Why Did Jesus Come? / Part 10

Series – May 2019 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Why Did Jesus Come?
Part Ten: He Came To Establish His Kingdom

Then Pilate said to Him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” —John 12:37 ESV

Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC ) was one of the most memorable kings in history. He ascended to the throne of Macedonia after the assassination of his father, Philip II of Macedon. Alexander expanded his empire, and as a result he earned many titles including King of Macedonia, Pharaoh of Egypt, King of Persia, and King of Asia. Instead of considering his history, think of the reasons of Alexander’s greatness.

He did not rule for a long time – only for about 13 years, which is much shorter than his father.1 He was not the most experienced king, since he died when he was 33 years old. His kingdom was big, but it was not the biggest. The Roman, British and Russian empires were much larger. So, what made Alexander so unique in history?

Most historians agree that Alexander was extraordinary because of his positive impact on the many countries that he invaded. He was unique in doing two things: He spread the Greek culture and built cities. His military conquests allowed him to stretch his kingdom from Egypt to Punjab State in India, including the lands which had belonged to the Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian empires. In all this land he built cities that became major cultural centers, some even until the 21st century. Twenty cities were named after him: Alexandria. Uniting this massive land area under one kingdom opened the world to the Greek language and culture, allowing those cultural centers to communicate and flourish using one language to simplify the flow of knowledge.

Despite Alexander’s greatness and impact, he is not worthy to be compared to Jesus Christ; there is no comparison! Jesus united multitudes from all parts of the world. He built His Church on the strongest foundation, Himself being the cornerstone of a great building – the body of believers, which is still growing. His message of salvation was spread to the whole world. But one might ask, “Was Jesus a king? Did He gather a strong army like Alexander? Over which country or land did Jesus rule?”

Born As A King
Matthew’s gospel is considered “the gospel of the king” because it portrays the Lord Jesus as the King. The gospel of Matthew documents His birthright to the throne of David by listing His genealogy through Joseph, who was considered his father (Mt. 1).2 Matthew kept reminding his readers that Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of the prophecies about the long awaited Messiah, who would establish the kingdom in Israel. For example, He was born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2; Mt. 2:3-6) and He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zech. 9:9; Mt. 21:4-5).

Jesus declared He is King (Jn. 18:37) and promised special blessings for His disciples in His future kingdom. He told them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt. 19:28).

Some have accepted and acknowledged His kingdom, such as the thief on the cross, who said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Lk. 23:42). However, most of the people did not accept Him as King, and He was delivered to be crucified. Even then Pilate inscribed a sign, which included the title “King of the Jews,” and placed it on Jesus’ cross.

What Kind Of Kingdom Did Jesus Talk About?
Jesus referred to two types of kingdoms. The first is a literal kingdom on earth; Jesus, the Messiah, as King over His people Israel and the whole earth (theocratic rule). As Messiah He came to the Jews, but they rejected and crucified Him. However, Christ will come again in a future day – very soon – and establish His rule over all the earth as was foretold in the Old and New Testaments. This will be the millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6).

The Lord Jesus also talked about the kingdom of heaven, which included secrets (Mt. 13:11). He established this kingdom in its moral state during His first advent, or coming, and it will continue until He comes back (vv.30,39-41). Everyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord is part of this kingdom. Unfortunately, many individuals confess by their mouth that Jesus is Lord, but they don’t believe in Him as their Savior. They are still part of His kingdom, but they are not true Christians and therefore not a part of His body.

Attributes Of The King
The culture of any kingdom and its success depends largely on the character and attributes of its king. So, let’s trace Jesus’ kingdom attributes as documented in the Bible.

Righteous King: The Word of God declares 11 times that Jesus is just. In Isaiah we read: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit ... with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth ... Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist” (11:1,4-5). The whole world is longing for a righteous ruler who will stop all corruption and injustice everywhere.

King Of Peace: “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). In spite of the establishment of the United Nations and the many peace treaties that have been signed, the world still suffers from wars and threats of wars. When Jesus was born, the angels declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Lk. 2:14). His birth brought the promise of peace to those who believe in Him. In a future day His kingdom will bring peace to all the earth – people and animals alike.

Fearsome King: When Jesus came to die on the cross, in the first advent, He came as a Lamb (Isa. 53:7; Jn. 1:29). He will come again as a Lion, to rule over the earth (Rev. 5:5). In His first coming He was beaten and killed by mankind, but in His second coming He will have victory over all His enemies (Isa. 11:4; Ps. 2:8-9; 2 Th. 2:8; Lk. 19:27). This includes Satan, whom Jesus will throw into the pit “until the thousand years [are] ended” (Rev. 20:1-3).

King Of Glory: Every king or queen tries to show their glory and superiority by constructing grand buildings, wearing expensive garments and sparkling crowns, or conquering other kingdoms. Our King has a glory in Himself that surpasses any ruler. The psalmist wrote: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory!” (Ps. 24:7-10). God has given Jesus a name above all names and has testified that He has moral dignity above all dominions: “And I will make Him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (89:27; see Zech. 6:13; Rev. 17:14, 19:16).

The Shepherd-King: Although He is a glorious and fearsome King, He will still have compassion and will care for His flock. We read about Him: “Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm rules for Him ... He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Isa. 40:10-11). What king cares for his people in this tender way? Because Jesus Christ is a caring king, His people trust Him. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore ... For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:16-17).

The Priest-King: According to the law the priest can only come from the tribe of Levi, while the king should be a descendant of David of the tribe of Judah. Jesus is not a priest based on the Levitical priesthood, but He rose as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, who was both a king and priest, (Heb. 7; see Ps. 110:4; Gen. 14:18). This truth was revealed in the Old Testament, as we read about the Messiah being a ruler and priest at the same time: “It is He who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And there shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zech. 6:13). As King He represents God in front of His people; and as Priest He represents His people in front of God.

The Scope Of His Kingdom
When the Lord came to His people Israel He came to rule over them as King, but they rejected Him. In His second coming He will rule over Israel and the whole earth, fulfilling many prophecies. One prophecy is found in Psalm 2:8, which says, “Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession.” Another is: “May He have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!” (72:8).

The Duration Of His Kingdom
We read six times in Revelation 20 about a kingdom for “a thousand years.” However, in the Old Testament we read about a kingdom that “shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44). The Jews at the time of the Lord Jesus knew this and challenged Him: “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” (Jn. 12:34). Will Jesus rule for 1,000 years or will He rule as King forever?

Jesus will rule for 1,000 years, then He will deliver the kingdom to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:28). However, Jesus will remain King forever. Jesus will be King and rule during the millennial kingdom, judging the evildoers that will remain during that period (Isa. 65:20, 66:24; Ps. 101:8). In eternity He will still be King, but without the need to rule because there will be “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13). Notice the difference: in the millennial kingdom righteousness will rule, ensuring justice, but in eternity righteousness will dwell. Jesus will be King forever, as foretold by Daniel: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (7:14).

ENDNOTES
1. Alexander ruled for 13 years from 336 BC until his death in 323 BC. Philip II ruled from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC.
2. Luke 3:23-38 lists the genealogy of the Lord Jesus through His mother Mary. This list leads to David but it goes beyond him to Adam, thereby confirming the Lord’s title as the Son of Man, which is the focus of Luke’s gospel. Matthew listed Jesus’ genealogy through Joseph because it goes through the royal line of David’s descendants, proving Jesus’ right to the Davidic throne.

By Shereen Ghobrial

This concludes our Series, “Why Did Jesus Come?”