Revelation 19:13-16 (NRSV)
“13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
To understand this passage, we have to understand that many claims themselves not only as kings but also gods. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 states, “Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
Now, Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords means that there is no higher authority over Him. His reign over all things is absolute and cannot be broken. His inviolable authority is affirmed in Ephesians 1:20-23 which states, “God put this power (the great power) to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
In the Old Testaments, the title Lord of lords is referred to God the Father. HE is called Lord of lords in Deuteronomy 10:17 and in Psalms 136:3. While the king of kings was referred to Nebuchadnezzar being king of Persia and Babylon in Daniel 2:37. But we will notice that these two titles were integrated in 1 Timothy 6:15. The titles ‘The King of kings and Lord of lords’ is applied to Jesus Christ. Being switched in Revelation 17:14, Jesus Christ as the Lamb is being referred to Lord of Lords and King of kings. and then in Revelations19:16, the title ‘King of Kings and Lord of lords’ is again referred to Jesus Christ as the Rider on the white horse whose name is the Word of GOD.
Being true God and true Man, Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Jesus indeed had suffered and offered His Life to gain this all authority in the hearts of GOD’s people. Although Satan assumed already the possessions of all the kingdoms of the world, he tried to twist again the plan of GOD. He allured Jesus Christ, the Son of Man with the splendor of all the kingdoms of the world. He is very ambitious to make himself not only equal to GOD but as he is an authentic thief, he wanted to snatch these two titles from GOD and attempted to make himself not only equal to GOD but to become the Lord of Lords and King of kings by tempting our Lord Jesus Christ so He will bow down and worship him (Matthew 4:8-9). But Satan was not able to make it (Matthew 4:10).
St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians very well explained how our Lord Jesus Christ retain the two titles for our sake. In verses 2:3-11, it says,
“3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, GOD’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways His ways, says the Lord in Isaiah 55:8. If Jesus is really our Lord of lords and King of kings, then humility should be in us. He gave us examples to follow. We should not seek equality with God nor assume that we own kingship of anything including ourselves. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). It is time to check ourselves who is the Lord and King in our hearts. If we are filled with ambitions, then certainly there’s no room for Kingship of Jesus in us. Be humble and forget our worldly ambitions. We have to cast out the evil desires in our heart and start confessing with our lips that Jesus is our Lord of lords and our King of kings through the Holy Spirit, for no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). Believe in our hearts that Jesus suffered and raised from the dead, and GOD made Him to take control of us for our salvation (Romans 10:9). AMEN
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