KING of kings and LORD of lords
When Christ Jesus returns with His bride, The Church, and all the angelic host of Heaven, there will be woven into His robe and tattooed on His thigh this truth, "King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:16)
I think of a king as a ruler of a grand swath of territory and population of many people. The king is responsible for the set up and smooth running of his administration that cares for all the different aspects of his kingdom or nation.
I think of a lord as a governor of people, laws, culture and society within a smaller community, such as a state, province, district, county and so forth. The lords ultimately report to the king or president of a kingdom or nation and deal with the local issues, elevating them to the king's attention when necessary.
The sobering thought that the Holy Spirit inspired me with concerning kings and lords is that if Christ is not The Lord and The King over your life then somebody and/or something else is. That replacement is usually ourselves, reliance on self and/or dependence on anything other than "Christ in us, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).
A king or lord does not always have to be in relation to the administration of property, land and people. Mentally and spiritually speaking, a king or lord is often a self-proclaimed title we grant ourselves for whatever reason we deem right. Ray C. Stedman, in his book God's Final Word: Understanding Revelation, adds a qualifying remark, he says -
- "If people reject the Lord's authority over their lives and if God is no longer God in their lives, then they must find another god! It is impossible for the human spirit to thrive without something to live for, something larger than itself - and that something is what god is!" (p.58)
Lord means master, authority and jurisdiction over what we call the small things in life. Christ Jesus wants this also. He desires for us to cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Whether we are a believer in Christ or not, Jesus is King and Lord of everybody and everything. The matter is acceptance of this truth and a living of our life in light of this truth.
The barrier that prevents the flow of favor, wisdom and knowledge many times is - first, a personal relationship with Christ as Savior of one's life is not established. For "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)
Secondly, you must take Him at His word, all of it and especially this word - that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Once these two criteria are met, I believe God has someone to work with, live with, guide through life and love in many different ways for the rest of eternity.
One way or another everyone will bow before Christ Jesus and confess He is Lord and King over all one day. The student of God's Word knows that when a point is emphasized multiple times in Scripture, the reader had better take heed. This subject, of Christ being Lord and everyone's eventual submission is covered at least three times - Isaiah 45:23-24, Romans 14:11-12 and Philippians 2:9-11.
For those unbelievers in Christ, I hope and pray that you make the decision for a relationship with Christ Jesus today. To still be in the unbelieving number and be kneeling and confessing Christ's Lordship over all one day is not going to be one's ticket into Heaven. This is a recognition by all creation of whom The Master and Creator is - Christ Jesus.
Know that He is King over all those who declare themselves kings of any sort. He is also Lord over all those who think themselves master of their own life. Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords.
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