Revelation 19:16 NIV
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
John 18:36-37 NIV
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Since the beginning of time on this earth, there have been many monarchies with sovereign rulers. In other words, lots of kings and queens.
Regardless of their human titles, there is only one King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
When watching Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession today, a thought hit me like a ton of bricks.
Well, not really that hard, but it certainly made an impression.
On the Queen’s coffin sat the “Royal or Imperial Crown”, a beautiful sight to behold.
The crown was made for Elizabeth’s father, King George VI for his coronation in 1937.The crown is made of gold and has 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and 4 rubies.
Needless to say, the crown is majestic and fit to adorn an earthly king or queen.
The thought that hit me like a lightning bolt was the comparison and contradiction between the pomp and majesty of “earthly royalty” and the life of Jesus, the only true King.
I am in no way disparaging the Queen or her earthly position.
I’m simply contrasting and illuminating what we all know about the life of Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
LOOK AT THE CROWN THAT ADORNED THE QUEEN'S COFFIN
NOW LOOK AT THE CROWN THE ROMAN SOLDIERS MADE OUR LORD WEAR
See what I mean? That lightning bolt moment.
That moment of deep reflection on the life and death of Jesus Christ.
That moment of deep reflection on the Son of God, who could have come as royalty, with the power of 10,000 angels.
But it wasn't to be this way.
His Kingdom is not of this world.
So, our Lord would be mocked and humiliated before He died. They would laugh and spit upon Him, not knowing he truly was the Son of God. Not realizing that He was truly able to answer their taunts and remove Himself from the cross. Not understanding that this man they dressed as an imposter king truly was the King of Kings.
They mocked Him saying "Hail, king of the Jews."
JESUS SAID "FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"
Matthew 27:27-37 NIV
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
Jesus received a crown made out of thorns twisted together. There was no look of royalty or splendor, but rather a cold, painful piece of headgear, made and set in place, to humiliate our Lord.
With this humiliating crown on His head, the Roman soldiers placed a scarlet robe on Him and put a staff in His right hand to finish the debasing costume.
Then, they started chanting “Hail, king of the Jews.”
Jesus, demonstrating the love that He taught us to have, called to the Father, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
KING OF KINGS
The only true King, the King of Kings, had to carry His cross part of the way up to Calvary.
The King of Kings was mocked and clothed with purposefully humiliating adornments. The crown of thorns, the scarlet robe and the staff in his right hand.
The King of Kings was spit upon and beaten before being crucified.
The King of Kings didn’t have a tomb. When He died, He was placed in a borrowed tomb.
There was no pomp or splendor attached Jesus’ life or His death.
Since the beginning of time on this earth, there have been many monarchies with sovereign rulers. For example, King Henry the VIII in England, King Louis XIV in France and Queen Cleopatra in Egypt, just to name a few.
Regardless of their human titles, there is only one King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Phil Cross wrote a beautiful song several years ago titled "The Only King", about our King of Kings. Please meditate on the words he penned, as shown below;
Lives this King,
Who would not wear a golden diadem or a robe of royalty;
Lives this King,
Who would not take an earthly kingdom throne as a sov'reign majesty.
Who is this King,
Who sits among the common man to eat?
Who is this King,
Who humbly bows to wash his servant's feet?
He's the only King who had to die for His Kingdom to begin,
The only King who surrendered to win.
He's the only King every king will bow before and sing.
Jesus Christ is Lord of lords; He is the only King.
Who is this King,
Who paid so high a price to ransom me with the riches of His grace?
Who is this King,
Who sacrificed His life so I could live an everlasting race?
Who is this King,
Who lets me be an heir of royalty?
Who is this King,
Who's everywhere yet lives inside of me?
He's the only King who had to die for His Kingdom to begin,
The only King who surrendered to win.
He's the only King every king will bow before and sing.
Jesus Christ is Lord of lords; He is the only King.
JESUS, the only king whose Kingdom began after His death.
The only King who had to surrender to win.
The only true King who didn't come to earth to be treated as a King.
Think and meditate upon this often.
Jesus Christ is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords and regardless of earthly titles, He is the only King.
Hebrews 1:6,8 NIV
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[a]
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
RVH