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BIBLE
The Coming of the King by Pastor Danny Goins
Just over 600 years before Jesus’ birth, Daniel interpreted the inspired dream of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. God used the dream to declare the time when He would establish His great kingdom—“in the days of these kings.” The interpretation also revealed the duration of God’s kingdom: “It shall stand forever.” Sometime between the fall of the Babylonian Empire and the fall of the Roman Empire the eternal kingdom of God would be established. Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given . . .and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.”
It was in the days of Rome that Mary gave birth to Jesus. John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father).” Jesus Christ was born the son of man and yet He was also born the Son of God. The prophet had written, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us,” Matt 1:23.
The Son of God stepped out of eternity and was clothed with human flesh that He might begin His reign as the eternal King of God’s eternal Kingdom. His deity and His humanity would produce the perfect blend of authority and empathy. From the cradle to the cross, beyond resurrection and ascent, now at the right hand of God . . . Jesus Christ is King!
When thirty years old Jesus left obscurity to assume His role of sovereignty. He was introduced by John the Baptist as, “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), alluding to the sacrifice the King would make at the end of His life. He then baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. Jesus’ anointed ministry was confirmed by the Spirit’s descent in the form of a dove and by God’s voice declaring Jesus to be His beloved Son. At that time, “in the days of these kings,” though the world did not comprehend the event, Jesus came as the world’s eternal King.
His reign began with His exercise authority in overcoming temptation. Jesus initiated his public ministry by preaching about His kingdom. Those who heard Him preach the Sermon on the Mount, wondered at His doctrine and at the authority with which He spoke. (Matt 8:28-29) Like so many today, they didn’t realize Jesus was King.
He demonstrated His rule over nature by changing water to wine, healing diseases, and calming the winds and seas with a simple whisper. He walked on water and discerned the thoughts of those who surrounded Him. His dominion reached far beyond the physical world. He commanded evil spirits, raised the dead, forgave sin, provided divine truth, and imparted spiritual life when He died a sacrificial death.
Consider the vastness of His reign. Describing how far His power and influence would reach, Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed in Mark 4:30-32. “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” His dominion has spread throughout the kingdoms of the world.
The angel had said to Mary, “And, behold, thou shalt . . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great . . . and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end,” Luke 1:31-33.
The King has a name above all names and has all power and all authority in Heaven and Earth. He reigned in the days of the apostles and He remains on the throne today.
The pioneers of the Reformation Movement embraced this truth. They placed great value in the freedom to be ruled by the king and the king alone. They committed their lives to His inspired Word and embraced Holy Spirit guidance. These blessed truths should not be forgotten as our Movement goes forward.
Chris Tomlin sings about Jesus’ “Amazing Love.” The lyrics stir my soul with wonder. Jesus, the Son of God, the king of Glory, with all power and authority in Heaven and Earth died for me. Be amazed but, more importantly, believe and receive the King into your heart and allow Him to rule your life.
I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken I'm accepted, you were condemned Amazing love, how can it be
This is the King to whom every Christian should pledge his allegiance. This is the King to whom all of the redeemed should dedicate their service. This King deserves to be honored, merits your loyalty and faithful support. This is the King in Whom we hope.
The King has come! He came the first time when the Word was made flesh and the God-Man was born a King in Bethlehem’s Barn. |
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If there was ever a day when the liberating truth that Jesus the eternal King has not abandoned the church was needed, it is in this hour. In the earliest days of the Church of God Reformation Movement this truth dispersed much of the current religious confusion with its clear biblical light. It liberated the saints of God from the yoke of unbiblical ecclesiastical mandates, affording them the wonderful freedom to bow only at the feet of Jesus. The King’s rule (His Word), His Holy Spirit and His Love bound together a sanctified people who were committed to Jesus Christ and to each other. This was the heartbeat of the Reformation Movement. They proclaimed allegiance to the King as the only way for the redeemed of the Lord to live in unity as the church of God.
The inspired New Testament writers give only a few details concerning the initial thirty years of Jesus’ life. The Bible identifies His genealogy, it tells of His virgin birth, and describes the angel who appeared to Mary and Joseph declaring the name of their unborn child, His purpose, and mission. We have the angel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds in the fields. He was born in the city of David, the town called Bethlehem, and several wise men came to worship the infant Jesus. These events were written to authenticate that Jesus was the One sent from God to fulfill all that was written concerning the promised Messiah. Jesus, conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary, is the One Whom God ordained and anointed to be our King throughout all eternity. |
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Pastor Danny Goins Grandview Church of God Ashland, Kentucky |