American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 97
This past Sunday at the American Reformation Church we expounded on Psalms chapter 2. It is one of the most prominent Psalms prophesying the Messianic reign of Christ and His unshakable Kingdom.
Psalm 2 unfolds in four movements like scenes in a drama. The rebellion of the nations, the response of heaven, the declaration of the Son, and the command to surrender or be judged.
There are a few prayers in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments that acknowledge the Kingdom of God or prayed to prepare its way in the world. For instance, in the Old Testament, David offered prayer of praise in 1 Chronicles 29:10–13. David blessed God as he was preparing to set in Solomon as king. His son may be an earthly king, but the Lord is King of Kings. David declares, “Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all.”
Daniel prayed after receiving the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:20-23). “He removes kings and sets up kings.” Daniel recognized God as the sovereign ruler over all nations. This prayer led into the prophecy of God’s everlasting Kingdom (Daniel 2:44).
Another powerful Messianic Psalm is Psalm 72. At the conclusion, it is revealed, “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” Another words, this entire Psalm ultimately speaks of Our Lord’s Kingdom reign in the earth and it is a prayer of David that seeks to prepare the way for it to come to pass.
This prayer is not for David or Solomon, but the greater Son who was to come from the House of David. It is a prayer for the ideal heavenly King who declared His Kingdom is not of this world. This King will bring justice for the poor. He will usher in an abundance of peace and have dominion “from sea to sea” This Psalm ultimately points to the Messiah’s Kingdom.
Psalm 145 also celebrates God’s everlasting Kingdom, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
When our Lord began His ministry right after His baptism and being led into the wilderness by the Spirit of God to be tested of the Devil, the Scriptures reveal His first message, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
This signals the long awaited coming of God’s Kingdom has finally come. Notice the time frame reference, “The Kingdom is at hand.” It is near. It is on the cusp of dawning. Little wonder Christ encouraged His disciples in His famous “Model Prayer” to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). The time was approaching. The wait was coming to an end. The promise of the Kingdom had arrived.
How do we know for sure when His Kingdom came? Jesus gave us a clue. He stated, “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). When Christ came, the Kingdom was drawing nigh. He encouraged His disciples to pray for it to come, and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus let’s us know when those prayers were answered. There were some who heard all this and lived long enough to see it come to pass in their generation.
