Titles of Jesus: King of Kings & Lord of Lords

Titles of Jesus: King of Kings & Lord of Lords

This is the fifth and final week of our five week study on the Titles of Jesus.

Week One: Alpha and Omega. Color: Gold (purity, deity, glory)

Week Two: Lion of Judah/Lamb of God. Color: Silver (truth, redemption, atonement)

Week Three: Emmanuel/Yeshua. Color: Blue (foundation, Law and grace)

Week Four: Messiah/Savior. Color Red (sinfulness, fire, and blood of Jesus)

Week Five: King of Kings/Lord of Lords. Color Purple

This week we are looking at Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The color this week is purple and purple in the bible indicates royalty and nobility.

This the final title of our Lord. This is the title of Him who is to come back to earth.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate (Greek word dunastes, where we get the word dynasty, means Ruler), the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. NKJV

Jesus is coming back. He is going to return to this world. We had the first coming 2000 years ago but there will be a Second Coming in the not to distant future. You may have heard the term Advent used in relation to Christmas time. That word is the Latin word for coming or arrival. It is the translation of the Greek word parousi'a. We find that used some 17 times in the New Testament to speak of the Second Coming of Christ. His first coming was as the Lamb of God, a humble servant who came to fulfill the will of God the Father as a final and complete sacrifice for the sin of mankind. That has been accomplished. He was falsely convicted of sin, sentenced to death, beaten, hung on a cross where His physical, human, earthly body died just as any of ours will. His Spirit remained alive just as ours will when we die. He went to the grave, I believe that He went to Hell. Oh my goodness pastor, how can you say such a thing? Well, because it is in Scripture and hell doesn't mean what you may think hell means.

To get an understanding of Christ as the King of kings, we must establish Him as the King to begin with. The only way for us to do this is through Scripture. The quickest way to get the entire picture is to go to the Day of Pentecost sermon of Peter. This single sermon declared all there is about Christ and our salvation and it brought 3000 people to Christ in that one day.

"Men of Israel (Peter is speaking to Jews here), hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God (All of this was done with foreknowledge of God that Jesus would be sacrificed for our sins. It was a plan put in place before the foundation of the world), you have taken by lawless hands (He was not guilty of anything), have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it (Death could not hold an innocent man). 25 For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul (David's soul) in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One (Jesus) to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' (This is a quote from of David. The term translated Hades here is seen in the Psalm as the Hebrew word Sheol, which is a place or a state of the dead. We see the perfect picture of this in the story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man).

29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he (David), foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul (Christ's) was not left in Hades (the place of the dead), nor did His flesh see corruption (His body did not rot for it was not in the grave long enough). 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses (Peter it seems no doubt was referring here at least to the 12 of them for we know from that Peter was with at least the other eleven. But it would have been widely known by then that the tomb had been found empty but Peter and the others could testify to the risen Christ). 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens (David is not in heaven yet, but instead, his spirit/soul is still in Hades/Sheol awaiting the Second Coming of the Lord in which the dead in Christ shall rise first), but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Therefore, because of all that has happened, know that God has made Jesus (Ieesous, Yeshua), specifically so there is no doubt, the guy you crucified, both Lord, supreme in authority and Christ, the Anointed One, specifically, the coming King we have been waiting on.)

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (You shall receive the Holy Spirit, there is no other step for it). 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” NKJV

David knew his heir would be on the throne but David knew that throne would be a throne that is to come. God the Father sits on the throne in heaven and Jesus sits at His right hand "until I (God) make Your (Jesus) enemies Your footstool." Look at verse 30, Therefore, being a prophet (David it's talking about), and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him (David) that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.

The Jewish people were awaiting an earthly king in the line of David that would be a great warrior like David. But the kingdom that Christ is to reign is far greater than any that David ever had. The kingdom of Christ is yet to come. Kingdom is very simple; it means the domain of the king. It is the area and all within it in which the king rules over. So, if God the Father sits on the throne in heaven, where will Jesus reign? Right here on earth. We should look to these two titles as one title; King of kings and Lord of Lords. King comes from a Greek word meaning "a sovereign." Lord comes from a Greek word that means "supreme in authority." A sovereign is one who exercises supreme, permanent authority. A sovereign is usually a position for life. So Jesus is the Sovereign of all sovereigns and the Supreme authority of all authorities.

So what exactly does this mean for us? Why will there be any kings or lords around for Him to be the king over and the Lord over? I thought that He was coming back to put an end to all that power stuff. Well, I'm glad you asked!

We do have a millennial kingdom that is coming on the earth. A one thousand year reign of Christ on earth in which there will be peace and there will be people. And there will still be cities and there will be rulers of those cities. And who do you think some of those rulers might be? Could be us!

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” NKJV

Now we don't know exactly what that's going to look like but I'm excited about it. If we were to read the parable of the minas we can get an idea. Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' 17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' 18 And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' 19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.' NKJV

We can see the same type of scenario in “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' 21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'” NKJV

What we see in this is that we are to use what God has given us to the best of our ability to further His kingdom on the earth and when we stand before Him for our judgment. Yes, as believers we will stand before Christ not for salvation judgment which is already dealt with but we will stand before Him for judgment of our works. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. NKJV This is a rather cumbersome way to say that we will receive our just reward for what we have done and answer for those wrongs and missteps we made.

We do all of this to rule and reign with Christ. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. NKJV

Life is going to get interesting very quickly. When we die now, I believe that our soul and spirit immediately go to be in the presence of God and Christ. When we talk of the first resurrection of the dead which seems to come along with what we call the rapture or gathering of the saints from the earth that are living when Christ returns, that is the people (believers) who have died "in Christ" before His resurrection. AT the end of the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, there will be a final resurrection of those who are in Sheol, and they will face salvation judgment. If we had time, we could read from . This is where we see those who have rejected God and Christ cast into the real Hell, which is the Lake of Fire.

All right, let's wrap this up. Jesus is coming back and He is coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords. Now 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. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. NKJV

The good guy comes riding in on a white horse and rescues us all!