Posts Tagged ‘King of Kings’

Scripture reading for December 28th: Revelation 19:1-21

Following the announcement of Babylon’s sudden fall, John heard the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting, “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments.  He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.  He has avenged on her the blood of His servants.” (Revelation 19:1-2)  Heaven’s multitudes rejoiced in God’s judgments.  These had come out of the tribulation and had remained true to God and now were seeing God’s justice in action.  The elders around the throne agreed with this worship and cried, “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Next, John heard a great multitude shouting in response to a command from the throne to praise God, “Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:6-8)   The next event was the wedding of the Lamb and the bride was made ready.  The wedding garments of fine linen, were the righteous acts of the saints!  The deeds of this great multitude would be their clothing at the event.  No one would be allowed at the wedding supper without a proper garment!  (Matthew 22:11-14)  Those invited to this banquet would be blessed!  (Revelation 19:9)

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider was called Faithful and True.  With justice He judges and makes war.  His eyes are like blazing fire and on His head are many crowns.  He has a name that no one knows but Himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. . .On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

The heavenly Bridegroom comes on a white horse.  He is no longer the Lamb, but now is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  He will rule the nations and judge those who have not come under His authority.  Is He your King?

Dear Friends,

Greetings on this Resurrection morning!  Christ the Lord is risen indeed!  We are so blessed to have a living Savior who ever lives and promises to come back and take us to Himself!  The grave could not hold Him and Satan was stripped by Him of the keys of death and hell!  The curtain was torn from top to bottom and all who believe on Jesus Christ have access into the throne room of God where Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand.

Jesus Christ is the King of Peace!  Like Solomon of old, He is a the wisest King who ever lived.  His manifold wisdom was displayed at the cross where He offered Himself to make peace with God the Father for our sins. Isaiah named Him the  Wonderful Counselor, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)  We now have peace with God through Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ is the King of Love!  Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  Jesus Christ laid His life down for us, His friends!  His love provided what we really needed to give us eternal life!  His love was demonstrated in perfect obedience to the Father.  His love reaches out to the whole world of lost humanity and draws each person who will respond to saving faith!

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings!  There have been many kings over the ages.  Scripture records many kings of Israel and Judah.  All of them died; some were great and others were evil.  Jesus Christ is the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God!  He was and is perfectly righteous and holy.  He is alive forever and ruling with justice and mercy.  His throne endures forever and His rule will cover all time, space, and matter and every creature that He created!

May the King of Kings grant you His peace and love as you rest in Him this resurrection day!

In His Love,  Pastor John

Scripture reading for December 30th: Revelation 17-19

Would you rather be part of the prostitute or part of the bridal company?  The analogy in these next chapters is between cheap sex for hire contrasted with the purity of a long term covenant relationship of love, respect and intimacy.  The cheap pleasure ends in woe, smoke, and eternal torment.   The Bride enjoys a great wedding banquet and eternal honeymoon, living happily ever after!  It’s time to listen closely to the end of the story!

John next visits with one of the seven angels who poured out the judgments.  This angel shows him the punishment of the great prostitute who sits on the many waters.  This prostitute has committed adultery with the kings of the earth and the earth’s inhabitants were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.  (Revelation 17:1-2)  John sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, dressed like a prostitute with a golden cup in her hand.  This cup is filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.  This title was written on her forehead:  MYSTERY– BABYLON THE GREAT–THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:5) This prostitute was drunk with the blood of the saints, those who bore the testimony of Jesus! (Revelation 12:11)

Right before the judgment of this prostitute, angels announce the fall and warn God’s people to come out of her!  (Jeremiah 51:6, 45) (Revelation 18:4) Then the ruin of this prostitute comes quickly–in one hour she is brought to ruin! The kings, merchants, sea captains and sailors all mourn her destruction.  A final angel pronounces the judgment with the hurling of a large boulder into the sea mirroring the words and vision of Jeremiah 51:62-64.  (Revelation 18:21)

Then all heaven erupts with shouting!  “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments.  He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.  He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” (Revelation 19:1-2)  Three more “Hallelujah’s” resound through heaven, the final one announcing the wedding of the Lamb!

John listened as the angel spoke to him again.  “Then the angel said to me, “Write:  Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” and he added, “These are the true words of God.”"   (Revelation 19:9) Amidst all the shouting and worship, John writes another blessing of encouragement to those who read and heed the words of this book!

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful  and True.  With justice He judges and makes war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.  . . .He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-12, 15b)

The heavenly Bridegroom comes in power and great glory to judge and make war!  He is Faithful and True in all His judgments!   He is Faithful and True to His Bride!  All His enemies are defeated and He rules as KING OF KINGS!  Hallelujah!

Dear friends and followers of Jesus Christ,

Greetings on this the Lord’s day!  It is another beautiful day to gather with God’s people and worship!  Jesus is risen!  He is the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords!   He is the ‘first fruits’ from the grave, having conquered death and hell!  That great swallower of mankind choked on the King of Life and had to let Him go!

As I reflect back on the readings of this last week, I am again drawn to Mark’s account of the crucifixion and resurrection.  Jesus had lived, taught, and performed many outstanding miracles among His own people.  When He was arrested in the night by the temple police and brought before the Sanhedrin, the High Priest, Caiaphas, asked Jesus if He was the Christ.  Jesus simply said, “I am”. (Mark 14:62a)  Before Pilate, Jesus was asked if He was the king of the Jews and He replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” (Mark 15:2)  Pilate asked the crowd, what shall I do with the “king of the Jews?“  “Crucify Him!” was their reply!  (Mark 15:12-13)  The sign over his cross read: “The King of the Jews”. (Mark 15:25)  The crowd taunted Him on the cross asking this “King of Israel” to demonstrate his power by coming down off the cross. (Mark 15:32)

I can’t seem to get this idea of the King being crucified by His own people out of my mind.  How could someone who did only good and demonstrated only love to His people be rejected and treated in such a shameful way?  What kind of love is this on the part of this King, that He would be willingly crucified for those who would treat Him so shamefully?  How can He now show this love to me when I have also treated Him shamefully?  What would I be doing now if He had come down from that cross?

But He stayed on that cross!  He died a sacrificial death, demonstrating for all ages the heart of the God we are called to love and serve. He rose from the dead and conquered the grave, death and hell!   He now calls each of His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him!  We go to our death each day to live in His fullness!  We are also victors over death and hell through Him who loved us!  What a miracle of love!  Help me to understand it better, Lord!  Help me to live it out by faith!

In His Love,  Pastor John