All Hail the King!

I don’t think I’m the only peasant in the kingdom looking forward to the day when this endless series of political advertisements we are currently subjected to finally comes to an end.

 

Yes, politics in these United States of America are a necessary evil, but it’s also necessary to remember that we are a constitutional republic designed to be governed by “we the people” and that is a great blessing indeed. There have been a lot of countries throughout history with leaders that have borne the title of emperor, czar, Caesar, dear leader, dictator, or king.

 

That desire for some guy who wears a hat bigger than all the other guys to take control and be in charge seems to be a human universal. We see it in the Bible back when God’s chosen people got all political about 2800 years ago in 1 Samuel 8:

 

They looked at the nations around them and cried out to God, “Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” (NLT)

 

God told the prophet Samuel to go ahead and let them have what they wanted but to strictly warn them that, in rejecting God as their king, things were going to end up in a big, stinking heap. God came right out and told them they would be slaves to this king they were demanding and on the day when they came crying to Him for help, He would not listen to them. (Verses 17&18) 

 

So, of course they go ahead with the king plan and, from Saul to Zedekiah, most of Israel’s kings did evil in the eyes of the LORD.

 

All-in-all, we find records of 23 kings of Israel before the Babylonian captivity. Of those, 19 did evil in the eyes of the LORD and three were either mixed (like Solomon who did good in the beginning and evil in the end) or we don’t know. (Like in the case of Ishbosheth.) Even King David, who was called “a man after God’s own heart” and listed as a good king, didn’t do so well in terms of adultery, murder, and the relationships within his own family. 

 

Judah’s kings did a little better with six doing right in the sight of the LORD, two doing right in their youth and evil in old age, and 12 doing evil in the eyes of the LORD by the time the people of Judah were led away into the Assyrian captivity. 

 

Fast forwarding to the New Testament, do you remember what God’s angel armies announced to those shepherds on the fields watching over their flocks by night? Luke 2:11:

 

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (NIV)

 

“Messiah” means “Anointed One.” Anointing was the way kings were coronated in ancient Israel. 

 

And what did the wise men from the east ask when they were looking for Jesus? Matthew 2:2:

 

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” (NIV)

 

King Herod was so threatened and upset by the report of this new king that he ordered the execution of all male children under the age of two in Bethlehem.

 

John the Baptist’s message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1-5)

 

Jesus frequently spoke of the kingdom of God.

 

Let us not forget here that if there is a kingdom, it has a king!

 

Pontius Pilate’s very first question to Jesus in John 18:33b was,

 

“Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. (NLT)

 

Jesus makes it very clear that He is a king, but not of this world. Pilate very quickly comes to the conclusion that Jesus is no threat to Caesar, and twice pronounces Him not guilty. When Pilate asks the Jewish rulers if they want him to execute their king, they make an absolutely astounding statement in John 19:15c: 

 

“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.” (NLT)

 

The statement is treason against God Himself. If anyone had been paying attention, the leading priests were guilty and (under their law) more deserving of capital punishment than Jesus!

 

I’m sure none of us have forgotten what Pilate wrote (in three languages!) on that sign that hung on the cross –John 19:19:

 

“And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (NLT)

 

So, as this political season comes to its end let’s not forget that no matter who is elected, Jesus is not only Savior, Healer, and LORD, He is also our King! Even though people long ago rejected God as King, God had a plan and a purpose to save us, redeem us, and adopt us into His royal family!

 

We are not subjects or slaves in this heavenly kingdom. By His grace and not by any merit of our own doing, we are sons and daughters of the King with the honor and privilege of inviting others into the royal family!

 

HALLELUJAH!

 

Today’s Praise

Revelation 19: 11-16

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (NLT)