Title: Let's Rejoice in God's Rule
Rejoice that God reigns
Text: Psalm 97:1-12
“The LORD reigns; let the land rejoice; rejoice over the islands... Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name.”
The ant society is ruled by the queen ant. It is the center of the queen ant. However, Professor Sakagami, who studies only ants at Hokkaido University in Japan, has discovered that not all ants are diligent. We find that only 20% are productive and hard working, 60% are busy but not very productive, and the remaining 20% are idle. So, when I tried to form a community by classifying only 20% of the hardworking ants, the same phenomenon as before was divided into 20% working well, 20% playing and eating, and 60% moving non-productively. After all, in the ant world, 20% of the ants feed the other 80%. This has great implications for us.
In fact, even in the human community, the few attract the majority. Korea, where the G20 summit is being held, is one of the 20% of the world. God made this small land lurking even with the threat of war to overcome many difficulties and blessed us in this short time, not just to eat well and live well, but to spread our hands toward the land that needs our help. that's what you're doing.
So is the church. There are many churches in this land, but 20% of the churches have to build and lead other churches. If God has made the church I belong to a church that fits within 20%, we must remember that before we can take pride in being a large church, we have to save and raise the remaining 80% churches.
We must live as a channel of blessing to the nations. But not everyone can live like that. Only those who believe that “life is a gift from God” can live through the channel of blessing. What does it mean to believe that life is a gift from God? It is to believe that the whole universe is under the rule and providence of God. It is clear that there is God's rule and providence toward the people who paid the price of the precious blood to adopt them. That is why, no matter what the circumstances, you must believe that God has a plan for you and that He will rule and guide you.
Joseph was the one who professed this faith. At the age of 17, Joseph was sold to Egypt by his brothers. At the most sensitive age, the heartache must have been great. But Joseph saw life as a gift from God, so he believed that all his time was in God's plan, that is, God's rule and providence. Just as he saved the people of Israel from famine through Joseph, so those who believe in God's rule and providence are left as the last, and through him God builds up and saves others. He makes us live as the channel of blessing that saves all mankind. All things in the universe are governed by God Himself, and life is a gift from God.
As we live in the world, we realize that God lives and works today as we observe the fact that the wicked are judged, give light to the righteous, and give joy to the upright in heart.
The whole earth should rejoice in the reign of God. The mountains melt like wheat before him, and the heavens proclaim his righteousness. God is supreme over all the earth and is above all gods.
He sows light for the righteous and joy for the upright.
Rejoice in God's reign (97:1-6)
It seems that the wicked and injustice are rampant in the world, but in reality, God rules everything.
The saints should see God's reign with the eyes of faith and praise and rejoice in Him.
The land and many islands rejoice in the reign of God. This shows that God's reign is universal. There is not a single area in this world that is not within the reach of God's rule. God rules with righteousness and fairness. The righteous will be saved by salvation, but the enemy and the wicked will be consumed with the fire of judgment. God wants this earth to be built on the principles of righteousness and justice. According to God's principle of rule, believers must cast away injustice and practice a life of righteousness and justice. We must not compromise with evil and let God's justice flow like a river. We must hope for the true reign of God on this earth. Do you gladly choose to live under God's rule? In what form do you put into practice God's governing principle of 'righteousness and justice' in your life?
Rejoice, you righteous (97:7-12)
All who worship idols and boast in vain will be put to shame. Those who worship idols do not and cannot acknowledge God's absolute sovereignty. The attitude of life that believers who love God's rule should aim for is to hate evil and do good. God who rules in righteousness preserves the souls of the saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Those who love God and hate evil can enjoy God's absolute protection and overcome the temptations of evil. God shines the light of salvation for the righteous and gives joy to the honest in heart. The righteous rejoice in the LORD and praise his holy name. The righteous rejoice in God's rule, but the wicked fear God's righteous rule.
The wicked hate God's rule. So, they do everything they can to deny God's rule. It tempts them to worship idols and even to create a world without God by using liberty, justice, democracy, and humanism in the name of it. But they are lies and vain things, and they will all be put to shame and destroyed. We need to be aware that such ideology that rejects God's rule can penetrate through movies, TV shows, and the media without knowing it.
Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. When he rejected God's rule and did evil, the prophet Jeremiah warned him of his evil deeds several times. However, he did not repent and eventually, because of Zedekiah's error, the city of Jerusalem fell, and he suffered the suffering of being captured by the Babylonians together with the people of Judah. His eyes were plucked out, and his son was killed before his eyes.
It matters who rules us. Do you really want Jehovah to rule? Are you rejoicing and rejoicing in God's reign? I love God. So we rejoice in God's reign. I want to believe that, and I want to live that way. Sometimes it isn't, but I want to get up and do it again. So we rejoice in the Lord and give thanks and praise for his reign and holiness. Hallelujah!
* Prayer: God who rules all things in the universe, we thank and rejoice that you rule over me and everything in the universe. I confess that if you love the Lord, you will never stand in the neutral zone between good and evil. Help me to realize that it is dangerous to tolerate evil and to stand in the position of the righteous who choose what is right and good. I confess in faith that God has a plan for my life and give thanks. Hold on to me so that my faith will not be shaken under any circumstances. We pray in the name of our Savior Jesus. Amen
* Meditation:
0 Do you hate evil and do good because you love God?
0 What is the spiritual principle in which the souls of saints are absolutely protected?
0 Let's rejoice in Jehovah's reign Even if we hate it, let's rejoice in Jehovah's reign again!