is the ultimate authority for all nations.
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Yes, we celebrate and we affirm the assertion that our nation, with its great Christian heritage, is “one nation under God”, but the reality is: all nations are under God’s authority. Psalm 47 tells us how this is true.
1. Our God is an Awesome King, vv. 1-4.
1. Our God is an Awesome King, vv. 1-4.
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,
a great king over all the earth.
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Where the ESV renders the Hebrew to say the LORD is to be feared, the KJV says he is terrible. And the NIV says “the LORD most High is awesome.”
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In that ancient culture, there were many gods worshiped by the peoples. There were gods over various aspects of life. Was Yahweh, God of the Israelites, just another god among many?
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NO!!!
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Do you remember the false belief of the Syrians during King Ahab’s reign? Ahab, of course, was a wicked king and suffered God’s judgment at different times. But in 1 Kings 20 we read of how Ben-hadad, king of Syria, sought war with Ahab.
A prophet came to Ahab with a message from God: God would deliver Israel so that Ahab might know that Yahweh is God. The battle that followed was fought in the hills and mountains. Syria was defeated.
The next year, Ben-hadad’s advisors encouraged him to fight Israel in the plains. Israel’s God delivered them because they fought in the hills, but Syria would succeed in the plains.
And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”
In the battle that followed, 27,000 Syrians were killed and Ben-hadad was taken captive.
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Do we sometimes think the same thing?
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The question is ot if we believe that God is only over mountains.
Sometimes, however, we may easily recognize Christ as Lord over His Church, but may not always recognize Him as Lord over government.
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Jesus is the Lord over Sunday… but is He Lord of our Monday?
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Jesus is Lord in our private devotions, but is He also Lord of our public life?
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Yahweh is the great King - the King over all the earth.
Our God is an awesome, fear-inspiring King because he is King over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
Think about this…
God subdued nations—not because Israel was stronger, but because God fought for His covenant people.
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God chose their inheritance—not because Israel deserved it, but because of His covenant love.
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This scripture also speaks to the Church today. The word “peoples” refers to ethnic groups. “Nations” refers to political entities.
The Great Commission tells us to take the gospel to all peoples; therefore, our task as part of Christ’s Church is not finished until all peoples, which are part of various political entities, hear the Gospel.
Today God extends His kingdom through the proclamation of the gospel, gathering people from every tribe and nation into His redeemed people.
God has not only promised us spiritual victory but an inheritance - a new heaven and a new earth. And so we anticipate spending eternity with Christ forever in a new world that He will create for His people. We rejoice and sing, for our God is good and He is King!
Williams, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1986). Psalms 1–72 (Vol. 13, p. 362). Thomas Nelson Inc.
This thought then leads us to a second observation about who our God is as King.
2. Our God is a Triumphant King, v. 5.
2. Our God is a Triumphant King, v. 5.
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
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One of the most important ceremonies in the ancient Near East was the ritual of enthronement of a king.
Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., Ps 47:5–8). InterVarsity Press.
The wording of verse 5 seems to picture such an enthronement of God as King.
When Israel entered the Promised Land, they did not establish a king, for God was their king. Over time, however, the people desired a human king who would rule them and unify the nation, protecting them and leading them to victory against their enemies.
God gave Israel a king, but this king was truly only a delegated authority of God who was the real king. Therefore, this psalm may have been used in the coronation of kings, but its ultimate meaning was the recognition of God as King of all kings, pointing ultimately to Christ, whose reign is already established and whose universal kingdom will one day be acknowledged by every nation.
The verb “gone up” from verse 5 is also a technical term for going to war. And so in this song, the psalmist called upon Israel to praise God because God fought for her.
Throughout Israel’s history there are numerous examples of God fighting for his people. For example, during the conquest of Canaan, there was a battle where five kings allied against Israel.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.”
In the battle that ensued, God rained hailstones upon the enemy and scripture says more died because of the hailstones than Israeli killed with the sword.
Another striking example is found in 2 Chronicles 20 when the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites banded together to attack Judah, led by King Jehoshaphat. All of Judah assembled to seek God’s help.
