Looking back over the past few weeks, I’m seeing a common Biblical truth is woven through my various reading and listening: Jesus’ rule and reign as King. I finished Genesis last week and am working through Nancy Guthrie’s teaching now. Also, as many others, I’m reflecting on the realities of Holy Week and Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are innumerable connections because every word in the Bible is God-breathed, purposeful and telling the same great story: God with us, and God reigning in the world.

From the bruised heel (Genesis 3:15) to the reigning Lamb (Revelation 22:1), the Bible is a redemptive story of a crucified Messiah who will establish God’s kingdom on earth through his atoning death on the cross.

Jeremy Treat

Jesus is King. We see this in His life, death and resurrection (Matthew 2:2, 3:13-17; John 1:49, 18:36, 19:14; Luke 23:2; Mark 15:26; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:20-25; Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:33). He will rule in our life or He won’t. He doesn’t push His way in, and He doesn’t want only one part of our life. As King, He rules in the wisest, best, kindest and purest way. He rules omnipotently, omnisciently and omnipresently. He rules gently and strongly. He rules mercifully and justly. He reigns over COVID-19, our losses and our hurts. And He even reigns supreme over the things that make us happy.

From Genesis to Revelation, we learn about God’s rule and reign for all created things and beings. We see Him working all things for good, we get glimpses of His justice and mercy, and we witness His sovereignty and glory in awe-inspiring ways. One of the most prominent is the death and resurrection of His Son. Chrysostom said, “It is a great thing indeed to have been delivered from darkness; but to have been brought into a kingdom too is far greater.”

In his book The Crucified King, also quoted above, Jeremy Treat writes, “Jesus reigns not by coming down from the cross to save himself, but by staying on the cross to save others. He reigns by saving, and the greatest act of salvation is on the cross. Jesus’ messianic mission was to bring the kingdom, and to the extent that he did so on the cross, one can truly say that Jesus reigns by serving.” (142)

Timothy Keller says, “The gospel is not about choosing to follow advice, it’s about being called to follow a King.” I am seeing this played out in both painful (because of the surgery being done on my heart) and incredible (because Jesus is so beautifully satisfying) ways lately. He is the most gentle and kind of Kings but He is a King to be served, revered, enjoyed and obeyed. And He is a King who calls for and deserves every inch of my life.

Is He King to you? For you? Over your life?

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come… To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1:4-6