Sunday Devotional 9th October 2022
by Bruce Billington
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we will continue to look at Psalm 47, written by the sons of Korah.
Psalm 47:5 God has ascended with a shout, The LORD, with the sound of a trumpet.
To say God ascended means that He ascended to the heavenly throne where He reigns as King over all the earth. In the day this Psalm was written it was counter to the claim that the Canaanite god, had ascended into the heavens. But this is not the case. There is no contest. Looking forward into the time of Christ, we are aware that Jesus Christ the great King returns to the place of all Heavenly rule.
It was common in Israel, for the coronation of a new king to be cause for great celebration. It included shouts of joy and the jubilant blaring of trumpets (1 Samuel 10:24; 1 Kings 11:12, 14). Yet never had all of eternity had a better reason to celebrate – this was the triumphant return of Immanuel, the Messiah, the Chosen One who was made Saviour before the beginning of the earth. All the heavenly host could do nothing but burst out in praise and adoration.
The Apostle John was given the privilege of seeing this and he records it in Revelation 19:11-16 – And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Wow – what a passage of Scripture and what a reason to worship, pray and rejoice. We too should clap and shout praise to God as we consider the blessings of these verses. The statement is clear – our God is the great King over all the earth. Although our world is rapidly turning further and further away from Him, God is not threatened or intimidated by all that is taking place. His purposes will ultimately be accomplished. We should walk in the fear of the Lord every day of our lives, wilfully submitting to Him and obeying His commands. Because of Christ’s finished work on the cross, we will share His glory during His earthly reign and throughout eternity (Romans 8:17–18; 1 Peter 4:13).
Of course, He will be coming back again. This is what we look forward to as we live in the “now and not yet” Kingdom of God. Again, this will be with great fanfare. We are told that the Lord will “Himself descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16). At this time those who are alive with be caught up and will meet those deceased saints who are coming with Him. At that point we shall always be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:18). We are told to encourage one another we these words.
Don’t be fooled by the claims that there will be a quiet “secret rapture!” There will be nothing secret, quiet, or sneaky about the Lord’s return to this earth. It will be a tremendously noisy, celebratory affair for all those who are in Christ. All the heavens will break loose and explode into the present time reality of this earth.
Of course, it will be an absolutely terrifying moment for those who have never given their lives over to Him – as well as for all the principalities and powers who have sought to frustrate His work. Their time of judgement has arrived.
Be encouraged to ensure that you are part of this celebration by placing your faith in Christ, because we know not the time of His coming.
God bless you.
Bruce Billington