Easter Sunday (March 31). King of kings and Lord of lords

Prepare to Listen.  Praise our God, all you his servants, and all who fear him, small and great. (Rev 19:5)
 
Prayerfully Read Revelation 19:6; 11:16-17; 19:16
19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out,
‘Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
   the Almighty reigns.’
11:16-17 Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshipped God, singing,
‘We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,
   who are and who were,
for you have taken your great power
   and begun to reign.’
19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out, ‘Hallelujah!’ ”  It’s Easter, join the chorus and celebrate with your own loud ‘Hallelujah.’
 
The Hallelujah chorus is probably the best loved and most sung from Handel’s Messiah.  The words from two different chapters in Revelation are perfect for this our most important day in the Christian calendar.  “Mighty thunder-peals” seems appropriate for our hallelujah.
 
Revelation is too often read to learn only about “end times.”  As a result, we miss it’s many themes about wise living in Jesus today.  One of those themes we miss, which we also reflected on yesterday, is worship.  One of the many lessons Revelation teaches us is that worship is never me-centered.  It’s always God-centered.  The worship of the hymns and praise songs throughout Revelation teach good theology that can shape us in the right way of living if we let it.  Singing the good theology in these words captured by Handel is good practice, reminding us that Jesus is indeed, King of kings and Lord of lords.
 
No matter what happens, who wins political elections, Jesus reigns as King forever.  Let this truth guide your life this Easter and always.  Today rejoice with a loud hallelujah.
 
Prayerfully Respond
Hallelujah, Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  And all that I can do is thank you, Lord.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Go forth in the dance of the merrymakers (Jeremaih 31:4) and join in the Hallelujah chorus.