The King

by TERRELL, J. D. | Category: Names And Titles Of The Lord Jesus | Dec 2005

Now we come to the last of the titles associated with anointing. That is, KING.

First of all let us stand together where every disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ has stood many times in spirit - a subdued spirit - by a Roman crucifixion just outside the walls of Jerusalem; a scene so full of squalor and brutality that the human mind recoils from it in horror.Three crosses; three victims. But over one in the centre is a notice, variously called a superscription or an accusation, 'THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS'. Here surely is the throne from which the Saviour will always reign supreme in the hearts of His own.

Here the King of all the ages

Throned in light ere worlds could be

Robed in mortal flesh is dying,

Crucified by sin for me. (F.W.Faber)

As the crowd chanted, "Crucify!" the Roman governor demanded of them, '"Shall I crucify your King?"' And back came an answer more fateful for Israel perhaps than for any other, '"We have no king but Caesar!"' (John 19:15).

Will the loving response of our hearts not be:

King of my life, I crown Thee now,

Thine shall the glory be;

Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,

Lead me to Calvary.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,

Lest I forget Thine agony,

Lest I forget Thy love to me,

Lead me to Calvary. (J.E.Mussey)

Few contemplations of the Person of Christ evoke more in adoration and worship than His royalty. Throughout Holy Scripture God is presented to men as King. Said David in Psalm 29:10, 'The LORD sits as King forever'. And we remember how to Micah the prophet it was given to write, '"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."' So in the process of God's perfect time, the memorable question was asked by the sages from the Orient, '"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him"' (Mat.2:2). There was none of the pomp of royalty in evidence either in Bethlehem or in the Nazareth years. Indeed, throughout the three-year ministry of the Lord, His kingship was in the background of His kingdom teaching which was initially and primarily to Israel. Only as Jesus approached the end of His ministry and Calvary loomed in view, did His kingship again come into prominence. It is true that the people once tried to take Him to make Him king. But they had no clear perception of the matter and well the Lord knew it.

So the onward march of the redemptive purpose of God continued and the moment of fulfilment arrived for the ancient prophecy of Zechariah. As the disciples go off to Bethphage to find the donkey, we are reminded by Matthew of this wonderful prophecy. '"Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey'"' (Mat.21:5). Some perceptive glimpse of the fulfilment of prophecy seems to be revealed in the words of the multitude of the disciples who cried out, '"'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest"' (Luke 19:38).

As Pilate proceeded to examine the Saviour he could not escape the question, '"Are You a king then?"' Jesus answered without hesitation, '"You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth."' He was yet to be described in Holy Writ as conquering and to conquer, but for now it was very different.

Hath He diadem, as Monarch,

That His brow adorns?

"Yea, a crown, in very surety,

But of thorns." (J.M.Neale)

And so to Calvary.

But now we turn to the inspired chant of the Sons of Korah. 'My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; the peoples fall under You. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions' (Ps.45:1-7).

We can sense the note of excitement that rang in the voices of the sons of Korah as they intoned such words; likewise the exalted spirit of the apostle John as the Holy Spirit led him to write the words, 'I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. ... And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS' (Rev. 19:11-16).

Centuries before, the psalmist had conveyed the voice of God in the face of human pride and rebellion. '"Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion."' And again from the sublime poetry of the Psalms, we have the exultant cry of the host of heaven, 'Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? ... The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory' (Ps.24:7-10).

Let us finally reflect on one remarkable fact about the kingship of Christ. In writing previously about His priesthood, we referred to Melchizedek who, we recall, was priest of God Most High and also King of Salem, King of Peace. No king of Israel was ever allowed to combine the offices of priest and king. Defiance of this law was the downfall of Uzziah whom Isaiah mourned as a young man when he received his breath-taking vision of 'the King' (Is.6). Only for the coming One, the Lord from heaven, was it given once again to unite these two great offices of priest and king. '"A priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" and, "My King on My holy hill of Zion"'.

The Messiah; the Christ; the Anointed of God.

Prophet, Priest and King, behold Him,

Saviour, Shepherd, Christ and Lord;

Heaven's myriads bow before Him,

Praise His Name with one accord.

Saints on earth their voices raising

Shout the praises, bless the Name

Of the One who died to save us,

Jesus evermore the same. (G.T.Reeve)

TERRELL, J. D. | Dec 2005
Names And Titles Of The Lord Jesus