Christ the King!
Notes
Transcript
Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Beth-lehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
For these wise men, there was no question of if the Messiah had been born, but their question was where He currently was residing. These men likely came from Babylon or Persia, and in those old empires, there were large Jewish populations who leftover from the exiles of Judah. Among that population, there were some who still studied and obeyed the Law and the Prophets. In fact, as late as the 5th century AD there were still enough Jews in Babylon to compile the Babylonian Talmud, an extrabiblical (and often contradictory) compilation of Jewish teachings. So it is likely these wise men from the east were gentiles who were students of the Torah, if not descendants of the exiled tribes of Judah.
Between their studying of the Scriptures and studying of the skies, they recognized something had happened on earth that was testified of in the heavens. Some have suggested the star they followed was the light that suddenly shone round about the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. Perhaps that is true, or maybe the star is something else, but regardless of it’s origin these wise men determined to follow it until they found the king whose birth was announced by this star. The star led them to Jerusalem, where they began to ask the all-important question: “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”
Scripture does not record this, but I imagine as they began to inquire in the city, people probably pointed to the fortress to the north of the temple and said, “Oh, King Herod? He lives up there.” To this, the wise men surely responded, “No, it can’t be. The one we seek was only recently born.” This would have surely caused the rumor mill to start churning, and as can be expected, word finally reached Herod of this. Our text implies this when it says, “when Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled.” He was suspicious, confused, and offended. He gathered the experts and demanded they tell him what the Scriptures had to say about a coming messiah.
The scribes and priests cited Micah 5:2
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
The word “ruler” comes from the Greek hēgeomai and it literally means “to lead.” It indicates something deeper than a title; it means accomplishing the role. One way to translate it might be “the One who rules.” To all of the readers, the context reveals the obvious: this Ruler is the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) who will rule Israel.
But Micah was not the first prophet to prophesy about this coming King. He just happens to be the one who prophesied the location of His birth. In a moment, we will look at the first time this future King is prophesied about. We will also see that in His death, He was rejected as King. Finally, he was revealed as King
Ratified as King: Genesis 49:10 (promise)
Rejected as King: John 19:19 (crucified)
Revealed as King: Revelation 19:16 (consummation)
Ratified as King
Ratified as King
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Who is Shiloh? The Hebrew tense indicates that the patriarch Israel (Jacob) is not speaking of the city of Shiloh, but rather is using the word to describe a Who rather than a where. The word has a long meaning: he whose it is. In other words, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah...until He who wields the scepter comes.” No one but the king is worthy to wield the scepter.
Rejected as King
Rejected as King
The Romans mocked Him, calling Him a king in John 19:19
And Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Prior to this, the Jews had brazenly and enthusiastically rejected Jesus as their king and messiah and had declared, “we have no king but Caesar!”
Jesus was the One that He had spoken of in the parable of the Wicked Tenants (found in the first 3 gospels). In this parable, the owner of a vineyard leased it to some tenants who were charged with caring for it. After sending servants to check on it who were beaten, assaulted, and killed, he finally sent his son - the heir to his kingdom - trusting they would respect him. But instead, they mocked and killed him as well.
Revealed as King
Revealed as King
And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
At the end of all things, Jesus will be revealed as the king of all kings. We already know this, but on that day, the whole universe will no longer be able to deny and ignore it.
On that great and terrible day, this mighty King of kings and Lord of lords will descend to earth one more time and will destroy the armies of the enemy. He will slaughter them by the millions and at the end of the battle, He will capture the Beast and the false prophet and they will be cast alive into the lake of fire. There will be no doubt to anyone, alive or dead, small or great, that Jesus Christ is the King.
Paul quotes Isaiah when he says in Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
From the first book of the Bible to the last, Jesus is portrayed not just as a prophet or a priest, although He is both, but He is the King of all kings and all the earth. He is Jehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of hosts), El Elyon (most-high God), and Adonai (Lord, Master).
He humbled Himself to take on the flesh of a man, from an embryo to the cross, but He was and is and is to come the Mighty King! The shepherds saw Him as a newborn lying wrapped in swaddling clothes. The wise men saw Him perhaps as He toddled around taking His first steps. Others saw Him as the neighbor’s kid, the carpenter’s son, a traveling teacher, and a criminal. But we see Him as the risen saviour and king of our lives! Bow before Him now, not as a baby in a manger, but as the King on the throne. Bow before Him now, not as a baby in a manger, but as the King on the throne.
Not just a future king, but king now!
Not just a future king, but king now!
In Arthurian legend, we find the phrase “once and future king.” This phrase is loaded with hopeful meaning and anticipation. The legend maintains that Arthur did not truly die, but will return one day when his people need him most. He was once the king of Britain, and will one day be the king of Britain again.
I am happy and pleased to announce to you that CHRIST IS KING here and now!
Lest we think that Jesus was once a king, and will be one day in the future, but is not on the throne today, let us look once more at the Holy Scriptures:
Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
The fulfillment of this promise and prophecy (originally found in Psalm 110:1 is found in Revelation 20:11-14
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
So we see that He is the reigning King of kings even right now. Not just in the past, and not just in the future, but at this very moment, He is ruling and putting all things under His feet. And He must reign until all things are under His feet. The final enemy to be conquered is not Satan himself, but Death. When Death has died, the full and final culmination of Christ’s reign will be realized. Then, as we have just read, He will present to OUR Father the full and pure kingdom, His royal and sanctified bride (that is all those have believed), and the scope of His creation will have come full circle: God will look at His creation it will once again be as He said in Genesis: it is very good. For the first time since the moment before Adam and Eve sinned, there will be no more sin, no more death, no more imperfection in God’s creation. We know this because Revelation 21:4-5 says so.
Revelation 21:4–5 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
May Christ be magnified!
