KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS!

Recently I watched the news as Queen Elizabeth of England celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. I watched the pageantry, the beauty of it all.  I saw the Queen’s guards marching, clothed in their beautiful reds.  Then there were the golden coaches and the shouts of joy from the massive crowds gathered there at Buckingham Palace.  And the flags were flying from the towers, noting that the Queen was in residence.  Oh, I am sure you saw it too!  And the pageantry and the honor given the Queen and her court are absolutely amazing!  But, then the crowd had to wait and wait until her appearance.  And then she finally appeared all clothed in white wearing her lovely white hat, and beside her family there on the balcony.

But my mind began to compare the riches and glamor of earthly kings and queens with our King of Kings, Jesus Christ.  And I began to imagine what it will be like when King Jesus makes His appearance with His court, the angels and the saints coming with Him.  There is no comparison.  Earthly kingdoms perish. My King lives and rules forever.  Queen Elizabeth and her court will someday pass away, as other kingdoms will fail.  But we serve a God who reigns eternal. 

As that massive crowd waited and waited for the Queen to appear, so we, His people, are waiting!  We are waiting for that glorious day when He shall appear.  Oh, what a day that will be!  I can hardly wait!

But He calls us to be patient and continue working for Him, but to watch, because no man knows when He will come.  “Therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” James 5:7-8.

James here compares His coming to that of a farmer waiting for the harvest, waiting until the rains come and all is gathered in.  There are many out there who do not know Jesus, and we are called to be witnesses and gather “the harvest of souls” into His kingdom.  “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” II Peter 3:9.

And as I looked at the pageantry of the Queen arriving, I looked there at the crowd assembled, a great multitude shouting with excitement, waiting for her appearance, and I imagined what it will be like in that great day when all of His saints have been gathered in, and He is there on His throne, the King of all Kings, “The Ancient of Days.” (Daniel 7:9-10).

“And I heard, as it were the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready”  Revelation 19:6.

I tried to imagine what it will be like to be in the massive crowd when we crown our Lord Jesus, and as we are gathered around that throne in glory.  Multitudes and multitudes of saints from all the ages, all colors, tribes and races will be there, along with the angels.  And we will all be shouting “glory” and the thunder of our voices will shake the heavens.  My earthly mind cannot fathom the awesomeness of that day.  I can only shed tears of joy as I think about what it will be like to be in that crowd, and see our Lord Jesus and shout His praises forever and ever.  I do pray that you, my friend, will be in that crowd on that day.

After the Queen made her appearance, she stepped back into the palace, and the crowds dispersed.  Oh, there were many celebrations on her behalf on her 60^th anniversary as Queen.  But she has now gone back to her duties as Queen, the celebration is over.  But we will be with our King forever, never having to leave His side, worshipping around the throne and enjoying His presence forever. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes: there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” Revelation 21:4.

Think of that my friend, in God’s Kingdom, He Himself will wipe away our tears, no more death, crying or pain.  We suffer so much on this earth, as we continue on our journey here.  We watch earthly kingdoms come and go, but we long for our eternal home and His kingdom which will never end.  We can worship Him forever and ever. Think of your King today, who is all glorious and reigns above, but also reigns in our hearts.  So He calls us to worship Him, and tell of His greatness, until that day when we will no longer have to wait and watch for His appearance, we will be gathered with the saints for all ages, and also with our loved ones who have gone before us.  He calls us to “Worship the King.”

O worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing His wonderful love; our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of days, pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, and sing of His grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; His chariots of wrath the deep thunder clouds form, and dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light, it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in Thee do we trust, or find Thee to fail; Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end! Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and friend.  Amen  (Robert Grant)

So we wait and keep looking upward, waiting for that day.  But I urge you, my friend, is you do not know Jesus, as your Savior and Lord, do that today, right now.  Just ask Him to come in and reign in your heart, so on that day, you too, will be in that crowd around the throne shouting praises to our King who will reign forever.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon