Christ's Dbminion Over.

the Nations
. . .
Psalm47
by Joseph C. Motecraft, III
. We should stop here and establish
one central point This psalm is realised
in the reign of the Messiah, Jesus
Christ. And the New Testament clearly
teaches that he has already begun to
reign. He has already ascended the
This i$ the most neglected biblical Psalm 47 is a song of triumph cele- throne of his universal empire. Con-
truth of this century: Jesus Christ holds . brating Christ's sovereignty and victory sider Ephesians 1:19-23. Here we see
anci exercises actual dominion ovet au over all opposition. In 47:1-4 he is that "when He raised Him (i.e. JeSus)
nations. When the chwch. believed, it, portrayed as a Mighty Conqueror. All from the dead," God seated him at his
she was strong. When she stopped . n41tions and ethnic groups of the whole right hand....... "And He put (past
bdieving and preaching it, she became . world are called to applaud him as their tense) an things in subjection under his
weak:. . . . . true Monarch and Savior, 47:1. He is feet, and gave him as head over all
. Many sermons have been preached on the universal King who is to be feared things to the church ....... " Iri I
the lordship of Christ in this century, and worshipped by every nation and 3:21-22 we fmd that since the resur-
but most of them have had these !taitS; person on earth .. Nothing on earth is reetion of Jesus Christ, he "is at the
(l).They have confmed his lordship to excluded from his reign, 47:2. He is an right hand of God, having gone into
personal and church life. (2).They are invincible Conqueror who continues tO heaven, after angels and authorities and
largely theological riot practical, inter- . 'triumph ovet his enenii.es by using the powers had been subjected to Him (past
esting but not (3).They . are . faithfulness of his people, 47:3. He con- tense): ' Christ has been reigning as
either nostalgic or futuristi.c. But thihgs quers actual nations as nations,. and his King of the earth since God raised him
are st:irting to change. . victory is political, societal and cultur- from the dead, and he will do so forever,
There is a revival .going on 10. verse three is a prophecy Daniel7:14.
America of greater proportions than any 'that the Gentile nations will one day be . ; According to 47:9 Christ's reign
other in over one hundred years. It is included as recipients of his favor and guarantees his total political victory anq
to the rediscovery of the reality that . willing subjects of his rule. In 47:4 we exaltation. In this. -verSe . we see . the
Jesus Christ is the and :. findthat. he sovereignly and graciously . heads alld representatives of the world's
ruler over the. natimiallife of societieS $hares. the fruit of victory - inheritanCe - nations gathered in the presence of God
as well as the personli.llife of individii- .. of all the covenant promises - with to do him homage and to acknowledge
.als. This is the point of Psalm 47. . _those whom he loves: his supremacy over them. It is not until
- "0 clap your hands, all peoples; : In 47:5-9 Christ is parirayed as the . all the _powers of earth acknowledge
Shout to God with the voice of jOy. ascended and exalted King. After secur- their subjection to him that he can be
For the Lord Most High is tO be j ng and guaranteeing total victory by adequately exalted.
feared, his redemptive work, Christ ascended to The point of Psalm 47 is , this:
A great king over all the earth.' . the throne of universal authority at CHRIST . HOWS SOVE-
He subdues peoples under us, God's right and from that vantage REIGN DOMINION OVER ALL
All nations under our feet point advances his kingdom through POUT/CAL POWERS, SOCIETAL
He chooses our inheritaix:e. for us, evangelism and Christian reconstruction STRUCTURES, ETHNIC CUL-
The glory of Jacob whOm he loves, Qf individuals and society by the word TURES AND INDIVIDUAL PER-
God has ascended with a shout, , . . God, 47:5. His is SONS ON THIS PLANET. The Bible
T.he Lard, with the souqd of a: truro: sat and the goal of his sovereignty is commands n-ations, as nations, to suO-
pet. . ultimate subjection of all nations to mit . to his rule ;. "Now; therefore 0
Sing praises to God, sing praises: . . ,his peaceful rule on eanh and forever, kings, show discernment; take warning,
Sing praises to out king; sirig prais.; - .47:6-8. This is a cause of great joy and 0 judges of the earth, worShip the Lotd
es. .. .. .. . singing among God's people. His with reverence and rejoice with trerit
For GOd is the king ofall the eli(tb; .: people gladly beiieve this glorious truth Do. homage to the Son, lest he
Sing praises wjth a skillful psatm; and praise him for it. They do not stand become angry and -you perish in :the
God reigns over the nations, , . back in hesitancy refusing to believe. way;" (Psalm 2:1 0-12). The Bible even
God sits on his holy tfuone. . . ' . Christians today seem to be predicts that he will rule over . the
The princes of the people have . disappointed by the thoughts of Christ's nations of the world in such references
bled sovereignty and victory, preferring in- as Psalm 47, Psalm 72, Isaiah
themselves the.Go4 $tead to believe in the defeat of Chris- 23; Danie1 7:13-14, Revelation 11(15.
