1tim6v15-16

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Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-21 Text: v15-16 [1 Timothy Series: 24]

Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

I hope that it was not lost on us as we read this passage how that Paul took us very quickly from Pilate’s Judgement Hall to the glorious appearing (an event yet future) of Jesus Christ
Not that Christ was any less glorious in the Judgement Hall
V13 shows that Christ acquitted Himself well by delivering, even in His humiliation and sorrow, a good confession
All that the Lord Jesus ever did, He did well and without fault
Even when he was being forsaken by God (when He actually bore the guilt and shame of our sins on His own body) He could still cry out in faith: “My God – My God”
Although the Father forsook the Son in this great act of atonement, yet the Son never forsook the Father

It is evident here that we are on high spiritual ground
It is this argument that Paul utilises to encourage Timothy/us to fight the good fight and lay hold/eternal life

We are still on high ground in our passage: very high ground
Every now/again (inspired/God) Paul seems to lose himself in a wonderful flight of worship
It seems that the Heaven’s open again and he gazes right into the very courts of the Most High
Momentarily, we hang our trumpets/hall and study war no more
The din of the battle seems to die away
We are lifted up into the third Heaven
We are reminded that the God whom we serve and perhaps even suffer for (and may well be called upon to die for) is a great God

Some dispute as to who is in mind here?
Is it God the Father or is it God the Son?
If we must divide the Trinity, then it can hardly be the Son of God alone – Men did approach Him and see Him
Answer: It is the entire Godhead who is in view here/passage
Although distinct persons within/Godhead, yet the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one – same in substance/equal: power/glory
Passage yields us 3 main points:

1) THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD:

A/ You might remember that this issue was actually a bone of contention during Christ’s time in Pilate’s Judgement Hall
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. [Affirmation] (John 18:37)
The import of this seemed to be lost on Pilate
Later on, after the severe whipping, the matter got raised again:
This time, it was loaded and suggestive: Pilate did not believe it
When Christ refused to answer his question
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (John 19:10-11)
Had Pilate power? Who could doubt it?
Yes…humanly speaking, he had power to face down the Jewish demand that Christ be crucified and to win the physical battle
But any power that Pilate had came from God above

B/ This is why Paul describes God as he does in v15
The blessed and Only Potentate – King/kings and Lord/lords
This is a real title
Only one brow can wear this diadem and crown:
The brow of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost

It is the name that is written on the thigh to the Lord Jesus:
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God….And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (19:13/16)

OBJECTION: Name written on his thigh does not necessarily mean that it is His own personal name – He fights in this name
ANSWER: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (17:14)
It is the name of the Lamb and Christ is the Lamb of God
Therefore Christ Himself cannot be excluded from Paul’s words
But it does relate to the whole Trinity who although three persons, are only three persons within the One Godhead

C/ Verse 15 gives us four insights into His sovereignty:

[i] Times are in His hand
Psalmist recognised that in a personal way:
My times are in thine hands (Psalm 31:15)
He drew upon this fact to reassure himself in a day of extreme trouble when some were seeking to shorten his time/earth:
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

Reality is: All times are in the hand/God:
This is reaffirmed to us in Acts 1:6-7
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

This is why when we plan events etc., we really ought to say: If the Lord will, we shall do this or that (James 4:15)
This will we do, if God permit (Hebrews 6:3)
This gives rise to the great proverb: Man proposes but God disposes
This year the scientists put together a great experiment to recreate (excuse the pun) the events that led to the Big Bang
Spent €millions etc.,
To do what? Advance science? No! Ans:- To fight God/word
Yet, it signally failed to even get off the ground
What happens in time is not the result of an accident
Times are in His hand
Therefore there is a time to do this and that (Ecclesiastes 3)
We thought of Christ standing before Pilate
Why was He there?
Among other reasons, we can say this:
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (13:1)
There had been several times when the Jews had sought to take Him – but we are specifically told: His hour had not come
Times are in God’s hands:

[ii] Happiness is in His hands:
He is the Blessed (Happy) God – Greek word: Happy (John 13:17)
Of course, others are happy
But they are not 100% happy 100% of the time
They were born in sorrow – sorrow ever threatens them, even in their happiest moments and they die in sorrow
Their joy is also tinged with sorrow
Even Christians die with regrets – they mourn their failures
But God is always happy
His providential hand is always on the tiller
Nothing ever happens outside His will
He is never frustrated or disappointed
He does not have to settle for second best (or worse!)
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (Psalms 115:3)

[iii] He is the Only Potentate
He does not share either His sovereignty or glory with another
I have seen it said on some so called Fundamentalist web sites that God has chosen to share His sovereignty with sinful men
That is arrogance of the highest order
That is someone who thinks “Ye shall be as gods” sounds good
We are reminded of the words of Solomon when his mother Bathsheba desired that he would give Abishag to his brother Adonijah (as requested by Adonijah)
“Ask for him the kingdom also” (1 Kings 2:22)
So it is when men talk about sharing the sovereignty/God
This verse rubbish’s such claims:
God is the only Potentate
There is no joint sovereignty
It is not God and the Devil competing here for sovereignty
It is not God and the so called free will of the sinner competing
There is no competition here
Yes…men/devils might proclaim themselves to be in competition
But our text shows that it is a sham fight

