Allelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!

"Thy God reigneth." -Isaiah 52:7 [KJV]

Christ commissions His ministers, to proclaim this joyful true to Zion, His church, that every member of His might receive it in faith, change the pronoun and say, My God reigneth. Christ’s reign is His people’s glory, their triumph on earth; and the shouts of disembodied saints in glory. Listen to their acclamations of joy. “Allelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come” Revelation 19:6, 7. 

Are we married to the Lamb? Has He our hearts and affections? Then we shall constantly rejoice, and give honor to Him, that He, Who is our God, reigneth. Where? Where He dwells. In heaven for us: and in our hearts over us. For, as He dwells in our hearts by faith, He spiritually reigns over all within us. O what matter of joy and consolation is this! 

For (1st.) If our King has set up His throne in our hearts, what enemy can hurt us? They must conquer the Lord God omnipotent, before they can subdue us. If Christ reign for us, and in us, we are sure of reigning eternally, in glory, with Him. 

(2d.) Consider his rich grace in thus reigning. We were once under the reign of a dreadful tyrant. “Sin reigned in and over us unto death.” (Rom. 5:21.) Though we have sin in our nature, though it war in our members, yet it cannot reign, and get the victory over us. It is under the feet of Christ. It is his vanquished enemy. He reigns over it. We are under the reign of his grace. “Grace reigns through righteousness unto”—what? Present peace, comfort and joy? Yes, and infinitely more, even unto “eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Is sin our grief and burden? That is a proof that Christ reigns in our heart. Do we long for perfect freedom from all sin? That is a sign that we are partakers of his holiness. Are we afraid sin will destroy us in death? It cannot. Jesus reigns to give us victory unto eternal life. 

(3d.) Behold Jesus, our king, reigns in righteousness (Isaiah 32:1.) “His people shall be all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21.) Christ’s righteousness is upon us to justify us: His Spirit within us, to make us love righteousness and hate iniquity. If we do not, we only talk of Christ’s reign, but have never felt its power. “For He must reign, till He hath put every enemy under His feet” (I Corinthians 15:25.) Therefore, 

(4th.) Rejoice, for all your troubles, temptations, conflicts and distresses, are under Christ’s reign. No one can hurt you. And the last enemy death, shall bring you to reign with Him eternally in life. See Romans 5:17. 

The Lord on high doth ever reign, 

For His dear people’s good; 

They soon shall see their foes all slain, 

And shout the Lamb of God. 

Then why my soul, my friends, those fears, 

Which daily us annoy? 

Look up to Christ, wipe dry your tears, 

Rejoice with holy joy.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)