The Lord Reigneth

Sermon delivered on May 3rd, 2015

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Text: Psalm 93

 

Introduction

In April 8, 1966, Thomas Altizer, an atheist, published an article in Time Magazine with the following big bold letter on the cover: Is God Dead? And then he went on to write, "We must recognize that the death of God is a historical event: God has died in our time, in our history, in our existence."

God's enemies, claim that God is dead! But guess what? Altizer is long dead and gone but our God is still alive and will continue to live for eternity!

Let's pray for the atheists that God would open their eyes that they may see our glorious God.

But there are enemies that are more dangerous than the atheists and these are the professing Christians and so called preachers whose view of God is not worthy of God.

Martin Luther a Reformer, wrote to Erasmus (a professing Christian) and said, "Your thoughts of God are too human."

What Luther, meant was, Erasmus had a low view of God. Erasmus' God is a God whose hands are tied. A God who is weak and powerless. A small and powerless God is not worthy of our trust and worship. We dishonor God when we entertain low views of God.

But aren't you glad that God is not dead? He is alive and He reigns. We have a great God. We have a great, big, wonderful God. I love to ascribe greatness to our God and that is what I intend to do in the message this morning.

Today's message is about the sovereignty of God. Our God is sovereign. A God who is not sovereign is a contradiction. A God who is not sovereign is not God at all. 

 

I - Scripture declares God is Sovereign

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

What is Sovereign?

Sovereignty does not mean God can do anything. As we have learned when we contemplated on the Omnipotence of God and as we shall see in this Psalm, God only does what is in harmony or in accordance with all His other attributes.

Sovereign means possessing supreme or ultimate power and authority.

Synonyms: supreme, absolute, unlimited, unrestricted, boundless, ultimate, total, unconditional, full, independent, preeminent, indisputable, authority

Middle English: from Old French soverain, based on Latin super 'above.' The change in the ending was due to association with reign.

God's sovereignty simply to means, "God is in control."

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

Here is a clear and a wonderful declaration that God reigns. The Lord is King! The LORD Jehovah rules. He is in control. This is a very important truth that we Christians love but unbelievers hate. 

God is the Creator, the Lawgiver, the Ruler, the Provider, the Judge and the Savior. God exists and that God rules over all. This is the ultimate reality in the universe that God is the Creator and that God is Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11: Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12: Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13: Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

 

2 Chronicles 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6: And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none (not even the Devil himself) is able to withstand thee?

 

II - The Characteristics of God's Sovereignty

1. Unrivaled

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

He alone is Sovereign. He is the only King.

In 1 Timothy 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

He does not share the throne with anyone else. There is no King but Christ! There can only be one Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords! 

It is not like the Philippines, which at one point there were two Presidents at the same time. No! There is only one reigning King and that is God Almighty!

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2: And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3: And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

There is a throne and there is only One sitting upon the throne. Not Satan; not the LORD and Satan; not man; not God and man; not God and Angels; not circumstances; nor luck nor fate. God does not share sovereignty with anyone.

The LORD reigneth ... a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

 

2. Majesty

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

There are plenty of men who ruled without honor and dignity. Such as Lenin, Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong-II, Pol Pot, etc. These men ruled by tyranny and oppression. But no so with God. God rules with majesty. He governs with honor and dignity. 

Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6: Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

 

3. Strength

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength or omnipotence. Whatever He pleases to do, He is able to accomplish.

Psalm 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 3: But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

God does whatever He pleases, as He pleases.

Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9: For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 10: The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11: The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

 

Daniel 4

35: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 

37: Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Men may boast what they can do and what they will do, but the Bible says ...

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Here's what the Bible says to those who boast of what they will do ...

James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16: But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

 

4. Holiness

5: Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

 

Psalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7: Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

Psalm 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 15: Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 16: In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17: For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. 18: For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

 

5. Eternal

2: Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. 

 

5: Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

Throne represents His sovereignty, His right to rule and reign. He sits upon the throne and has all the authority over all. He reigns from eternity past, before time began, before anything ever existed or were created, God was King and the Lord reigns.

