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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Majesty belongs to God. As Jude put it, "To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1.25). Perhaps the best way to begin this discussion is by thinking about the way we use the term Majesty in our culture.
In countries that are ruled my monarchs, it is quite common to refer to those at the top of the government as "Your Majesty." This is the case whether the ruler is a king or a queen. Those who address the king or queen commonly refer to them as His Majesty or His/Her Royal Majesty. To see how this term compares to others in such governments, a Prince or a Princess is referred to as His or Her Royal Highness. So the Royal Majesty in a monarchy is above the Royal Highness. This illustrates just how exalted the title of "Majesty" is in our culture and in common English vocabulary. This introduces the common usage of the term Majesty.
Now, we turn our attention to the biblical usages of the term "Majesty" chosen by Jude to describe who and what God is. As this series develops, the reader will see that there is an interconnection and even a progression of thoughts in the four descriptive phrases Jude used, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Power. However, for now, we focus our attention to this one phrase. The Hebrews writer is the only other biblical scribe who used this term so we are forced to his epistle to learn more of this word.
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1.1-4). Focus is directed to the last part of the quote just given, namely, to the phrase concerning Jesus and the fact that He "…sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." God the Father is depicted, not just as possessing Majesty or of being Majesty, that that He is THE Majesty. In that descriptive phrase, there are none like Him and none to whom He can be prepared. So, from that viewpoint, God is seen as a Ruler with no equals; He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Further, note that the Son was permitted to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on High. We have every reason to believe that this is accommodative language and is used so that we can appreciate the position of the Father and the position of the Son as regards the term Majesty. In this figure, the Christ is at the most exalted place by the side of the most exalted Being. The picture is one of unequalled human experience; God beside God reigning and ruling from that exalted position.
To God be Majesty! Somehow that term seems a bit foreign to us who live in a democracy. But, perhaps it should! There is no comparison to any ruler or government today! (Continued).
Questions:
1. How is the term Majesty used in a Monarchy?
2. Which two New Testament writers used the term "majesty"?
3. When Christ ascended, at whose right hand was He seated? What was the one called upon whose right hand Christ was seated?
4. Why might the term Majesty seem foreign to those living in a democracy? How can that actually help us to understand the significance of the word?
Focus Text: Jude 1.25
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