Friday, December 18, 2009
Luke 1:32-33 " ... the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
BOUNDLESS SHALL THY KINGDOM BE;
Ordinary words take on extraordinary meaning when God uses them to express His promises and to describe the person and work of Christ our Lord. Often we have to slow down and be sure we "shift gears" so that we understand the heavenly truths being pictured in earthly terms. This is true in the case of the above words of the angel Gabriel--and in the hymn stanza below which draws its themes from such Messianic truths.
So, we ask a few basic questions to help us hear with our hearts.
Q. Who were the people over whom King David ruled?
A. Israel, the house of Jacob.
Q. Whose people were they actually?
A. God's people.
Q. What is the "kingdom of God?"
A. God's (Christ's) rule in our hearts and lives.
Q. Is this rule only for this life?
A. No, it will last forever.
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).
Now we are ready to sing that 5th stanza of Hymn 95 (The Lutheran Hymnal, Ambrose/Luther/Reynolds). The poet describes the kingdom-rule of Christ our Lord as "boundless" because it is forever. But the really good news is that because Jesus won the victory over sin and death for us, He will rule over US, His risen and glorified people, through all eternity.
In faith we look forward to the Day of His coming again, for that will be the Advent of a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). Our home too.
Thou, the Father's only Son,
Hast o'er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 95:5)
