(April 18, 2023) Stuart Reynolds reminds us of a coming royal event – and challenges our loyalty to our coming King of kings…

A patient in an asylum was standing on the stool in his room and shouting over and over, ‘I am the king of the universe!… I am the king of the universe!’

A nurse came by and tried to calm him down. ‘Who told you, you were the king of the universe?’ she asked. He answered: ‘God did!’ To which another voice from the next room shouted: ‘I did not!’

It’s not just the mentally insane who believe themselves to be ‘masters’ and ‘monarchs,’ but also the morally insane!

However, there is one, for whom becoming ‘King’ is not a delusion but a destiny!

In speaking of that King, I firstly remind you that come May 6 next month at Westminster Abbey in London, King Charles III will be crowned ‘king’ of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – not ‘king of the universe’ as the patient above, and neither a king without predecessor nor ultimately successor.

These days much of the world’s attention is drawn to that temporal ‘crown’ and national ‘throne.’

Destiny
However, I would direct your attention –

a) Higher to the King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15). He has no predecessor, nor successor!
b) Deeper to a closer relationship with His called, chosen and faithful followers (Revelation 17:14).
c) Not just with our heads, but also our hearts! This is vital!

For me, in Psalm 74:12, Asaph put it best and simplest in regard to the King of kings: ‘But You, O God, are my King from of old: You bring salvation upon the earth!’

The crowned ‘King From of Old’
In Revelation 19, we are taken to the throne-room where we are given a glimpse of its sights and sounds of eternity and heaven. Here we discover that Handel was not the first to compose The Hallelujah Chorus – it has been resounding in heaven from ages past and will always do so over ‘my King from of old!’

Verse 12 tells us ‘…on His head are many crowns.’ There’s the crown of –

1) Divinity
God decrees in Psalm 2:6: ‘I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.’ Note…

• This decree is not up for debate because it’s not a democracy!
• Nor is it a matter of opinion but one of observation!
• John’s gospel tells us: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning’ (John 1:1-20).

The great American preacher Dr S.M. Lockridge is particularly famous for his sermon on Jesus Christ, That’s my King, from which I quote but a portion…
‘The Bible says my King is a seven-way King:
He’s the King of the Jews – that’s a racial King.
He’s the King of Israel – that’s a national King.
He’s the King of Righteousness.
He’s the King of the Ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of Glory.
He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.
That’s my King!’

2) Humanity!
It has been suggested that the British Royal Family believes the whole world smells as if it has just been painted – everything is cleaned up, set in order, before they visit – ‘that one never “slums.”’

John 1:14 says of Jesus Christ, ‘The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.’ This verse means that Jesus…

• Didn’t just come to merely visit – but to stay… to live with us!
• Became flesh and blood just like ours! With all its restrictions, responsibilities and regrets!
• Came right into the middle of our mess… and didn’t wear gloves!
• Is still around to offer full salvation to the repentant sinner and meet our every need!

Talk about Godly royalty ‘gone slumming!’

3) Eternity!
Much is still being made of the ‘uniqueness’ of the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and now about King Charles’ coronation.

Not many have lived to see a Platinum Jubilee and a coronation in quick succession – but all will live to see and know and honour the day of the ‘King from of old.’

Isaiah 9:6-7a prophesied that ‘… to us a child is born [His humanity], to us a Son is given [His divinity], and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end [His eternity].’

The rest of verse 7 says, ‘He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.’  

Our ‘King from of old’ is without predecessor, has no equal or successor, wears crowns of divinity, humanity and eternity! But note…there is one more crown to highlight – the crown of…

4) Loyalty!
In heaven there are many crowns in addition to those that Christ wears, and every one of them is laid at His feet with the declaration of loyalty: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for you created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created’ (Revelation 4:10-11).

This declaration of loyalty to our ‘King from of old’ is just not in heaven, for the Bible tells us in Philippians 2:10-11: ‘… at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Famous declarations –
Polycarp
Christian bishop of Smyrna. as he faced his own martyrdom because of his allegiance to Jesus Christ, being given the opportunity to recant and save his own skin, said: ‘Eighty and six years have I served Christ, nor has He ever done me any harm. How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved me?’

Robert Murray McCheyne
Minister of St. Peter’s, Dundee from 1835 to 1843, his famous hymn declares…
‘When I stand before Thy throne
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with un-sinning heart;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.’

Martin Luther
The German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, Augustinian friar who became the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, those theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism, put it well: ‘No other God have I but Thee – Born in a manger… died on a tree!’

Challenge
You…

May I ask you: Where will you lay your ‘crown’?… Even today in regard to your personal loyalty of devotion and duty to the ‘King from of old’?

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Stuart Reynolds, Ears 2 Hear Ministries, is an itinerant preacher, teacher in evangelism and revivalism, in the UK and USA.

Stuart’s latest book On the First Day of the Week is a thoughtful collection of 52 weekly truth-tellers for thinking Christians. A.W. Tozer contended that ‘the problem with most Christians is that they don’t think!’ The purpose of this book is not to push and get the reader to agree with the author’s agenda, but to provoke biblical thinking in regard to the pressing issues around us. While the Bible does not speak about all things, it does speak to all things. GBP£13 ($15), plus postage. Link: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com

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