Many religious leaders dissuade their followers from singing Isaac Watts’ hymn Joy to the world! We here do not speak of atheists or men of other “world religions” avowedly opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ (e.g., Judaism): Their objection to such a hymn is understandable. Rather, we here speak of men professing to be Christians!
What is their objection to this hymn? Lines such as the following:
Joy to world! the Lord is come! / Let earth receive her King ... Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns! ... He rules the world with truth and grace .…
They object to Christ being presently praised as King ruling over His kingdom!
I reject every reason they may give for their objection, whether it be on the grounds of their Chiliasm, Millennialism (whether Pre-/Post-/Pan-/Non-), Dispensationalism, Zionism, Darbyism, Scofieldism, Atheism or any other ism!
The Lord Jesus Christ was not thwarted by unbelievers in His purpose to establish His kingdom and reign as King over it. He did not have to resort to “Plan B” (as some call it) because unbelievers would not let Him fulfill “Plan A”. He was not lifted up on a cross because unbelievers would not let Him ascend to His throne. He did not inaugurate some “Parenthetical Church Age” because of His failure to inaugurate His “Millennial Kingdom Age”. He is not presently in heaven as a king in exile – like pitiful Napoleon on Elba – because His citizens will not permit Him to rule and reign over them. He is not waiting for those who rejected Him to finally permit Him to return and be their king. Furthermore, it was never His intention to offer to unbelieving Jews the earthly, worldly, carnal, physical kingdom for which they lusted. And if He waits until men of their “freewill” accept Him as king and let Him establish His kingdom, He never will be king over a kingdom.
Neither did He come the first time to be a prophet, then return to heaven to be a priest, intending to be a king when He comes to earth the second time. His mediatorial offices cannot be divided in such a fashion. He came to earth to be Prophet and Priest and King – and all three He was and is!
Jesus Christ was prophesied to be King in the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 9:6f), with the promise that in His incarnation He would be “upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (cp. Jeremiah 33:15-21). In His incarnation He was announced as King (Luke 1:26-33; fulfilling 2 Samuel 7:12f), sought and worshipped as King (Matthew 2:1f, 11), manifested as King (Matthew 12:28f; cp. Revelation 20:1-3), presented as King (Matthew 21:1-5; fulfilling Zechariah 9:9), and empowered as King (Matthew 28:18). In His exaltation He was enthroned as King at God’s right hand (Acts 2:29-36). God therefore assures Christ His Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (Hebrews 1:8). And believers in Him have been by God delivered from the Satanic power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of Jehovah’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13)!
Let others object – if they must – to Christ’s present and everlasting Kingship and Kingdom. Let them say – if they are such rebels – “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14).
But believers in the Lord and Savior Jesus have ceased their rebellion against Him and bowed to Him as King of King and Lord of Lords, and been graciously received into His kingdom, and joyfully sing …
Joy to world! the Lord is come! / Let earth receive her King ... Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns! ... He rules the world with truth and grace .…
And we exultingly sing that song all through the year, not with mere lip-service at Christmastide only. - Daniel E. Parks
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