The Rule of God

“The church’s message is the good news that Christ’s death and resurrection have brought His power into our lives.”

Over the last two years, the pandemic left many feeling helpless and afraid. Disappointment with those in power left some skeptical. Maybe you even wondered, Is anyone really in charge? The answer is yes! Psalm 145:13 declares God’s rule over all: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.”

When the Bible speaks of God’s dominion, it refers to His rule. He is the Creator; the earth and everything in it belong to Him. Those worshiping before the heavenly throne exclaim: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created” (Rev. 4:11).

Scripture describes God’s dominion more narrowly when it speaks of His dominion over Israel. God is ruler over all nations, but He has a special relationship with Israel (Ps. 22:28; 114:2). God promised to establish a kingdom for Israel and reign over them (Acts 1:6). This will be a worldwide reign centered in Jerusalem (Zech. 14:9; Matt. 19:28).

Jesus Christ became the focal point of God’s dominion with His coming. Since all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him, Jesus commissioned the church to “make disciples of all nations” by teaching them to obey everything He commanded (Matt. 28:18–20). The church’s message is the good news that Christ’s death and resurrection have brought His power into our lives.

We also look forward to a literal kingdom yet to come. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for and look forward to its arrival (Matt. 6:10). In the meantime, those who have placed their faith in Christ have already come under its power. As Paul explains: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13–14).

When we look to Jesus for forgiveness and believe that He has rescued us from the power of sin, we demonstrate His dominion. Sin has no rule over us because we are under the dominion of Christ!

For Further Study

To learn more, read The Kingdom of God by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Crossway).

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.