All Rise!
A uniformed deputy positioned in front of the courtroom loudly announces, “All Rise!” and immediately upon hearing those words, the sound of shuffling feet scurry to stand and a defining hush quietly settles over the room. The people’s court is now in session. Each person stands out of respect and regard for the appearance of the Honorable Judge as he makes his way from his chambers to the presiding bench.
The judicial setting can be somewhat intimidating (especially if you happen to be on the wrong side of the law). Nevertheless, there is a certain amount of security and satisfaction in knowing that we live in a society where our justice system, even with all of its obvious flaws, still works.
It works because God has set within our local and national governments levels of divine authority. As we search the Scriptures, we see how our municipalities and social rule have been orchestrated to run like a well-oiled machine. God has appointed key officials to preside over our society. And we are instructed to honor those positions of office for which they hold. This is God’s intended blueprint for implementing the law of the land.
Just as He has made Himself Judge over all the earth, He has made Christ the Head over all the Church. Our first obligation is to recognize God’s complete reign over our lives. Throughout the Scriptures, we see His total sovereignty over every person and every situation. We also see that there are many references to the importance of viewing God as High and lifted up, far above all principalities, power, and dominion. We are to worship and revere Him as the Great I AM.
His trumpeting voice even now sounds forth the message:
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered! ( a).
I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke ( ).
It is time that we “ALL RISE” with a holy reverence in humble adoration as we extol the Great Judge of the Universe! We meekly bow ourselves down as He even now enters His Court with verdict in hand, decreeing forth His perfect will.
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all” ( ).
