Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Your troops will be willing
    on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendor,
    your young men will come to you
    like dew from the morning’s womb.

• Psalm 110:3

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

• Matthew 2:6

For the Lord is our judge,
    the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
    it is he who will save us.

• Isaiah 33:22

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

• 1 Corinthians 15:25

Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

• Acts 12:17

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

• Acts 18:9-10

The Larger Catechism’s Scripture Proofs:

1. John 10:16, 27; Isa. 55:5.
2. I Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11, 12.
3. Matt. 28:19, 20.
4. Matt. 18:17, 18; I Cor. 5:4, 5; I Tim. 5:20; Titus 3:10.
5. Acts 5:31.
6. Rev. 22:12; Matt. 25:34–36; Rom. 2:7.
7. Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:6, 7.
8. II Cor. 12:9, 10; Rom. 8:35–39.
9. I Cor. 15:25; Acts 12:17; Acts 18:9, 10.
10. Rom. 14:11; Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:19, 20.
11. Rom. 8:28.
12. II Thess. 1:8; Ps. 2:9

“Q. 25. How does Christ execute the office of a king?
“A. Christ executes the office of a king in subduing us to himself (Ps. 110:3), in ruling and defending us (Matt. 2:6, 1 Cor. 15:25), and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)

“Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
“A. Christ executeth the office of a king in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.”

• The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

“Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
“A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself; and giving them officers, laws, and censures, by which he visibly governs them; in bestowing saving grace upon his elect, rewarding their obedience, and correcting them for their sins, preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings; restraining and overcoming all their enemies, and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory, and their good; and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.”

• The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

While the Spurgeon and Shorter Catechisms differ slightly in Scripture references, the Larger Catechism lives up to its name, giving Scripture references to everything that a king should do.  And if you are indeed the King of kings, you should be every aspect of a king.

The last two Scripture references talk of imprisonment and how God is sovereign over such things.

The catechisms do not belabor the kingly line from king David.  The key is that Jesus is king by virtue of His attributes.  He will, one day, reign on earth, another point that the catechisms do not state.  Yet, in the attributes of God, Jesus reigns as king and also in His function as the judge.  He rewards obedience while correcting our sins.  He provides Grace.  He protects us and vanquishes our enemies.  Jesus is everything that a good king should be.

And now let us sing.

The following song, The King is Coming is sung by the Gaither Vocal Band (David Phelps, Guy Penrod, Mark Lowry, Bill Gaither).  While the song is about the return of Jesus to reign on earth, the song speaks of the ways that Jesus reigns as king.

“The marketplace is empty
No more traffic in the streets
All the builders’ tools are silent
No more time to harvest wheat
Busy housewives cease their labors
In the courtroom no debate
Work on earth is all suspended
As the King comes thro’ the gate
O the King is coming
The King is coming
I just heard the trumpets sounding
And now His face I see
O the King is coming
The King is coming
Praise God, He’s coming for me
Happy faces line the hallways
Those whose lives have been redeemed
Broken homes that He has mended
Those from prison He has freed
Little children and the aged
Hand in hand stand all aglow
Who were crippled, broken, ruined
Clad in garments white as snow
O the King is coming
The King is coming
I just heard the trumpets sounding
And now His face I see
O the King is coming
The King is coming
Praise God, He’s coming for me
I can hear the chariots rumble
I can see the marching throng
The flurry of God’s trumpets
Spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal robes are now unfolding
Heaven’s grandstand’s all in place
Heaven’s choir now assembled
Start to sing “Amazing Grace”
O the King is coming
The King is coming
I just heard the trumpets sounding
And now His face I see
O the King is coming
The King is coming
Praise God, He’s coming for me”

• Bill and Gloria Gaither, The King is Coming

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
Thank You for all that You do.  We can easily make wrong decisions or go the wrong way, but You reign supreme.  You love us and protect us.  Help us to focus more on Your guidance as You rule over us.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.