In 1 Timothy 6:15 Paul, when he was under Caesar’s rule, tells us that God is the only Sovereign, indicating that God is the only Ruler, the only Potentate, who has the most absolute and the highest authority and power. Hence, He is the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords. Caesar was under Him. Undoubtedly the apostle who was imprisoned under Caesar was encouraged by knowing God as such a Sovereign.
In Revelation 6:10 the martyred saints called God the “sovereign Lord, holy and true.” The Greek word for “sovereign Lord” is despotes, denoting a slave’s master who has absolute sovereign power over the slave, as in Acts 4:24; Luke 2:29; Jude 4; 1 Timothy 6:1-2. The saints who suffered martyrdom for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus recognized the very God, whom they served and who allowed them to be martyred, as such a sovereign Master, who is holy (distinct from all things) and true (truthful) in His nature and character and has made them holy (sanctified, separated) and true (truthful, faithful) to Him (cf. Rev. 3:7 and note 3).
In 1 Timothy 1:17 Paul speaks of God as the King of the ages. Here “ages” actually means eternity. This word needs to be understood in relation to the decline of the church. When Paul was in prison, the churches began to decline, and the situation was very disappointing. Many
were discouraged. Even some of Paul’s co-workers left him. But he had a strong faith with an absolute assurance that the very God in whom he believed, the One who had entrusted him with the gospel of glory, is the King of the ages, the One with the absolute authority for eternity, who never changes. No earthly king can be called the King of the ages. Caesar was a temporary ruler, but how different is our God! The God whom Paul served truly is the King of the ages, the King of eternity. The One whom we serve and who is being dispensed into us is the King of the ages.
In 1 Timothy 6:15 Paul also tells us that God is “the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,” indicating that God is the highest Authority in the entire universe. Hence, He is the only Sovereign in whom the apostle trusted.
In 1 Timothy 1:17 we see that as the King of the ages, God is the incorruptible. He never changes in His nature, power, and any kind of His attributes; He always remains the same. Everything except Him is corruptible. The church may decline, deteriorate, and become degraded, but God is incorruptible.
Romans 16:25 to 26 tells us that God, who has given the command to make the hidden mystery known to all the nations, is eternal. This indicates that God remains immutable, not subject to any change due to any kind of environments and circumstances. Since the God who gives this command is eternal, remaining unchangeable forever, so is this command.
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