The LORD Sits Enthroned Over the Flood

Psalm 29:10-11; Revelation 3:19-22

The LORD Sits Enthroned Over the Flood

The Old Testament often uses the word “flood” to describe a time when evil was rampant, society in chaos, and God’s people greatly afflicted. The psalmist reminds us that, even in these trouble times—flood, that the LORD is seated high above, enthroned as King.

The LORD our God sits enthroned as King forever and ever. He will surely give strength and peace to His people. This means that we can stay unshaken in troubled times because our God is in control for, he reigns, and we can trust God and overcome the troubles and thus, lead a peaceful life.

When it comes to Revelation, the apostle John upon seeing the vision of God sitting on his heavenly throne, wrote to the seven churches in Asian Minor. It was approximately 90AD, when the churches were at their sprouting stage and acted very differently from the pagan society at large. Thus, local societies joint-hand with the Roman government to persecute the churches, aiming to destroy this emerging Christian faith.

During this dark hour of the Church when believers were risking their lives for upholding their faith, the heaven was open and the apostle John saw the vision of God and the Lamb that was slain, both sitting highly on their thrones. We must take note that, the Bible emphasizes that what happens in the heavenly court takes precedent over the earthly happenings, and not vice versa.

“Throne” signifies the power, authority, and kingship. God the Father who sits on the throne represents his sovereign rule. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain, and He is sitting on His throne too.

Jesus was faithful unto the end in fulfilling the mission which was entrusted to Him by the Father. He was persecuted and crucified on the cross. His death on the cross overcame the devil. Therefore, Jesus was entitled to sit on the throne of the Father.

Jesus also promised His followers who suffer on earth, that they too ought to be faithful unto death as the master did, for he promised “to the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21）

“The LORD sits enthroned as King.” He is the Lord of the heaven and earth, and He is our God. He is the great “I am”. The name of the LORD—Yahweh means “who is, who was, and who is to come.” (Exodus 3:14-15); and also means “He shall make things happened.” All things that happen are under God’s control. He has control over the history of the world.

Let’s examine this theme: The LORD and the Lamb sit enthroned as King by asking a few pertinent questions:

When does The Lord Sit enthroned as King?

The flood represents the evil forces that are flooding and rocking the world, destroying her God appointed order and value. We can see the world today experiencing plagues, catastrophes, human conflict and anxiety. And there is a strong smell of gunpowder between nations and peoples. There are also wars of information, power struggles among ambitious people who embrace conflicting ideologies; the lawlessness of men, robbery and killings.

The world is turbulent, and the hearts of the people are unsettled. Where is the true land of peace that we can go to?

“The LORD sits enthroned over the flood”, so in this chaotic and helpless moments, we really need the Lord to be our King, who will rule the world so that the evil shall not prevail over the righteous! Let’s take heart and work with God to subdue the evil forces and heal the ruins so that God’s appointed order and values will be restored.

How does the Lord sits enthroned as King?

The Lord is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He is omnipotent. He speaks all things into existence, and He commands with His decree that things shall stand firm. He is omniscient, as He knows our situations and sympathizes with us. He is omnipresent and He shall be with us and help us wherever we are. This is the LORD who sits enthroned as King.

“Sit” indicates about stability, non-anxiousness, calmness, and authority. Since He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the flood shall not move His throne. He sits firmly. Though He is sitting, He is doing something. He does not sit passively, but actively.

He is the King who rules and reigns. He can calm the storm, and He will surely be able to command the flood to recede. He also can allow the flood to go on for a season without harming His own people.

Let’s persevere through the trials and adversities for God’s deliverance will surely come.

How long shall the Lord Sits Enthroned as King?

The Bible tells us that the Lord sits enthroned as King forever. How long then is “forever”? “Forever” is an endless time without beginning and end. It is a state of continuality and endlessness. Forever and ever God exists and exercises his control.

The Lord shall sit enthroned as King forever. Though the flood might be frightening, it will not overcome the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and it will never triumph over the Lord our God.

What are the advantages for us when the Lord sits enthroned as King?

