[April 23d, 1865.]
The Lord, that is, Jehovah, the self-existent, the immutable, the infinite.
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This is not an idea, nor a force, nor a principle of being, but a personal God.
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As such He is infinite in wisdom, in power, in goodness.
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He is the only God—the triune God of whom this dominion is predicated.
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But the manifested Jehovah, the person of the Trinity in whom the Godhead is revealed, and through whom the dominion spoken of is exercised—is the Logos, and that Logos has assumed our nature, and, therefore, the Lord to whom the kingship is ascribed is the Theanthropos. “Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
Reigneth. This implies,
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Absolute power over all things. As there is nothing to limit his dominion, his power extends over the whole universe and all it contains; over all orders and classes of beings, rational and irrational, sensible and insensible, great and small.
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That his power is not only over all things, so that he can if he please destroy or preserve them, but that he actually exercises this controlling influence. The universe is not left to itself, to chance, to fate, or to the powers of darkness. The Lord is the controlling force. His will, his wisdom, his power determines all events.
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This dominion is absolutely sovereign. He has no counsellors. He has none to hinder or to thwart his designs. His dominion is absolute and irresistible.
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It is of course, being the dominion of God, the dominion of infinite wisdom and of infinite love, directing all things to the attainment of the highest conceivable ends.
This doctrine is the ground,
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Of confidence and joy. The whole universe has reason to rejoice that the Lord reigneth.
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Of submission and of resignation under the most adverse circumstances. This the people of God have ever done, and we ought now to do.
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If the Lord reigns it is unspeakably wicked not to acknowledge his authority.
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Those who set themselves in opposition to him must perish.
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The high office and favor bestowed on those who are commissioned to teach men that the Lord reigns, and to bring them to acknowledge their allegiance to him.
Go with this graven on your hands.—The Lord, Our Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ reigneth.
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