GOD REIGNS IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL OVER ALL
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“Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” – Psalm 24:8 –
The King of Glory reigns in all power and might. He presides supremely over His creation. God rules victoriously over every evil power and force in the universe. He reigns in absolute control over all world events. His dominion is matchless. He will not be overcome.
The Creator of heaven and earth is not constrained by time. Imagine a line that stretches from eternity past to eternity future. This is the timeline of God. He is the Everlasting One. He always has been and always will be. He is the One who holds the future. His reign of victory is for all eternity.
King David knew well this Mighty One who rules in omnipotent glory. Throughout his authored psalms, David often expresses awe and wonder at his triumphant Lord. He recognizes that this divine, unrivaled God reigns over the future… the future of all nations, kingdoms, rulers and people.
“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him.” – 1 Chronicles 14:8
David, the newly enthroned king of Israel, early on faces the nation’s greatest enemy. The Philistines seek to test this new leader’s power, courage and effectiveness. Is he capable of commanding Israel’s army and withstanding their forceful assaults?
David sees the enemy army spread out across the Valley of Rephaim. Their vast numbers are a formidable force. Perhaps he is reminded of a battle years before against a certain ominous opponent. David victoriously felled the Philistine giant Goliath in the name and power of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel (1 Samuel 17:45). David now wisely inquires of his God at this critical juncture…
“’Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’
The Lord said to him, ‘Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.’” – 1 Chronicles 14:10
Courageously, David leads his army to battle… knowing that the King of Glory has set all into motion according to His perfect plan. The Philistines are soundly defeated. Yet soon thereafter, the enemy again gathers in the valley, planning their next attack. Instead of deciding upon a strategy for battle himself, David looks to the Lord for His divine strategy…
“You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” – 1 Chronicles 14:14-15
David looks to the One who holds the keys to the universe. He will have the battle plan of victory for Israel. The Lord reveals to David a new tactic to overcome the enemy. Instead of attacking straight on, Israel is to surprise the Philistines from behind.
David and his army are to wait for the divine signal before they attack… the sound of marching in the treetops of the mulberries. For this will be the sign that the King of Glory has gone before them with His heavenly army of angels. The Philistines are defeated and forced to retreat to their own borders. God secures a decisive victory for Israel.
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11
When world events appear to be spinning out of control… or when our own world appears to have turned upside down… we look to the King of Glory. For He reigns masterfully in control of the past, present and future. Like David, we place our life and our future in the hands of our heavenly King.
Instead of looking to ourselves, we inquire of the Lord for His guidance and His infallible plan. And we wait for His divine leading. For then and only then will we know that the Victorious One has gone before us with His heavenly army to fight for us. Within His perfect will, we discover His surpassing peace.
Whatever the future holds, Lord, You hold the future. My fears dissipate as I give my future to You. For You are the King of Glory… the God of the past, present and future. You are in absolute control of the world and my life. I realize that I do not need to have all the answers… I just need to trust that You already do. I will not dread the future… because You will give me the faith, courage, strength and wisdom to face the future together with You. I can experience Your peace in the present… resting in the comfort of Your presence and the warmth of Your love. – Amen.
