During our visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt, we spent hours looking at the ancient Pharonic antiquities and artifacts on display. One section of the museum is dedicated to housing the varied treasures of the boy king Tutankhamun aka king Tut. King Tut’s artifacts came from his tomb and included over 3500 treasures and affluent items that he supposedly used throughout his life. These artifacts ranged in items made of gold, silver, precious gems, calcite, alabaster, etc., such as golden perfume bottles and amulets, the Wadjet or eye of Horus, canonic chests and shrine, statue of an one horned Oryx, golden scarab necklace, golden buckle depicting a chariot drawn by horses, the gilded throne and statutes, including life-size statues (1 meter 73 cm) of King Tut. Additionally, two of the three sarcophagi in which king Tut was laid to rest as a mummy are on display, with the third outermost (not on display), made of complete gold and weighing 450 kilograms (over 990 pounds), resting today in the Valley of the Kings housing his mummy still. But the highlight of the museum (a must see to all who visit) is king Tut’s funerary mask, which was found placed over the mummified head of the king. It is made of gold and inlaid with precious stones (lapis lazuli, turquoise, and carnelian), weighing 11 kilograms (nearly 25 pounds) and is believed to represent what the king really look like. Suffice it to say, that the king certainly lived an extremely affluent life and an inscription on his tomb door declares the king had “spent his life in fashioning the images of the gods”.
After being flabbergasted by such opulence, my loving wife Sangeetha in levity remarked, “This king must have been a brat (given he was only about 19 when he died), for who in life (or death) really needs such luxuries. Such wealth seems to indicate that the king had subjects who served him and a good king is one who serves his subjects, not the other way round!” To this our beloved five year old son, Reuben questioned, “We must be nice to him, because he is a king, correct?” seeking my support.
Later on, as I pondered over this conversation, it struck me that I personally know of another king, The KING, King Jesus Christ, who in his birth and death was affirmed of his kingship. In his birth, the question was “Where is he who is born THE KING of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2) and even in his death, a promulgation with an inscription on the Titulus, placed over of his head, on the Cross affirmed, that Jesus is King, King of the Jews as it read IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDÆORVM meaning Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. (Mathew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). But unlike king Tut, King Jesus Christ, gave up the riches of his glory (Philippians 4:19) to spend his life fashioning the image of his creation, and took the form of a servant in the likeness of man, making himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:6-8). Not only that, King Jesus Christ expressed that as a king, he had not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28) and give his life as a ransom for many, and that my dear friends, makes not only a good King, but a GREAT King. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16) and I will leave you to ponder on the same question that our son asked, “We must be nice to him (Jesus), because he is a KING, correct?”
Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 20:28 (NKJV)
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Revelation 19:16 (KJV)
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
