Dear BPCWA worshipper, Over the past few weeks, the attention of the world has focussed on the passing of the Queen. Visuals of the mourning reached our shores through online media. In a world that is increasingly desiring to shake off as many vestiges of authority as possible, monarchs are increasingly rare. While my intent is not to propound a system of government above another, the monarchy was the first system of man’s government implemented in Israel. God allowed that there would be kings in mankind’s history and through it uses many analogies to teach us about Him. What lessons can we learn from the past weeks’ events about our God? We will look at that in this week’s pastoral.

Our Sovereign King. 1 Chron 29:11-12 “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all”. God is the Sovereign king because He holds the supremacy of power and there is none greater. No kings nor kingdoms of this world can even come close to Him, and no power will ever overcome Him. At the end of man’s history, He will still be king. The Lord Jesus Christ “hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16). While there have been many kings in mankind’s history, even the most powerful king had a limited territory attached to their title. Our God’s kingdom is over the entire earth. How great is He? As Supreme King, one day all the kings of the earth must pay obeisance. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11). But we must not miss out on the fact that God is not just an earthly king. His kingdom is over the heavens – practically the whole universe as we know it, and beyond what man’s knowledge can fathom. Of things spiritual and unseen by our eyes, of principalities and powers that the unbelievers often fear, God is supreme over them. Angels perform His bidding as His ministering spirits, and even demons are subject to Him. They were created, and He limits their power throughout all history. This vast domain is God’s kingdom.

Our King’s Reign. After 70 years on the throne before her death, Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated as UK’s longest reigning monarch. Many noted with sadness her failing health, as evidenced during the celebration of her Platinum Jubilee and deteriorating soon after. Even the long reign of 70 years had to come to an end sometime. And the Queen’s reign started only at a point in time. But God’s reign is eternal. He never had a beginning. He was the Supreme King even before the first earthly king was ever appointed or reigned and His reign shall never end. “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation” (Dan 4:3). A new king will never need to be appointed and sought, because the “I am the I am” will always be. Unchanging power from eternity past to eternity future.  Another frequently recurring comment of the Queen’s reign was that she provided a picture of stability to those around her, remaining a constant monarch as the political scenes, parliaments, and rulers changed and moved around her. Presidents and Prime Ministers, past and present, had audiences with her. We are impressed with that. But what must impress us more deeply is that God appointed the first king, He appoints the principalities and power, the governments, and the magistrates. So supreme is He that he is a kingmaker – He has been and will continue to set up and put down future kings until man’s history ends. Even the king’s life is dependent on God, which is why they even sing “God Save the King”.

Our King’s Rule. At the funeral, the Queen’s ceremonial sceptre which was on top of her coffin was removed. The sceptre is meant to represent the monarch’s power and governance. While it is an obvious symbol of the power of the king, it also represents the action or manner of governing a state. God in using this symbol tells us the manner by which He rules His kingdom. “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb 1:8). God does not rule as a tyrant. While many demonstrate and protest against purported past injustices of the monarchs, this will never happen with God. How God rules must never be doubted because He is the infinitely just King who always does what is right. He can never do any evil or injustice. He promotes righteousness in His kingdom amongst His subjects because He loves righteousness. When the righteous cry to their King, they need not fear for they will have the king’s ear!  In 1947, the Queen promised, “before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong”. In the tributes that flowed in, many attested to how she kept to that pledge to the end of her life. But that is a mere shadow of our Lord and King, for “even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). He left His Father’s throne above to be born in a manger, “hath not where to lay his head” (Mt 8:20), and “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant” (Phil 2:7).

While we have seen how the titles of the earthly monarchs have been read out, words cannot never sufficiently exalt our heavenly King. If we were enthralled by the pomp and ceremony attesting to the worthiness of the earthly monarchs, then let us realise how infinitely awesome is that which must be accorded (though unseen by our eyes now) to our King. One day we shall see His immeasurable glory and greatness. One day all the eyes of His creatures will acknowledge Him as King. What a thought it is that though He is a Sovereign King, eternal Ruler of Heaven and earth, He would give Himself to be as a servant and die to save His subjects. Let us ponder and admire His greatness. Let us be humbled and contemplate His character. To Him belongs all majesty and power. To the Lamb on the Throne belongs all worship and devotion. Knowing this, how will you worship God each Lord’s Day? How is your heart each time you partake of the Holy Communion?

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor