O Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic Your Name
The name of a person carries the information of who that person is and what that person has done. The name of our God (Yahweh) is majestic in all the earth (Ps 8:1, 9); for He has done great things, working wonders. The writer of Hebrew quotes Psalm 8; and he ascribes to Jesus Christ the central place of interpreting what David wrote a thousand years before Messiah’s first advent.
God has not left himself without a witness. While the ungodly boast of their achievements and blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ, even the nursing baby speaks (without words) to the goodness of God. God provides for His creatures and uniquely equips them for life in this world.
The universe declares the glory of God even if the godless astronomer denies the Creator of it all. Man is adversarial toward God. The nations rage against the Almighty and against His Son (Ps 2), who is the fullest revelation of God to man (Heb 1:2). People are not ignorant of Christ’s person and work; rather, they will not have this man to rule over them.
Humanity lost dominion in the fall of creation. Enslaved to sin and Satan, men love darkness because their deeds are evil. They persist in pursuing sex, money, and power. Creation is despoiled by those devoid of the Spirit (Jude 19). Satan is a destroyer (1 Cor 10:10); and so are his children (1 Jn 3:10), who lust for more of this world (2 Pet 1:4), while preventing others from having basic needs.
The magnitude of creation should convince puny man that there is plenty; but scarcity consciousness dominates the study of economics. Men hoard resources to their hurt. The more we learn of the universe, the more pathetic man appears in his sinful state.
God ordained it all; but man’s gospel is riddled with terms such as: luck; accidents; chance; coincidence; etc. Man was to rule over it all, under the providential hand of God. Satan’s designed interference and attempted coup d’etat only enhanced the glory of God rectifying the plight of man (Rom 8:28). God has made the wicked for the day of evil (Prv 16:4), having prepared these vessels of wrath for destruction (Rom 9:22).
God sent His one and only Son from heaven, to be enfleshed and dwell among us (Jn 1:14). In Jesus’ condescension, beneath the realm of angels, He did exactly what was necessary to regain dominion from the angelic usurper.
After the incarnation, redemption, death, and resurrection, the Son of Man ascended and was enthroned at the right hand of Majesty. Jesus was crowned with glory and majesty (8:5). He was made to rule over all creation.
Jesus testified that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him (Mt 28:18). Our Lord is at the center of the throne of God because of who He is and because of what He has done in defeating the enemies of God (2 Cor 2:14; Rev 7:17). In fact, all things have been subjected to Him and yet we do not see the end of the rebellion (Heb 2:8).
The end of Satan’s folly is prophesied. The end of this first creation is also prophesied (2 Pet 3:10–13). Satan and his demons will be consigned for eternity in the fiery hell God created for them (Mt 25:41). The earth and heavens will be destroyed by burning fire and fervent heat. There is no future for the arrogant city and tower builders, who refuse to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (The Creation Mandate).
In the predetermined plan (Acts 2:23), formulated in the eternal council of our Triune God, a new heavens and a new earth were to replace the old things ruined by sin (Acts 2:23). The creator of the first is God. The judge and executioner of the first creation is God. The creator of the new heavens and the new earth is God, who is the architect and builder of all things (Heb 3:4).
At the center of the new creation will be the King of kings (1 Tim 6:15), who will reign in perfect righteousness (Is 32:1; 23:5; Rom 5:17, 21), when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our God and His Christ (Rev 11:15). The Sons of Adam were no match for the devil and his demons; but a man has risen to defeat the devil and death caused by sin. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became the Son of Man is that man. He is our dread champion and victor victorious (Jer 20:11). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He rules and reigns forevermore.
As the Lord of lords, Jesus is calling all men everywhere to repent and believe in him (Acts 16:31; 17:30). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to all nations until the last of God’s elect, redeemed, regenerate, believing people have been baptized into Christ’s church (Acts 24:14; 1 Cor 12:13). Then, the end will come.
The Judge of the whole earth is Jesus (Gen 18:25), the Son to whom all judgment has been given by the Father (Jn 5:22). He is a righteous Judge (Acts 17:31; Rev 19:11); and His judgments are just (Rev 19:2). Everyone who has ever been conceived must appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10), to receive just recompense. Some will be resurrected to judgment on the last day; while others will be raised to life with glorified body designed to live, forever (Jn 5:28–29).
My dear reader, under whose dominion do you live, today? The dominion of Satan is a farce, a lie, a deception leading to destruction. The dominion and authority of Jesus Christ is forever (1 Pet 4:11; 5:11; Jude 25; Rev 1:6). His name is majestic in all the earth, both the old one and new one. Revere Him. He reigns. There is none beside Him.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
August 15, 2024
Psalm 8
