The Lord reigns!
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Read 1 Tim 6:13-16 and Rev 19:11-16
The events of the last three months (Feb-April 2020) have shaken the world and this great nation, the most powerful nation of the world. Those events have shown that, not matter how powerful a nation may be, its power is nothing in comparison to God’s power.
The virus has forced us to think about God’s sovereignty. No one can stop what God does directly or indirectly.
J.C. Ryle was of the opinion that none of the doctrines of the Bible results more offensive to human nature as the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. Man can tolerate to be told that God is great, just, holy, and pure. But to tell him that “God will be merciful to whom He wants to be merciful” and that God “does not have to explain His reasons”, and “does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” - these are truths that the natural cannot tolerate.
When we understand and accept that God is sovereign, we will live more confidently and with peace of mind.
God’s sovereignty is what allows Him...
To do as He pleases with His creation.
To do as He pleases with His creation.
The sovereignty of God refers to His absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure.
He is sovereign by virtue of who He is and what He does: He is God; and He is the Creator.
There are no limitations for Him; He can do as He wants, but all He does is according to His character. Therefore, all His actions are trustworthy, no matter how painful they might be. In whatever He does, He always seeks the welfare of His people.
Charles Spurgeon, talking about God’s sovereignty said,
“We see God’s loving smile, even when others only see the black hand of death striking our most loved ones.”
300 citas para predicadores La Sonrisa Amorosa de Dios En La Aflicción
Vemos su sonrisa amorosa aun cuando otros no vean nada más que la mano negra de la muerte golpeando a nuestros seres más amados.
In His sovereignty, He sent a flood to cleanse the earth of evildoers:
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
He made them, He could destroy them!
Don’t you think that we are living in days that are similar to those?
To rescue the people He had chosen, God sent ten plagues over Egypt. Those plagues brought destruction and death over Egypt. They could have been avoided, but the stubbornness of Pharaoh had to be placated by God showing him who was the true ruler.
In his sovereignty, God designates rulers and He also removes them when He please. That was what the powerful Nebuchadnezzar had to learn. Daniel was telling him: “You are not in control; God is:”
“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
“If you have any power, God has given it to you!”
“You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;
Nebuchadnezzar had no choice but to agree with Daniel:
The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
God is still on throne! He reigns! That’s encouraging for us, the believers, because it reminds that nothing happens by chance, but He is sovereign!
God’s sovereignty is what allows Him...
To quash the forces of evil.
To quash the forces of evil.
Since the entrance of sin into Creation, the devil, the creator of evil, has opposed and rebelled against God. He convinced a crowd of angels to join him in his rebellion; and, after convincing Adam and Eve to disobey the King’s commandment, he also has convinced millions of people to rebel against God.
Evil cannot go unpunished forever!
The sovereign and powerful King is also a Holy and Just King; and as such, He has the right and the authority to quash the rebellion.
At the end of times, seeing that his days are counted, the devil will control ten kings who will fight against the King of kings:
“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. “These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”
And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
God’s sovereignty is what allows Him...
To rule as He wants.
To rule as He wants.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
King of Kings and Lord of Lords: in other words, Sovereign!
He has a sword to strike down the nations
And He will rule them with a rod of iron! The word that has been translated “to rule” literally means “to shepherd”. Shepherds carried rod of wood. Its purpose was to protect the sheep from any predator, like lions and wolves. The fact that this one is not of wood, but of iron might indicate the maximum protection of the ruler for the people.
The sovereignty of our King and Shepherd gives us the assurance of His protection.
God’s sovereignty is what allows Him...
To bring judgment over sinners.
To bring judgment over sinners.
Augustine, one of the deepest theologians of the past, said,
“Men are punished by God for their sins, often visibly, always in secret, either in this life or after death, although no one act righteously, unless by divine help; and no man or demon acts unrighteously, unless with divine permission and the most just judgment.”
300 citas para predicadores de la iglesia temprana Siempre Hay Juicio Por Los Pecados
Los hombres son castigados por Dios por sus pecados, a menudo visiblemente, siempre en secreto, ya sea en esta vida o después de la muerte, aunque nadie actúa correctamente, salvo por la asistencia del auxilio divino, y ningún hombre o demonio actúa injustamente, salvo con el permiso divino y con el más justo juicio.
AGUSTÍN DE HIPONA
No sinner will escape God’s judgment! All will appear before the King on His throne.
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Is Jesus your King? Is Jesus your Lord? Have you received Him as such?
Do not be deceived! You cannot be saved or written in the book of life unless He reigns in your heart!
The Bible is clear:
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
There will be many surprises in Heaven and Hell! In Heaven, not meeting with people you expected to find there; and in Hell, meeting with people you did not expect to find there.
In Heaven will be those who made Jesus their King; in Hell will be those who rejected the King.