KING OF KINGS • LORD OF LORDS • KING OF GLORY
I. Preamble
“Who is this man Jesus?” It is a question often asked by those who only hear stories and only read books. Indeed, who is this man Jesus? Why should we follow him? Why should we listen to him? Why should we do what he says to do? What makes him so special that time was changed to mark his birth? Just what makes him so special? The answer is simpler than you might think.
Quite simply, Jesus did not, could not, would not … lie.
I hear some saying “so” and others saying “What difference does that make?” It makes all the difference.
Quite simply, it means Jesus told the truth … always.
What so many naysayers, agnostics, atheists, mono-theists, polytheists, non-theists, and all points in between forget to mention … what it was Jesus was saying. Several “religions” acknowledge Jesus as an ascended master, divine personality, prophet, great teacher, rabbi, holy man et cetera then they go about their business as if acknowledging Jesus as someone special they are covered and can go about in their systematic disbelief in the God of Jesus and who Jesus said He was-is.
“I don’t get that last part.”… I am not surprised. Many do not.
In Genesis chapter 3 [a.k.a. 1st Book of Moses], the One Who Built It All and In Whom All Power Exists spoke to Man and a serpent. He told them how it would end, what it would take to ‘fix’ the situation. It would require the seed of the woman. He would smite the serpent, crushing its head, and receiving a wound himself … okay, a bruised heel.
The sequence of events went something like this: a. Man messed up, b. Woman didn’t, salvation comes through the seed of a woman, c. has to be a man to fix the mess the original Man made, d. the serpent’s head gets crushed, his government is smashed useless, e. the seed Man is wounded, his walk is effected but only temporarily, itsa bruise, it’s not a permanent thing. The heel will heal.
Jesus was-is the aforementioned ‘seed Man’ that crushed the serpent’s head. Or should I say, it was Yhshua [יהושע] – “Jehovah saved.” The serpent had no clue this was coming even though being told it was. Jesus did not lie. The prophets of the God of Israel did not lie when they wrote and broadcast the words encouraging the believers that one would come to make things right. He did, too. He was born in the city where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob-Israel, Judah, and David were buried. He did all that was said this person would do. He did not meet everyone’s expectations for him; however, he met exactly the expectations he needed to meet to fulfill his plan.
They – the world’s religions, anti-religions, and anti-theists – say he was just a man, one of us. They are correct. For 33 years, he was one of us … in every way except sin.
II. KING OF KINGS
For many years Israel had no king. In a land full of princes and princesses, why do you need a king? But the people’s heart grew dark with jealousy and they cried out for a king. In 1st Book of Samuel, chapter 8, the elders of Israel come to Samuel the prophet of the God of Israel. They asked Samuel to give them a king, like all the other nations. They rejected the God of Israel who was their judge and their king. They chose a Man to be their king, to be a judge over them, to go before them and make war. They wanted to be like the rest of their world.
In the days of the nascent kingdom of Israel there were kings all around Israel; the great Pharaoh to the south, the great kings along the Euphrates, and the great kings to the north. There came up out of Babylon a king greater than them all, Nebuchadnezzar. The world discovered a new thing, a king over kings. However, these kings died. As they died or were assisted in death a new king would arise. Some of these kings were able to become kings of kings, but they too died in their turns.
The God of Israel gave Israel a king who died. The God of Israel spoke encouraging words through his prophet Isaiah. In the Book of Isaiah, chapter 9, the God of Israel tells Isaiah what he will do. The God of Israel will make for them a new king and he will have an everlasting government. And he will not die.
A king was initially a leader of his people. As the population increased so the prestige of being a king increased. Regional populations began looking to this one person as their leader. The leader who became a king became sovereign – one who is great, supreme in power, rank, authority; one who is independent of all others, the highest authority. And just when these kings began thinking themselves gods, they discovered death. When they ritualized death as ‘the journey,’ they discovered there was a “king of kings.” Quite literally, the king himself had a king.
To be king of kings, you have rule over those who rule over others.
Jesus said he was the prophesied anointed one [Christ, Messiah]; the one who is the Everlasting Father, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, and with no end to his government. Jesus proclaimed Isaiah 61:1-2a fulfilled in the hearing of those in his synagogue. This is known to Israeli as a messianic prophecy.
From the moment of his pronouncement to his death on a cross, Jesus ceased being just a Man. He became the ‘anointed salvation of God’s people,’ the Lamb of God that takes away sin [separation from God], the seed of woman to crush the head of the serpent. After his death, burial, resurrection after three days in the tomb, he ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the God of Israel and All Creation. Jesus took back that which Adam lost, lordship over Earth.