God sent word by the prophet Jahaziel, who said:
You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
The next day, Judah marched to battle and King Jehoshaphat made a strange tactical decision. At the front of the army, he appointed singers who led the army into battle singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
Before they reached the enemy, God turned the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites on each other. They fought among themselves, destroying each other, and Judah arrived only to see dead bodies lying on the ground.
Williams, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1986). Psalms 1–72 (Vol. 13, p. 363). Thomas Nelson Inc.
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In a similar, but much richer way, we in the Church today praise God because His only begotten Son has gone before us to the hill of Calvary, the Divine Warrior fighting on our behalf, laying his life down as the only sacrifice suitable to take away our sin, dying in our place but then rising victorious over sin and death on the third day!
Jesus appeared to the disciples multiple times after his resurrection, teaching them about the kingdom of God. Then, when they came together that one climactic day, they asked Jesus when he would restore the kingdom to Israel.
Jesus answered, saying it wasn’t their business to know the Father’s timeplan. But they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon then.
Then, before their very eyes, Jesus ascended into Heaven, the triumphant King. He has taken his place on the throne with God the Father. As Hebrews 10:12-13 explain…
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
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He is seated on his throne.
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Why is He seated?
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Priests would stand at the altar, making sacrifices for the people. But Christ offered a one-time sacrifice for all the sin of the world. He offered Himself.
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There remains no more sacrifice for sin. So Christ is seated on His throne. The sacrifice has been made. The war has been won.
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Christ is our Triumphant King! Our victory has been secured, even as the battle rages on. And He fights for us and gives us victory through the Spirit over sin, Satan, and the world!
We have victory spiritually even today but one day Christ’s reign over all the earth will be complete for …
3. Our God is King of kings, vv. 6-9.
3. Our God is King of kings, vv. 6-9.
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
These verses speak of a reality that in one sense is true today, but is still to come.
The truth is: our God reigns! Yes, there are various presidents, kings, dictators, and other leaders who rule various nations and states around our world. A number of these do not necessarily bow their knees before Christ. But we know God is in ultimate control.
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Our God reigns over the nations.
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What does this mean?
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No election surprises Him.
No dictator threatens Him.
No war dethrones Him.
No empire replaces Him.
No Supreme Court overturns His authority.
No economy limits Him.
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Our God reigns over the nations!
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Yet there is coming a day when Christ will return for His people, the Church of God. He will wage war on all those who reject God. And He will triumph!
Then, all the nations will come to acknowledge Christ as King of kings. As verse nine says, “the princes of the peoples gather” and “the shields of the earth belong to God”. “Shields” is an expression referring to the kings and leaders of the people.
All will come to worship Christ as the rightful King of kings and Lord of lords!
Paul wrote in Philippians 2 that Christ humbled himself and died on the Cross on our behalf.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
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While our nation has chosen historically to recognize that we are under God’s authority, we must assert and reaffirm that all nations are under God’s authority.
Furthermore, today while this assertion that we are “under God” may not be appreciated by some, it is still true that…
Big Idea: God is the ultimate authority for all nations.
Big Idea: God is the ultimate authority for all nations.
God is the ultimate authority … for all nations, individuals, families, communities, churches. He alone is God and King!
And so the psalmist called the people to rejoice!
Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!
If God truly reigns over every nation, then He deserves more than our acknowledgment. He deserves our worship. He deserves our obedience. He deserves our lives.
This reality reassures us in a society that often seems intent on pursuing aims that are focused on Self, that is intent on living by arbitrary standards that are not rooted in the truth and principles of God’s Word, that may reject the superstitious gods of ancient cultures but has created its own idols to worship and adore.
That God is King of kings is also a call to us. It is a challenge to live as citizens of the King of kings in a world devoted to sin and Self, to lift the banner of holiness high, and to boldly proclaim that true freedom, hope, joy, and peace is only found in submission to the true King of kings.
God is the ultimate authority for all nations - and so we are challenged to pray: pray for our nation to return to God and to truly acknowledge His sovereignty over all; pray for our church to promote the Good News that Jesus is Savior and Lord; pray that we might live as faithful servants of the King of kings!
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It is possible to pledge allegiance to a flag while refusing allegiance to the King.
The greatest question this morning is not whether America acknowledges God.
The greatest question is whether you acknowledge Him.
Is Jesus your King?