The Bible says, “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

Who gives strength to His people? Who promises of a blessed peace to His people? It is Yahweh, the LORD of the heavens and the earth, He is our God. The word “surely” shows that it is certain and unchanging.

The Lord is faithful, and He never lie. He shall fulfill His promises faithfully. The LORD is omnipotent and He shall keep His words. He is omniscient and He will surely keep His words. He is omnipresent, and he shall live forever and keep all of His promises.

“The LORD Gives” indicates that blessed strength and peace are of the Lord. He is the source of strength and peace. He has the strength and the blessed peace. Therefore, He just “gives”.

Hence, the Chinese Bible use a specific word to denote God bestows and not just blesses. This highlights the transcendence of God. He keeps watch over us as the Creator and Sustainer of this world. We can rest in His presence.

The strength the Lord gives shall preserve us so that we will not be hurt by the flood. The Bible says, “our strength equals our days.” This strength is sufficient for us even as we sail through times of pandemic. We can live under all circumstances.

The Lord sits enthroned as King. What shall we do then?

In a positive sense, the Lord gives us strength so that we are empowered to overcome the flood, and we will surely overcome the flood. Therefore, in times of flood, God not only protects us, he uses us to wrestle with evil, and to restore  order in this troubled world.

As heavenly and earthly citizens, we have a responsibility to resist evil and do righteous and display our compassion with the strength of God. We have to exercise our role as salt and light, and do our part in this troubled world, to bring in order, stability and hope. In this way, people will not be hurt physically and they will be not be fearful spiritually. This is the blessed peace that the Lord wants to bless us.

The devil will surely give us his backslashes and he will hurt us with various means when we follow the footsteps of our Lord faithfully, and when we shine forth the light of God on earth to disperse the darkness.

The “flood” is the trial or test of God, it is a discipline for us too. We are not to shrink back or be fearful, and we are not to lose our faith. We ought to know that the righteous shall prevail over the wicked, and the disaster shall be over, and  chaos shall be turned into order, for the Lord reigns and He is in control.

Just like what happened in the churches in the times of Revelation, many believers were killed because of their faith. However, like the Lamb that was slain, God promises that those who are faithful and who endure until the very end shall definitely sit with the Lamb of God on His throne, and they shall receive their eternal life and glorious crowns.

O God, open our eyes and enable us to see what contribution we can make to overcome the flood! Ask that the Holy Spirit fill us with His strength to face the hardships, and we will not be fearful to extend our help to those that have suffered miserably around us.

The LORD Sits Enthroned as King, how then Can I Receive the Blessings of the LORD’s Strength and Peace?

First, we must become God’s people. Why is it so crucial? People of God have the life of God in them, and they belong to God. How can one have the life of God? How can one belong to God? We ought to receive the life of God by believing in Jesus. Only through Jesus, we belong to God.

Just as the Bible says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” “Whoever has the Son has life with strength and peace. Whoever does not have the Son does not have life with strength and peace.”

May those who have yet to believe in Jesus be able to receive the Lord’s blessings by believing in Jesus. May all the Christians trust in the strength and peace of the Lord to live a victorious and peaceful life in this era that is full of floods and uncertainties.

May those who have not believed in Jesus, now accept Him as the King in their lives and follow His footsteps to do His works. Believers ought to connect with God and with the body of Christ daily, and walk with the Lord so that we receive the blessings of strength and peace.

Conclusion

The biblical history informed us that in Queen Esther’s time, God’s people was in a “flood” crisis when their lives were threatened. However, since they belonged to God, and the result was that God was enthroned as king and the people saved the day and were able to enjoy peace. Job, the leading character in the book of Job, was a godly man. He received God’s blessing of strength and peace because the Lord sat enthroned in his situation.

Apostle Paul in the era of New Testament was constantly hit by the flood throughout his lifetime. Yet he received great strength and peace by trusting in the Lord Jesus who sat enthroned in his life. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 encouraged us that, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

We have experienced that the Word in the Bible is trustworthy and reliable with the testimony in our own lives and in history. “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”