Jesus, the King of Kings
by Doy Moyer
The scriptural concept of kingship starts in Genesis 1. God is the sovereign Creator who made male and female in His image and gave them dominion over the creation (Genesis 1:26-29). The idea is that humanity rules with God according to His will. In the garden, we find God dwelling with Adam and Eve until sin enters the scene, and the relationship with God is fractured (Genesis 3). However, God was not going to let that be the last word. As He enacted His plan to bring about redemption and restoration, He would include kingship as an integral part.
God chose Abram to be the one through whom the promised seed (the Messiah) would come (Genesis 3:15; 12:1-7). In addition to all nations being blessed through him, God promised Abram that kings would come from His offspring (Genesis 17:6). As the story unfolds, we learn that the kingship promise would go through Judah (Genesis 49:10), then through David (II Samuel 7:12-13). While the type of king that Israel wanted did not align with God’s revealed will (Deuteronomy 17:14-20; I Samuel 8:1-9), God still set in motion HIs plan to bring about the ultimate King, the Son of God, whose reign would supersede all others in a kingdom that would stand forever (Daniel 2:44-45).
The Gospel of Matthew opens with the lineage of David to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic kingship promise. The wise men who came to see Jesus even asked, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). When Herod asked about this, the chief priests quoted from Micah 5:2, which includes the promise of “a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:6). Luke’s account also emphasizes the kingship of Jesus. Mary was promised to bear a son to whom would be given “the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
Preaching the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14) necessitates preaching Jesus Christ as King over His everlasting kingdom. The Psalms and prophets pointed to this great messianic King (cf. Psalms 2; 110), and the salvation that comes through Him is directly tied to the proclamation, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7). This message is consistent throughout the New Testament. Peter preached the gospel message on Pentecost, showing that David had pointed to Jesus as the One who would sit on the promised throne as “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:24-36). Paul preached the same message, bringing in the royal Psalms 2 to show that Jesus fulfills the promise of the messianic King (Acts 13:26-39). This is consistent with preaching the “good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). Jesus is the promised King, and this is truly good news, for it was accomplished through the defeat of death and the devil (Hebrews 2:14).
Jesus is not just any king. He is no tyrant seeking to gain material wealth and power. His kingdom came through great tribulation and suffering. He voluntarily came into this world as God in the flesh so that He could die and subsequently arise to defeat death. God’s grace makes forgiveness and salvation possible through what He did. Yet this kingdom is not a material kingdom of this world but a spiritual kingdom that transcends physical boundaries and brings in believers from all nations. He sits on His throne and invites all to join in His reign as a “kingdom of priests” (Revelation 4:10; 3:21). God’s intentions for humanity are restored in Christ.
The book of Revelation highlights the power of Christ’s kingship. He is the Son of Man figure who has all dominion (Revelation 1:12-20; cf. Daniel 7:13-14). He is the One who is worthy to open up the seal of God’s plans and purposes. He is to be worshipped as the Lamb who was slain, but who was raised so that He would “receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12). Indeed, He is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16; I Timothy 6:15-16). All things have been subjected to Him, far above “all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named” (Ephesians 1:19). At His name, “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
As King, the rule of Jesus is characterized by faithfulness and steadfast love, with justice and righteousness at the foundation (Psalms 89:14). His kingdom stands opposite to the domain of darkness and provides security for the believer to know that in Him we have redemption and forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). We are restored to our divine purposes through Christ, who now reigns from heaven and invites all, by His grace, to be reconciled to God. To Him belongs honor and glory forever (I Timothy 6:17). Amen.