[iv] He is King of kings and Lord of lords
Of course, there are earthly kings and earthly lords
These are men who control countries
People live under their rules and pay them taxes
Unwise to cross them
Indeed, we are commanded of God to obey them
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (1 Peter 2:13-15)

Some of these men have been very powerful indeed
But they only got where they were by the will/God
Hence when Daniel addressed Nebuchadnezzar, even though he uses the very title “king/kings” for him – it is obviously limited:
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (2:37)
The One who gives is stronger than the one who receives
Nebuchadnezzar was a nobody unless God elevated him
By me – kings reign and princes decree justice (Proverbs 8:15)

So Paul is taken up mightily with thoughts/sovereignty of God
Sad that this great doctrine seems to set some saints teeth off on edge – they fume against it with the utmost rage
Yet why should this be so?
These high thoughts drove Paul to worship God’s glory

2) THE UNIQUE NATURE OF GOD:
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable, whom no man hath seen or can see

A/ Critics have found fault (don’t they always?) with the words here that only God hath immortality
Point to 1 Corinthians 15:53 concerns the resurrection/saints
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Point to the fact that we teach that all souls (saved/unsaved) have an immortal existence either in heaven/hell (Luke 16:19-31)

You can almost hear them crow! Answer is very simple: God only has immortality in and off Himself
Our immortality is imparted i.e. given us of God
God could have withheld it from us as he does: animal kingdom
Man could have been a creature/time without a soul
He could be born/live/die and that be the end of the story
But God decreed: man’s soul live for ever either in Heaven/Hell
But no one gave the Triune God His immortality
God was, is and always shall be at one and the same time
No other can lay so claim therefore God only hath immortality

B/ Another unique thing about God: None can approach Him
Again…this is a relative statement and not absolute
We have approached Him already during our meeting
We approached Him in our worship (as Paul/text)
We approached Him in prayer

Approach my soul the mercy seat where Jesus answers prayer
There humbly fall before His feet – For none can perish there

MEANING? None can approach Him without being invited/do so
None can approach Him without being enabled to do so
This is seen when He gave the 10 Commandments to Moses
Notice the very strict laws that governed this giving
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. (Exodus 19:11-13)

Seen also when the Ark/Covenant (representing God’s presence) was found among the COI:
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 4:15)
No idle threat: Uzzah died when he put forth his hand (2 Samuel 6:6)

C/ Another unique thing:
None hath seen nor can see Him

People obviously saw the Lord Jesus who is God
John explicitly referred to the senses:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (1 John 1:1)

Again: None could see Him unless He revealed Himself to us

You and I (folly/madness) might decide that we are someone really special (God) and try and do what God is doing
So we hide ourselves away and take grand titles to ourselves
But we cannot sustain it
[i] We do not have immortality as God has it
Our bodies are mortal and we will one day die
We cannot impart immortality (as God can) to another

[ii] We will not dwell (as God does) in unapproachable light
This light denotes His absolute purity as opposed: darkness/sin
God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5)
But how full of darkness you and I are in ourselves
Even holy Paul was compelled to cry out:
O wretched man that I am! (Romans 7:22)

[iii] In our little hide away self imagined god’s sphere, men can quite easily approach us
Answerable to the forces of law/order and tax authorities etc.,
They can produce all sorts of warrants to approach us with and to the authority of which we must humbly submit or be arrested

Therefore God stands unique

3) THE DUE PRAISE OF GOD:
To whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen

A/ Such a God, rightly understood, does not repel spiritual men
It certainly repels carnal men who do not want such a God
Carnal men complain of feeling alienated by such a one
They want a deity that they can fully understand
Such a deity inevitably ends up being under their control
Speak to an ungodly theist and you discover that his god is not so strict in relation to sin
More he talks – the more his god becomes a drinking buddy/pub
A jolly old uncle who tut-tuts (with an accompanying smile) when his favourite nephew goes over some fuzzy line/acceptability

B/ True: No worship/God if He did not reveal Himself to us
We cannot worship God with a blind, ignorant faith
But we can worship the great God who is described here
We can do nothing else but worship Him
His inherent greatness draws out our hearts

C/ When Paul says that we are to Whom be honour and power
It is not that we actually give it to Him
Not lacking such until it be rendered to him by mere creatures
Rather: A recognition that He has it and will always have it
It is a submitting/grateful and worshipping heart that it is so
It is a recognition that such honour/power has not merely been not abused but put to the best/use i.e. our salvation to His glory

D/ Such praise to God is to everlasting
It cannot be anything less
It is especially so when/if the going gets tough for us
Very easy for us to give God all the glory when things go well
Perhaps in this good fight/faith – we get badly injured
Perhaps there may be a high price to pay
Whatever our circumstances, let us always re-echo these words

E/ His praise will be to everlasting and Christians will be there to render such praise – what a glorious prospect this is!

These things have been pretty high for us to try/grasp
Let not the high doctrine of v15-17 make us of no practical use
These words are found between the exhortations of v11-12/v17
May we be found living them out so that others praise God also

THE END

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