"Your throne is established from of old" (Psalm 93:2).
Governments come and go. Kings rise and fall. Nations prosper and decline. Some of the greatest nations in history thought they were immovable, but God dispelled that delusion. Babylon exalted itself as the mightiest of all the nations, but it fell into ruin, its majesty shattered into rubble, its glory reduced to shame. Egypt, in all its magnificence, fell from its pinnacle of glory by the powerful hand of God. Rome thought itself unconquerable at the height of its wealth and fame. But it, too, became the conquered, its monuments smashed, its empire reduced to a fraction of what it was at its peak. Likewise, the Soviet Union in our own day—a nation once considered intractable in its resolve and power—now struggles amid poverty and civil war.
The day will also come when our own nation will go down the same path as its forerunners. The pride that we have in our intelligence, enterprise, wealth, and freedom might one day be crushed by the hand of the Lord. After all, God is the one who is the supreme ruler of the universe. He raises up nations and brings them low according to His righteousness and wisdom.
Unlike the nations of the earth, God’s government can never be overthrown. No power in heaven or earth can topple one pillar in the kingdom of God. This is a great comfort to those who are subjects in the kingdom. God’s reign is sure. Our safety and security is protected by His power and grace. We need never fear the threat of poverty, shame, enslavement, or hunger in His kingdom.
Another distinction between God’s rule and that of earthly kings and leaders is that His government is sovereign in the true sense of the word. He does not need our consent to govern, and He has authority over every area of our lives. He is the absolute monarch, who demands and deserves our complete and willing submission to His decrees and His laws. God’s absolute laws are binding on all men, but only those who have entered into His kingdom of grace have the ability, by the power of the Spirit, to live as worthy subjects in His kingdom. Let it be our prayer that every Christian would be a shining testimony to God’s authority as we obey His laws, trust in His kingship, and give Him the glory.
Read Psalm 95. What should your response be to God’s sovereign reign? Do you worship God, not just on Sundays, but every day as your king and sovereign? Read John 18:28–38. What does Jesus mean when He says those who are on the side of truth listen to Him? Examine yourself: are you a subject in Christ’s kingdom?
