Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 5, 2013

Christ Rules the Nations with a Rod of Iron

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 12:1-6.
 
A great sign appeared in heaven:  a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;  and she was with child;  and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
 

Then another sign appeared in heaven:  and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.  And his tail *swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.  And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron;  and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.  Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”  Revelation 12:1-6.

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Today’s devotion reminds us that Jesus Christ rules the nations with “a rod of iron”.   

‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:9

“and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;”  Revelation 2:27

“From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” 

 
History is His Story.  History is not a story of man’s alleged free-will choices.  History is not a balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.  History is not a balance (or even struggle) between good and evil.  Jesus Christ rules with absolute sovereignty over all the nations symbolized by a rod of iron. 
 
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
“But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:2-9.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems;  and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16


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