Word of Encouragement (9/15/2021)

Let’s reflect on Peter’s short prayer: “To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (5:11). There is a similar one in 4:11: “To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” You can see that they are pretty much the same (except that the one in 4:11 ascribes glory to God as well as dominion). Both of these escribe eternal dominion to God. I’m going to focus on the one in 5:11.

The Greek word here means “exercise of ruling ability, power, rule, sovereignty” (BDAG). With this doxology, Peter is not wishing that God had dominion over the world; he is acknowledging the truth that God rules over the world with His sovereign power and authority. How poignant this doxology Peter offers towards the end of his epistle as he concludes his letter! What did he just say in the preceding verse, which ended the main section of the epistle? “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (v. 10). Peter assures his recipients of two things: they will suffer a little while (longer); the God of all grace will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish them.

Suffering has been a major theme throughout this epistle. He hinted at it from the very beginning. He addressed the recipients of his letter as “elect exiles of the Dispersion” (1:1). Soon after that, in the salutation section, he says, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:6-7). Then, he describes their time in this world as exile: “conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile” (1:17). So, he urges them not to forget that they are sojourners and exiles in the world (2:11) and expect to suffer unjustly because Christ Himself suffered so (2:19-25) and not to “repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (3:9). He assures them that they will have to suffer for righteousness’ sake but not fear those who persecute them (3:14). For Christ set an example for us by suffering unjustly for our salvation (3:18ff). And he warns them, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (4:12) but to rejoice in sharing in Christ’s sufferings (4:13-19). And he concludes the main section of his letter with a call to be prepared for the attack of the devil (5:8-10).

Even as Peter talked about various trials and sufferings that Christians should expect in this life as sojourners and exiles, he did not forget to assure them of God’s faithfulness to them and His good and gracious purpose for them as it is exemplified in Christ’s suffering and His subsequent resurrection in glory. Now, as he finishes this epistle, he once more reminds Christians that God has eternal dominion over the whole world! I’m certain that what Peter said in this epistle about suffering did not sound like an academic, philosophical discourse to the recipients. Most of them must have felt like Peter was talking about them and the sufferings they were going through! And probably they knew that Peter was not writing this letter from his fancy office in a majestic cathedral, dressed in an expensive robe; they knew that he, too, was suffering as they did, probably more intensely. So, how comforting and encouraging it must have been to hear his words of firm testimony and unshakable faith and strong assurance! And he tops it all off with a powerful reminder that dominion belongs to God forever.

What encouragement this truth offers! God has dominion over the world, over the whole reality. He has dominion over the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. He has dominion over all the galaxies and stars and their planets as well as over the smallest atomic particles. He has dominion over the places of kings and the war council of generals as well as the solitary cell of a hardened criminal and the playground on which children play. God has dominion over the board rooms of multi-billion-dollar, international conglomerates as well as all the shanty towns throughout the world. Most importantly to God Himself, He has dominion over the trials and sufferings that Christians go through as well as those who mistreat them and persecute them. We don’t suffer alone as if we were abandoned by God. We don’t suffer one cut, one injury more than what God allowed. We don’t suffer without meaning or hope because we share in the sufferings of Christ, which led to His glorious resurrection!

Brothers and sisters, no matter what we may be going through, let us bless God and ascribe to Him the dominion forever and ever! As we do so, may God bring us out of fear and anxiety and fill us with the certainty of God’s control over our situation, of His presence, and of His power to accomplish His good purpose for us!