THE KING


The prophets spoke of a coming Messianic King. This King would rise from the dynasty of David.

I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the horses from Jerusalem. The bows used in war will be broken. The king will talk to the nations about peace. His kingdom will go from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (Zech. 9:10 NCV)

His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! (Isa. 9:7 NLT)

Such were the hopes and prayers of Israel as they languished under the domination of Caesar's Rome. They believed the Messiah would be in the same order of their mighty warrior, King David; a conquering Champion, overthrowing the foe.

Instead, Jesus came. Outwardly He bore the image of a commoner but inwardly He bore the image of The King. The Magi came looking for One who is born King, not a prince. ( Matt. 2:2) And the angels sang! Jesus moved about with a royal presence. No one spoke like Him. His authority was unparalleled, His power unequalled. Over nature, demons, death. Life itself rested in the palm of His hands.

He did not attempt to subvert the existing government. He came preaching the Kingdom of God. He led, not an army, but a motley crew of 12. With these He demonstrated the Kingdom of God, preaching conversion, a change from within of heart and life. Such conversional change would transform societal standards for the benefit of all. The inner tendencies toward evil would be conquered.

Popularity disintegrated into betrayal. I wonder if the angels cried. Condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus stood before Pilate. Condemned but kingly. So much so that Pilate inquired, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, "I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world."

Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they put a royal purple robe on him. "Hail! King of the Jews!" they mocked, and they hit him with their fists. Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, "Here is the man ... Here is your king!" !" (John 19:1-3, 14 NCV)

Reading this and parallel passages I am always reminded and intrigued by Psalm 93:1 (NCV) The Lord is king. He is clothed in majesty. The Lord is clothed in majesty and armed with strength. The world is set, and it cannot be moved.

Clothed in majesty! Armed with strength! Fully in control!

No greater - nor grander - display of majesty do we see than Jesus coming forth wearing the crown, the blood, the robe, in purchasing our salvation! Like His ancestor David, Jesus went to battle armed with just the essentials. The Cross became the eternal sword of the LORD against everything wrong and evil. Jesus wore the mockery with a regal dignity, a majesty no other could or did. The battle was His. And He conquered all! He proved Himself The King!

A television program asked the question "Where are they now?" The program was about celebrities and child stars who had been famous but had quickly faded from the public eye. Now, with 2000 years of hindsight, years littered with the bones of the famous and infamous, we might ask, "Where are they now?" Where is Caesar and his kingdom? Well, Augustus died, and his kingdom faded long ago. But Jesus lives, and His kingdom - not of this world - is all around us.

We await today His second advent. The final scene of the Bible is the coronation of Jesus Christ - the act and ceremony of crowning Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords - the banishment of Evil and its consequences, and the ushering in of the eternal Kingdom of God.

Then I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. The rider on the horse is called Faithful and True, and he is right when he judges and makes war. His eyes are like burning fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, which no one but himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

Jesus rides in splendor and victory to establish the final installment of the Kingdom of God on earth. His robe dipped in blood - reminiscent of another time - signals ultimate defeat of the forces of evil and victory for the armies of heaven. The King rides magnificently! And angels will rejoice!

Of this King and His Kingdom the promise is made: He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn't even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten. (John 1:10-13 Msg)

We get in on the eternal victory of The King!

Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation! Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms of praise. For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods ... Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker ... (Psa. 95 NLT)

Let Earth receive her KING! The ruler of the kings of the earth ... King of the nations ... All the nations will come and worship you ... (Rev. 1:5; 15:3,4)

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!