The Lord God Almighty Reigneth

Four months ago the world's most famous luxury liner, the Q.E.2 was ploughing through heavy Atlantic seas when she was suddenly struck by an enormous freak wave. The sound of its impact reverberated through the giant vessel startling both crew and passengers. The captain estimated the wave to be about one hundred feet high, and in more than fifty years at sea he had never encountered anything so terrifying as that enormous wall of water crashing down on the ship's superstructure. Awesome reminder that even the largest ships are dwarfed and vulnerable against the power of the 'mighty breakers of the sea' (Ps.93:1,4).

The LORD reigneth, exulted the Psalmist;

Above the voices of many waters,

The mighty breakers of the sea,

The LORD on high is mighty

(Ps. 93:1,4).

As we enter 1996 we do well to reassure our hearts by recalling the glorious fact that God Almighty reigns. World conditions around us are restless, turbulent, threatening, like the troubled sea. From time to time great waves of evil are unleashed, as seen for example in Rwanda and Bosnia last year. In our small world of personal affairs we feel at times in danger of being swamped by pressing problems. But above the mighty breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty. In Him trusting, we shall be brought safely through every raging storm that may threaten our passage daring another year.

God's wise purpose in allowing experiences of stress in storm is vividly illustrated by the incident described in three of the Gospels. The Lord Jesus was with His disciples in the boat on Lake Galilee. It was at His command that they set out to go over to the other side of the lake. A great tempest arose, and the small craft was covered with the waves, putting in jeopardy the lives of all on board; but Jesus lay asleep in the stern. Awakened by their frantic cries, He awoke, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, 'Peace, be still'. Immediately the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 'Why are ye fearful?' Jesus asked the disciples, 'have ye not yet faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?' (Mark 4:39-41). The disciples would never forget their deliverance from that storm. Their spiritual experience was strengthened and enriched by it.

Stress in storms drives the believer to the Almighty One who Himself has said, 'I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee' (Heb. 13:5).

Interestingly, the Greek word pantokrator, meaning 'to have all strength' occurs only nine times in the New Testament, and is used only of God. It is consistently translated 'Almighty'. Its only occurrence in the Epistles is 2 Corinthians 6:18 - 'I ...will be to you a Father... saith the Lord Almighty'. The context is the divine call to disciples in the Church of God in Corinth to come out and be separate, and to touch no unclean thing. Whatever that might cost, there was the compensating assurance that the Lord Almighty would be to them a Father, and they to Him sons and daughters. The same call comes to disciples of the Lord Jesus in churches of God today, for the world of 1996 is still a society sadly defiled by evil. Thankfully for all who respond to the call there remains the strengthening comfort of reception by the Lord Almighty for Fatherly protection, care and blessing.

The other eight occurrences of pantokrator are all in the book of the Revelation. Much of that book is taken up with the world situation at the fearful time of the end. Then as never before world conditions will be like the troubled sea. Yet there will be many who, knowing God Almighty as their refuge and strength, will express the confidence of Psalm 46:2,3:

Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be moved in the heart of the seas; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof The climax of that time of tribulation will be 'the war of the great day of God, the Almighty' (Rev. 16:14). The powers of evil will then be vanquished as the Lord Jesus treads 'the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God' (19:15).

May our Christian experience in 1996 be one of victorious faith; in present enjoyment of the protective presence of the Lord Almighty; and in steadfast anticipation of the time when the Lord God, the Almighty, will take His great power and reign (Rev.11:17).

All the storms will soon be over,

Then we'll anchor in the harbour;

We are out on the ocean sailing

To a home beyond the tide.

unknown | Jan 1996
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