The 37th President of the United States died yesterday. Gerald Ford was 93 years old. In hearing the news I was immediately struck by the beauty of King Jesus. You may raise an eyebrow and wonder aloud as to how and why.
There was a day when Gerald Ford was arguably the most powerful and ‘important’ man in the world. However, now he has stepped out of this world and is a mere memory. Such is the history of leaders and kings throughout the ages. We read of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, King Herod in the gospels, and the looming shadow of Caesar over the New Testament. All of these kings have gone the way of President Ford and are no more.
Recently I was struck by the picture of helplessness with King David. David of course was the great and mighty king and warrior who conquered his thousands upon thousands (1 Sam. 18.7). David at the end of his life is weak, cold, feeble and physically helpless as he approaches death. We read in 1 Kings of David being so cold and weak that he had to be warmed by a young woman (1 Kings 1.1-4).
This picture of David’s weakness and then subsequent death coupled with the recent faces of our leaders like Gerald Ford who have stepped into eternity should cause us to see Jesus in a class all by himself. For it is King Jesus alone who is the superior King, the King with no term limits, life limits, or any other limits! Jesus is the King of kings! Jesus is the one who has no beginning and no end, does not age, loose vitality, decrease in knowledge, or wane in righteousness or justice. In fact, we read in Isaiah that there will be “no end to the increase of His government”. King Jesus is in a class by himself.
Consider with me that Jesus is no less glorious today than when he was spoken of in Genesis, the Psalms, Jeremiah, Isaiah, or Micah. Nor is he less glorious than when the angels announced his glorious coming to this earth, or when he walked this earth to proclaim his kingdom, or when he his apostles proclaimed the glory of their King! The glory, power, beauty and supremacy of Jesus is infinite and unfading! He is no less glorious to us today than to men like Calvin, Bunyan, Owen, Edwards, Spurgeon, or Ryle!
Even further we read in the gospels of God’s endorsement of Jesus’ beauty and glory. In Matthew 3 & 12 we read of Jesus being the continual and unending delight of the Father. The beauty of Jesus is so infinite that it is worthy of divine contemplation, adoration, mediation and flat out worship! The Trinity worships in infinite satisfaction, love and joy because of their intrinsic glory and beauty. King Jesus is right there in this mix, receiving the divine praise and standing eternally as the object of Jehovah’s affections.
Friends in Jesus, realize today that your King is glorious! Do you see his beauty?! Rejoice in the grace of God that opens eyes to behold this glory that you might see, taste, and enjoy him in all of his manifold splendor and beauty. Indeed, Jesus reigns as the unrivaled King of kings and his beauty does not fade.
I encourage you today to remember Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2.8). Keep remembering him, the glorious King who does not fade in splendor, power and majesty. Remember the King who’s worship is not relegated to a dispensation or age, but for all men of all tribes of all times, for he alone is supreme and he alone is King!
Thanks be to God for these kings whom he brings for a season to remind us of our own transient nature. And thanks be to God that he has provided the wonderful King of Heaven, the Lord Jesus, Emmanuel himself, to rule and reign with untarnished beauty and glory, that he may received pure worship forever. Amen.
