SUBJ: Christ our King, His Kingdom and the effects of His righteous reign.

AIM: That we might rejoice to see Him as King and that we might delight in all His benefits toward us.

INTR: As we look around at the “gloom and doom” appearance of this present world, the optimism and assurance of scripture sustains us.
1. The ultimate message of prophecy is of victory and joy. We do well to see it both presently and in the future.
2. We should look to Him always who champions that victory and is the source of that joy.
3. Where there is a King there is a Kingdom and the nature of the reign reflects the nature of the King Himself! The metaphors in this passage speak great things of Him!

THESIS: To truly benefit from Bible prophecy we must see first, Christ as the ultimate revelation and ourselves with Him and in Him. Men tend to be fascinated with events and participate as spectators.

I. The King, His Reign and His princes (v. 1)
1. Consider Psalms 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
2. Some think here of good King Hezekiah who followed the wicked reign of Ahaz but indeed the ultimate look is to Christ.
3. The essence and expression of His reign is righteousness. His might will be acknowledged, but His reign will be administered in righteousness to the horror of the rejecter and to the delight of those who truly come to know Him.
4. Indeed, “his sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness: righteousness is the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins:” (Heb 1:8, Isa 11:5) And
5. See Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Psalms 45:6
6. All His ways are just and right.
7. His princes? Angels are referred to as such, but the declaration of the Gospel and the administration of its principles seem to be in view as their service to the King.

II. “The Man” and His provision in salvation (v. 2)
1. “God was manifest in the flesh…”
1) By decree
2) By voluntary agreement
2. The Hiding place and covert which is His righteousness, blood, sacrifice and intercession
1) From the wrath of the Father that is deserved by all and it shall unless it has fallen upon Christ.
2) From the effects of sin in the life
3) From the onslaught of the enemy
4) From the violent temptation of Satan
3. As rivers of water in a dry place and note that grace is poured out and provided:
1) In abundance
2) John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
3) And in the most unlikely of places – standing our in precious contrast to the desert in which we find ourselves – What a picture!
4. The comforting shadow of the Great Rock
1) Heavy and not to be moved away as was Jonah’s Gourd.
2) Thus, the shadow is not moved and the comfort is sure – the place of rest in a weary land. (The Rock followed the children of Israel: 1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.)
3) But then we think of that which beats against the Rock from the other side and we see Him as between us and the scrutiny of God, against trials, against temptations and disappointments.

III. His effect upon His people (vv. 3-4)
1. The eyes of them that see (not prophets) shall see Him and their blindness is taken away
2. The sound of His voice falls upon the hearing (hearkening) ear and there is responsiveness.
3. The heart of the rash or “hasty” shall understand. That is, they shall be given to hear and to know of His Word, to behold His person and to seek the proper way of praise, worship and service.
4. Elegance shall be placed in the mouths of the “stammerers.” They shall know their subject and speak freely and often of Him. – Malachi 3:16-17 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.