GOD REIGNS! (An interfaith reflection)

מַה־נָּאו֨וּ עַל־הֶהָרִ֜ים רַגְלֵ֣י מְבַשֵּׂ֗ר מַשְׁמִ֧יעַ שָׁל֛וֹם

מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר ט֖וֹב מַשְׁמִ֣יעַ יְשׁוּעָ֑ה

אֹמֵ֥ר לְצִיּ֖וֹן

מָלַ֥ךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃ 

How beautiful are upon the mountains the feet of those who proclaim peace, who announce to Zion: Your GOD Reigns! (Isaiah 52:7).

In Christian writings we read that this is the message proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples (1 Peter 1:25). When Jesus was preaching he said that he was teaching, proclaiming, the good news (announcement) of the Reign of GOD. In the Qur'an it is also proclaimed that GOD Reigns over the Creation (Sura 6:18). It is the fundamental message of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There is Only One GOD who Reigns over the Universe! (Deuteronomy 6:4ff, cf. 1 Cor. 8:6, Qur'an 112). The proclamation of the Reign of GOD is not new neither started with Christianity. It is the ancient message found through the history and pages of the Hebrew Bible, we call Tanakh. Its writers proclaimed: Our GOD Reigns!

Moshe wrote that this GOD is full of mercy and compassion. David the King (Psalm 51) and Jeremiah haKohen (7:22) stated that GOD does not require sacrifices of animals, much less a human sacrifice, to extend love, mercy, and forgiveness. GOD's love moves us to repentance and return to the Way of the Divine Instruction (Torah). Acknowledging that GOD Reigns above us, lead us to be people of compassion and forgiveness; a people that loves mercy, do justice and stay humble before the Holy One of Israel.

יי מָ֭לָךְ תָּגֵ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ יִ֝שְׂמְח֗וּ אִיִּ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃

Psalm 97:1

יְיָ מֶֽלֶךְ יְיָ מָלָךְ יְיָ יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹולָם וָעֶד:

וְהָיָה יְיָ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:

Siddur

 

A traditional Sefardi chanting of the verse above

https://youtu.be/_8zVWnX6tnQ

 

A modern version

https://youtu.be/eX248BFikEo