The Coming Reign of Christ
Ezekiel 34:11-16
Ezekiel 34:11-16 King James Version (KJV)
11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
Message: The Reign of Christ
Over the last six weeks we have been looking into the Book of Revelation. To no one’s surprise light is again a central theme and a very real presence in the Throne Room of God. It is from that Throne Room that the Heavenly Father sent His Son to be born to a Jewish virgin named Mary and to come to earth as the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world.
Our Heavenly Father wants the world to embrace Jesus as their King. Jesus came as King to Israel but was rejected by them. We who follow Jesus know for certain that He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord’s.
However this earth is not yet under His Reign. Our world still worships other gods and gives them a place above that of Jesus. Even our Jewish cousins continue to reject Jesus as God and King.
It was for this reason that our Heavenly Father put a plan in motion that was thought of before the creation of the world. You see Heaven itself had become a victim to sin when the most beautiful and powerful Angel decided to rebel against God and to seek God’s Throne for himself.
That angel was Lucifer or Satan as we have come to know him. In the Book of Revelation we read about a war that took place in Heaven in which Satan was cast out.
Revelation 12:7-9
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Ezekiel 28:12-17
“‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
John 12:31-32
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Saints we celebrate Christmas because our Heavenly Father sent His son Jesus to liberate us from the prince of this world so that we might become subject to the Prince of Peace.
A great spiritual battle is still at work in our world today. We dear Saints are on the front lines of that battlefield. We are the evidence of Jesus sovereignty over the prince of this world. We are the subjects of His Holy Kingdom and we are to witness to the world that a Saviour has come and He is Christ the Lord.
Ours is a celebration of freedom an end to the slavery of sin and death and the realization of forgiveness and eternal life brought to us by one who would take on the flesh of an infant.
Infant Holy, infant lowly born into a cattle stall. What an unfathomable transition.
Jesus would leave the Glory and splendor and majesty of Heaven to be wrapped in swaddling cloths. To be under the care and love of fallen human beings so that He would grow to become the one man capable of destroying the evil brought into this realm by Lucifer.
That battle is not yet over, that victory is not yet complete for evil remains and the prince of this world is not yet vanquished. God’s word tells us to continue to hope in Jesus for a day is coming when the trumpet will sound and the heavens will open to reveal our King.
On that day Jesus comes in power and might and in wrath and judgement to destroy the evil of this world and to take captive that ancient enemy the Devil so that he might be judged for his wickedness to be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Rejoice oh Saints and be glad for the day of His return draws near. Until that day arrives let us rejoice as we prepare to celebrate Jesus birth among us and all.
He has won for those who have called upon His name.
One day soon we will all celebrate the birth of Jesus in Heaven and on Earth Jews and Gentiles alike as we proclaim King Jesus our King to Reign over Heaven and Earth and all that is seen and unseen.
Amen