III. LORD OF LORDS
What does ‘lord’ mean? Or to be ‘lord,’ what does that mean? The English word ‘lord’ comes from Middle English and Anglo-Saxon meaning ‘head of a household.’ As households became bigger, the lord became the leader of the family. As families became bigger the household became a village became villages became a clan became a people group and the lords needed a lord to help guide them as a people thus came the lord of lords.
To Adam was given the task of having rule over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved on the earth. Adam was Lord of Earth. In Adam’s day, there were no other lords. He and Eve, Adam’s wife, were it. Every animal or creature that can be named was subject to them. They had rule of every living thing that moved on Earth; including the demons, the fallen angels and their chief, the one who was called Lucifer. Through Adam’s sin he lost his lordship and so did Eve. Adam’s ruler-ship, lordship, was now over Eve only. He was given the task of taking care of her only; the one he led into sin; but God said that to the woman to remind the man that she was now his charge, his responsibility. From Lord of All the Earth to lord of his family.
Everything is left without a leader. Everyone does what is right in their own mind.
Man no longer does what is right in the sight of God. Man causes God to have sorrow that He made Man, causes God to confuse Man’s speech, causes God to look for someone whose heart would be fully His. God calls to a Man named Abram.
Abram means ‘high father.’ By extension, lord or head of a household.
Abraham means ‘high father of a multitude.’ By extension, lord of lords.
This is another type and shadow of things to come. God has set up a Man who would hear God’s Word and act on it as the head of a new household in a new land. God then changes this leader’s name from great father or exalted father to high father of a multitude. All while the Man does not have a son of his own. This lord of lords was to hear God, act on God’s Word, and believe God that the things God said were so and done, all without seeing them with his own eyes.
Now what the first Adam lost [Lord of All the Earth], Jesus came to reclaim and set correct. Jesus in the flesh was the last Adam [1 Co 15.45], the last God created Man. The Jews of Israel that looked to the Messiah looked for a deliverer like earthly kings; like Saul, like David, like Solomon. Their Messiah came as a deliverer but not as a conquering king overthrowing all of the kingdoms of Earth. Their Messiah came as the Lamb of God the sin sacrifice to cover in blood the death sentence against the first born, Adam. He came as a conqueror over sin, disobedience, death, and the grave. He led captivity captive. He descended into death and conquered. He arose on the third day as Lord of Life and Lord of Death. He ascended to the right hand of the Father and was proclaimed Lord of Heaven, all things were placed under His feet. All that remains is for Him to return to Earth to lay claim to His rightful title of Lord of All the Earth, for which He paid with His own person in Gethsemane, in the courts of accusation, in the scourging at Roman hands, in the jeers of those who cried Hosanna!, at the cross on Golgotha, in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, in Sheol – the place of the dead, in the resurrection, and in the ascension to His Father.
God the Father through Jesus the Son reclaimed for Himself Lordship over Earth. What God gave to Adam He has retaken for Himself and will return to reclaim in person.
IV. KING OF GLORY
Psalm 24 KJV
The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye 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. Selah.
Many times glory is referred to as honor or praise or worth that is due to someone because of their special nature or special deeds performed; and even some by right of birth. But the King of Glory encompasses all of that and then more. The King of Glory is intensity that we cannot measure. The Earth cannot contain Him. The stars combined are dim compared to Him. He is beyond a length, a width, a depth that we can measure. To taste His presence is to lose the desire to be here. As good as we may have it here on Earth, it cannot compare to the goodness of His presence. He shares His glory with whom He chooses. Do not take or try to steal it. It will lead to destruction.
The King of Glory stepped out of Eternity, made Man in His own image and likeness, then provided a way for Man to become the Sons and Daughters of God; Princes and Princesses of Glory to rule and reign with Him in Eternity.
This world is passing away. Its time is nearing completion. At the End of All Times, the King of Glory will return to Earth to establish His authority as King of Heaven, King of Earth, King of Death, and King of Life. And after the Times and Seasons are complete, He will put down Deception finally then He will establish a new Heaven and a new Earth.
The Lord God in His Full Glory is His purest expression of Himself. He has shielded us from His Glory as a kindness to us. If we beheld Him in His Glory we would not want to remain here. Moses saw Him pass by and was forever changed. Elijah covered himself and went into His Presence. Just seeing Jesus becoming full with the Glory of God caused Simon Peter, James, and John to want to build tabernacles and just live at that spot. Daniel fell down as a dead man upon seeing Him. Isaiah was undone and felt his guilt upon seeing Him. The task before each of them remained. It was not their season’s end. They remained on the Earth until completion.
The King of Glory is coming soon to establish His Kingdom on Earth for a season only. Prepare yourself for the coming of the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, King of Glory.
© 2009 Dr. David J. Rogers
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