God's sovereignty is perpetual and unchanging. There was never a time when He was not in control. He was in control in the past. He is in control now. He will be in control in the future and for eternity.

 

III - The Demonstration (Manifestation) of God's Sovereignty

Where do we see the sovereignty of God?

 

1. Sovereignty of God in Creation

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

 

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 

3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4: And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

 

And God said ... and it was so ... and God saw that it was good.

Every time God opens His mouth, something powerful happens.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7: He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8: Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9: For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

 

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure (will) they are and were created.

Everything came into existence and was created because of God's will. Nothing moved God to create, except His own sovereign will. What and who could move Him when there was nothing and nobody but God in eternity? 

Romans 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 

2. Sovereignty of God in Providence

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

The world was created and it continues to exist. Why? Divine providence. 

 

What is divine providence?

Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (hold together).

Divine providence is God's most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all things in the universe. Divine providence refutes the idea that the universe runs by chance or fate. The Bible is clear, that what God creates, God sustains.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2: Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

God upholds all things by the word of His power. All things, that is, from the vast universe to the smallest particle, all are upheld by God. If there is any molecule that is outside of His authority, then God cease to be God. 

 

3. Sovereignty of God in Deliverance

The Lord is King even in the midst of chaos, confusion and calamities.

3: The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

The floods and the waves may represent chaos, restlessness, disorders and calamities. The sounds of the powerful waves and the powerful flood, waves roar and man's heart fails. Remember the deadly Tsunami in Indonesia and destructive Tsunami in Japan and just recently earthquake in Nepal. All these cause men to fear. All these cause men's heart to fail.

The floods and the waves may also represent God's enemies. God's enemies have raged like angry waves of the sea, they lift up their voice, and at other times they rise to acts of violence - they lift up their waves; but I like what the next verse says ...

4: The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

The Lord has control over them in either case.

Psalm 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3: Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

I like what the Psalmist did when he saw mighty waves, and heard the waves roar. What did he do? He does not waste his time by focusing on the mighty roaring waves. But he turned to the Lord and confessed ...

4: The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

In difficult situations in your life we must remember the Lord on high is mightier than nature and the enemies. The Lord reigns over nature, the seas, the storm, the weather, tidal wave, tsunami. All these may be powerful manifestation of chaos and disorder but God is not touched or moved. God is mightier than all these. He is in charged.

 

IV - The Lord Reigns Confirmed by His Testimonies

5: Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

The word of God declares that God reigns and you can count on it. God's word is fully confirmed.

Psalm 111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8: They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

 

Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

 

V - Closing Thoughts

How should you and respond to the sovereignty of God?

1. We must humbly recognize the fact that the Lord reigns

Psalm 99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

We must recognize His sovereignty. Let us humble ourselves before His throne and let us acknowledge His right to rule and govern our lives.

 

2. We must gladly rejoice in the fact that the Lord reigns

Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

Don't let the fatalist rob this truth from us. God is God! God is King! He reigns over all! The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice.

 

3. We must boldly declare the fact that the Lord reigns

3: Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4: For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5: For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

This is our message to the world. I am sorry about the gods of the heathen, but our God reigns.

6: Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7: Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9: O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 10: Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11: Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

 

4. We must fully rest in the fact that the Lord reigns

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Everyday life is unsure because we do not know what a day may bring. Trusting the sovereignty of God is to rest in knowing that God holds all situations in His hand. When major trials come our way, we trust in Him even though we do not understand how it is going to work out. We believe God's sovereign power is able to do exactly what He has promised to do.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Notice what this verse says. It did not say, not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. That is true also, but that's not what it's says. What it says, is, not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father. No insignificant sparrow will fall to the ground and die without the Father's direct involvement.

Here then is a sure resting-place for the heart. Our lives are not the product of blind fate nor chance, but every detail of them, is now ordered by the living and reigning God.

This is why the Sovereignty of God was revealed in the Bible. It was not revealed for us debate and argue about it. It was meant to comfort and to give rest to His people.

That's why Paul could say ...

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What assurance, what strength, what comfort this should give the real Christian! So, then, let us ...

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

May God help each and every one of us to be still and know that God is God!.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Amen!