of Abtaham; . . dans and in Satan's sovereignty ana Furthermore, the Bible gives Jesus
For the shields of the earth beloJli. to viCtory. Believirtg This lie gets them off 'title's that indicate his universal rule;of
God; __ the hook.as far as their responsibility tO the natiqns "Governor among the
. : He is highly exalted." the nations is concerned. nations," Psa,. "Higher thruu th'e
I
i .
.
'
kings of the earth," Psa. 89:27; "0
king of nations," Jer. "the
Ruler of the kings of the earth," Rev.
1:5; "King of kings and Lord of lords,"
Rev. 19:16.
What is the nature of his rule? What
does Christ do in reference to the
nations? What are the policies of his
governing administration? He gives
nations their existence, Rom. 13: 1. He
directs all their circumstances and
ceedings according to his own plans,
Isaiah 10. He demands from them
ence to his moral and political order
revealed in the Bible, Psa. 2. He is the
only source of law that enhances liberty
and justice for all, and which promotes
good and punishes evil, lsa. 33:22. He
overrules rebellion against him and
ples and laughs at conspirators against
him, Psa. 2. He opens the way for the
universal dissemination and success of
the gospel among the nations, Mat.
28:19f. Finally, he will ultimately
bring about the Christianization of the
nations of the earth by the gospel.
Totalitarianism will be destroyed or
contained. Psa.
What are the responsibilities of
nations to their supreme monarch, the
J,.ord Jesus Christ? They are to
nize and honor his supremacy over
them. by honoring his person and his
)aws. This includes the willingness to
maiptain his dignitY against every
fringement, Dan. 4:32; 5:23. They are
to take his reveaied law as the source of
their law, and to enforce that law, Deut.
4. They are to respect the. requirements
for leadership which Christ spells oilt
in the Bible, Oeut. 19. They are to
.mit to and hpnor rulers who .submk to
Christ and to work to remove from
fice those who do not. They are to
swear public allegiance to. Christ as
their lawful sovereign, Neb. 10. They
must revere and protect Christ's revealed
religion. It is the duty of a nation
legally to recognize and favor the re-
ligion of Jesus Christ. No religious
pluralism is wssible under the reign of
Christ. The question, then, a nation
must ask itself, is not WHETHER it
shall mix religion with its political
life; but, rather, WHICH religion shall
mix.. with politics, the politics of
Christ or another? .
What is the individual Christian's
responsibility in all -this? How can
YOU establish and advance the crown
rights of Christ the King in the United
States? First, make sure he is the King
and Savior of yow own life, thought
and family. Second, obey the
commission . of Matthew 28:19f to
"make the nations Christ's disciples,''
through evangelism, world missions,
and Christian reconstruction. And,
third, remember that activity, in the
King's business does not make up for
neglect of the King.
This is America's one hope - full
submission to Christ. Nothing less
will save her from divine judgment due
her sin. She can be subdued by Christ
through us as we are faithful to him
without compromise, in every area of
life. Be satisfied with nothing less than
total Christianization of the U.S.A..
Do your part in it apd keep at it until
you see the victory ba,:mers of Christ
unfurled over every heart, ho1lle, busi-
ness, church, school, courtroom, legisla-
tive hall, science lab, doctor's office and
recreational center in our nation. Do not
grow weary in well-doing, for in due
time, we sltall. reap, if we .do not faint.
D
:0 ; ; ;-;
Teacher
.Seeking
Position
Teacher with eleven years experience
(math, science, Bible) in public and
. private schools, desires a: teaching
pOSition in an established secondary
school or a Christian Education
position on a .church staff. Patient,
long term discipling of students for
Christ and teaching students to
develop and to think from a Christian
perspective form the basis of my
ministry.
Interested parties should cont41et
.The Counsel of Chalcedon
3032 Hacienda Ct
Marietta, GA 30066
or call (404) 973-0402.
... :
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.!-----.:.....;.;.;...:..:. .:.. .::..... ' of January, 1987