During the whole interminable election process, we observed the perverseness of the flesh in action. Some will claim that we have seen the democratic system at its best. Whether we have arrived at the correct conclusion depends on one’s personal opinion but does not change the fact that how we got there is flawed, to put it mildly. Because we end up with the personal conclusion we prefer does not necessarily mean that the means by which we got there was moral or right. A person who cheats in a test may have the right answer, provided he copied the right student’s answers. The right conclusion by the wrong means! Be that as it may, as we entered into the third week of December we still did not have a president of these United States.
As troubled and emotional as some of us may have been as we observed these events in our national life, there was and is a certain and unchangeable reality that assured Christians: WE HAVE A KING. OUR KING REIGNS! He reigns even if we do not have a president. He reigns when we do have a president. The prophet Zechariah wrote the Word of the Lord, “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one” (14: 9). Likewise Isaiah wrote the Word of the Lord, ” For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (9:6-7). These prophecies were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus of who it was said in the angelic announcement to Mary, ” And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).
The kingdom of God has been established. The royal Ruler is Christ. The royal subjects are all who have been called by the Gospel. The believers in Jesus Christ are the subjects. While men contend against one another here on the earth for positions of honor, power and authority our King who has laid up for us an inheritance in heaven reigns without contest! O yes, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:2,3), but it is a futile battle for “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (4).
We are citizens of two realms. We are citizens of this nation on earth in which we live. The duration of this citizenship is limited. But our citizenship in heaven is without limit. Our King’s royal scepter is the Gospel Word. His gracious purpose is to save all. He will save all who live under Him in His kingdom. He will give to them eternal life. This promise will not fail. When the kingdoms of this world over which men seek with a passion to rule fail and crumble as they have and inevitably will, the kingdom of God shall stand forever. In this blessed Christmas season in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior and King, do not let the distress of this life cast a shadow or blind your eyes to the fact that while men do their thing for their own purposes and ends THE KING STILL REIGNS eternal in the heavens to the benefit of all whose weariness of this life is far exceeded by the certain confidence that as royal subjects we shall see the King Who even now reigns unmolested and without challenge.