Well, I wasn’t looking for any trouble, but I weren’t no pilgrim neither… I’d deal with it if it came.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Cain)
“And the king’s servants said to the king, ‘We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.’”
–2 Samuel 15:15 (NKJV)
————————-
I’m not much of a hand-clapper, never had been. Most of the time I think people clap, and they have no idea as to why. Often it is to mediocrity. Clapping, to me, is sort of like a parent hollering from the stands when a ball goes by an infielder, “Good try.” Sit down! It wasn’t a good try; if it had been a good try he would have caught the ball. The same goes for standing ovations. Most of the time it is for mediocre performance.
However, that is not to say that I never clap. Sometimes the toe gets to tapping and then the hands just have to come together. Sometimes there are those magnificent performances and outstanding plays that deserve recognition. The thing is that when we clap there should be good reason. If we clap in church it should not be for the performance, but recognizing that God should be the recipient of the applause. Psalm 47 begins with the admonition to clap unto the Lord.
1 – Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry.
2 – For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over all the earth.
3 – He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet.
4 – He chooses for us our inheritance—the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah
5 – God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord, among the sound of trumpets.
6 – Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise!
7 – Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of all the earth.
8 – God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
9 – The nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (HCSB)
Think of what it will be like when Jesus finally is victorious at Armageddon. When Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, the Antichrist and False Prophet thrown into the Lake of Fire. There will be thunderous applause in heaven and on the earth for the Beast will be no more.
The fight of all time is finally over; it is time to celebrate. The King of kings, and Lord of lords will be fully recognized by all. The leaders on earth who still remain will belong to God, their power will be totally subservient to Him, in fact, many of them will probably lose their positions to one of the saints. One writer has described this in regard to Jesus on the throne as “the culminating act of the eschatological drama.” (W.O.E. Osterley)
“O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gracefully sing his power and his love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.”
–Robert Grant