 When the solemn scenes of the last day shall come, the heavens shall declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. Not a blot shall be found on his escutcheon, nor an error in his awards. Hallelujah! The Judge of all the earth will do right.
4. Christ is an ALMIGHTY King. Nothing is too hard for him. None can resist him. He carries the keys of the invisible world; he opens, and none can shut; he shuts, and none can open. He controls all causes and all agents. He is the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Who would set the briers and thorns against him in battle? He would go through them, and burn them together. At his rebuke the pillars of heaven tremble. The hiding of his power—none can understand. He is "the Almighty." Rev. 1:8. Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns!
5. Jesus is a gentle, tender, merciful, condescending King. He never breaks the bruised reed. He never quenches the smoking flax. The haughtiest monarchs he has trodden to hell; but he never trampled on a broken heart. "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Zech. 9:9. Yes, He who commands the twenty thousand chariots of heaven, Psalm 68:17, entered the holy city in the humblest manner, even when receiving a triumph decreed to him by prophecy. Yes more, he wept over the very city that was about to imbrue its hands in his blood. It was but ten days after his ascension until he sent his ministers and his Spirit to call his murderers to repentance; and in one day thousands of them were made to rejoice in his loving-kindness. Though the heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool, yet he dwells with him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at God's word.
6. Jesus Christ is a King of EXHAUSTLESS RESOURCES. He has unsearchable riches. He is heir of all things. The stars, and the sea, and the dry land are his, for he made them. He is Lord of angels. "He is Lord of all." Acts 10:36. Yes, he is "the Lord of glory." 1 Cor. 2:8. All power in heaven and earth is given unto him. Matt. 28:18. When he promises grace and glory—we know it is sure to come. When he pledges a crown and a kingdom and a royal priesthood to the humblest of his followers—we may judge of his immense treasures and possessions. He gives even to his enemies, many a time, great wealth, and even diadems, though he respects no man's person. The earth is his, and the fullness thereof.
VI. But what kind of a KINGDOM has Christ? Just such as you would expect such a King to preside over.
2. Christ's kingdom is not of this world. He says so expressly, John 18:36. It is not based on worldly wisdom; it is not ruled by worldly maxims; it is not managed by crafty statesmanship. Scott says: "It has nothing to do with men's temporal interests or privileges; it leaves rulers and subjects in the same situation as it found them. It is therefore no fit object of jealousy to any government. Jesus never armed his followers. His disciples were inoffensive in their habits, and were forbidden to fight for him, even when he was apprehended. So that his kingdom is clearly not of a secular nature, but relates wholly to spiritual and heavenly things, and is supported entirely by spiritual sanctions and authority."
3. Christ's kingdom is his by just desert. He has deserved all his honors and all his authority. He is not on the throne by an act of grace to him, but by his own amazing merits: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:6-11. All heaven publicly and adoringly ascribes his kingly exaltation to his own merits. Rev. 5:12. Their cry ever is, "Worthy is the Lamb."
4. His kingdom is universal. It includes all worlds, all creatures, all causes. Nothing in heaven, nothing in earth, nothing under the earth is outside of it. His saints praise him. The angels adore him. The devils are subject to him. The king's heart is in his hands, and he turns it wherever he will. His kingdom rules over all.
5. Christ's kingdom is supreme. He is over all God blessed forever. There is no principality over him. His kingdom is not a wheel within another wheel; but it is so exalted that there is nothing above it.
6. It is stable. Nothing can shake it. Many a bold conspiracy has been formed against it, but all in vain. Worms cannot spit their venom so as to reach the stars in their course. Nor can puny mortals reach the person or the power of our Immanuel.
7. Christ's kingdom is omnipotent. By his own divine efficiency he carries on his government. He upholds all things by his powerful word. He does his will in heaven and in earth. He is expecting until his enemies become his footstool. Not an empire rises or sinks but by his will. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without his notice. Every change on earth is by his providence. He is subverting wicked counsels and defeating wicked plots, until he is finished his whole pleasure upon Mount Zion.
His work on his people is mighty. He subdues them to himself. By love, by power, by truth, by chastisement, by solemn things in righteousness, in mercy, in judgment, in faithfulness, in loving kindness—he reigns their Lord and Master. He chains their great adversary; he subdues their iniquities under them; he strips the world of its fatal fascinations; he makes them willing in the day of his power; he leads them into all necessary truth. A joyful allegiance to Christ is a great element of true piety.
8. His kingdom is above human comprehension. "God manifest in the flesh" is the mystery of mysteries. When Christ is about to do his greatest wonders, both of judgment and of mercy, he often gives no such notice as arrests attention. The kingdom of God comes not with observation. The Lord comes suddenly to his temple. He does mighty things which we look not for. When we are shut up and cannot come forth, then he brings us out into a large place. When he turns our captivity, we are like them that dream. The resurrection of Christ, his ascension to heaven, the miracles of Pentecost, the release of Peter, the conversion of Paul surprised both good and bad men. It shall be so to the end of time. The judgment day itself will abound with wonders, beyond all the days of earth. One great mystery is that both we and the Captain of our salvation are "made perfect through suffering." Strange that he should scourge every son whom he receives; but so runs his counsel, and so we become partakers of the Divine nature.
Sometimes to us his delays are unaccountable, and we cry out, "O Lord, how long? Why tarry your chariot wheels? Why do the wicked prosper? Why are waters of a full cup wrung out to your chosen ones?" But we forget that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. He inhabits eternity. His prospects are bounded by no horizon. His delays to punish, are stupendous mercies. Without them no person would be spared.
1. Let us put our hand into our Savior's hand—to lead us as he will. A child of God was very sick. She had suffered long and severely. She was asked whether she would not prefer death to life. "Just as the Lord pleases," was her reply. "But," said one, "if God should refer it to you—which would you choose?" She replied: "Then I would refer it back again to God." She was right. She was wise. Should we settle such a question, it would almost certainly be decided wrong. If the Master determines it—there will be no mistake. Besides, when we wholly submit our will to his will, his will becomes ours, and so we have our way because God has his way. When that which pleases the Lord pleases us, nothing can take away our rejoicing. Much of the bliss of heaven consists in this happy temper. No doubt things are constantly occurring in the realms above, which would provoke resistance and rebellion in hearts not taught perfect submission to the will of God. The demand for hearty acquiescence is most reasonable, because the Lord is unerring. It he were ever