Nathaniel, a man in whom no fault was found, declared that Jesus was the King of Israel (John 1:49) , a declaration that the Jews (residents of Israel) very soon denied. Did you know that in the unfolding of the crucifixion of Jesus, the majority of questions or declarations raised by Pilate, a Roman Governor had to do with Jesus as king. The first question Pilate asks Jesus is “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33). Note, Pilate asked, Are you THE KING of the Jews, not Are you A king of the Jews? Jesus’ response to this question was by counter-questioning Pilate as to whether he really sought to know the truth on his own accord or if it was out of hearsay that he wanted to know. Jesus did not directly answer the question but explains that His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Interesting isn’t it that most of the parables and teachings of Jesus was about the Kingdom, His Kingdom. Pilate’s second question was merely, “Are you a king then?” not Are you the king of the Jews (John 18:37), to which Jesus responded, without claiming Kingship that it is as Pilate had so declared. Pilate’s third statement was more a declaration than a question in which he expressed “Behold your King!” (John 19:14) and then his fourth question was not to Jesus but to the Jews, in which he asked “shall I crucify your King?” (John 19:15). What a pity, Pilate first did not recognize Jesus to be his King, even though he was told by Jesus that what he had declared was true, but what is even more pitiful is the response that the Jews gave, when they said we have no king but Caesar (John 19:15).
Today, not only many of us deny the Kingship of Jesus by the way we live but seek to be kings ourselves, implicitly expressing that we have no king. The music industry is rife with examples of conferring titles with the word ‘king’ to the entertainers. Some examples are Elvis Presley (the king), Bob Marley (the king of Reggae) and the recently deceased Michael Jackson, known as the king of Pop. Wanting to be kings ourselves, we fail to recognize that Jesus is not only THE KING of the Jews, but He is THE KING of ALL CREATION. He is not just someone else’s King, but He is our King. We must BEHOLD THE King and BOW to His Kingship. If we choose not to do so now, we will one day, for the hour is at hand, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). Pastor Lucious Smith prayed in the funeral service of Michael Jackson, “But even now the king of Pop must bow his knee to the King of kings” and that is applicable to each one of us.
Jesus is the King of kings (Rev 19:16). Not only is Jesus THE King, but He is THE KING of kings, but what is even more is that He is the Lord of kings (Daniel 2:47). And to his Lordship, we will all bow, if not now, one day.
