An insomniac's Psalm 103: Verse 19

"The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all."

If the verses about God's unfailing mercies are the ones I am most grateful for, this verse about His kingdom rule is the one that keeps me up nights. I would like to know more precisely what is meant in saying that His throne is established and His kingdom rules over all. Sounds like present tense to me. Sounds like His throne is established now and his kingdom rules over all now.

This isn't a prattling over the number of angels on the head of a pin but of the most practical importance---if you consider knowing God's will and ways of practical importance, which I do. If presently "his kingdom rules over all" in the most expansive sense, then we are to expect much power available and great strides in this post-Resurrection age, in the defeat of Satan and the undoing of his various maniacal works. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

I see around me two divergent Christian opinions regarding "the Lord has established his throne in the heavens" and "his kingdom rules over all." Both views acknowledge that Satan is still indefatigably "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30). There's no dispute there. But the view I am drawn to these days---for both Scripture and testimonial reasons---is that we who have the weapons of the Spirit available to us for the asking are to pick up these weapons and beat back hell's gates. The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's Church (Matthew 16:18). But the Church has to know that or it will be a Church of low expectations.

To put it another way, when we pray "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," are we asking for something far away and long from now? Or are we asking to see in our time things banished on earth that have no place in heaven? Are we asking for healings and miracles and the riddance of all the ways that the devil has spoiled the creation?

"His kingdom rules over all." Agreed. Can we expect that in any widespread way "already"? Or "not yet"?

To read "Verse 20," click here.

To hear commentaries by Andrée Seu, click here.