Revelation 17:14 - Christ Our King

Revelation 17:14

They will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.

Message: Christ Our King

Time: John mentions himself 4 times as author. It was written around the year 95 on John's exile to the island of Patmos after preaching the gospel to Asia. Revelation comes from the Greek word for apocalypse and refers to an unveiling. The book is about the tribulation period with symbolic language, giving us the end of the story -- Jesus will once and for all heal the wounds of sin, reign for a thousand years on earth, then re-create the world into a place that represent's God's original design. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

This verse speaks of a war that is happening with the Son of God - the Lamb of God - Jesus - and today it definitely feels like Jesus as Lord is being put on the shelf in our present life by the world. Yet, should we be surprised? This world is of Satan and the people resemble that type of thinking and yet the people of God know that Jesus is King of kings. 

To dig a little deeper into this verse in Revelation, I am interested in the title "King of kings" and why it was used. The Expositor's Greek New Testament (1897) references this title as a reference to the well-known Parthian title. "King of kings" which was a title first given to Parthian empires of their kings around 150 BC. This verse begins with "They will wage war against the Lamb." The preceding verses speak of the last of the seven angels, which were entrusted the execution of the last things and the last angel is referred to as the Great Harlot. And in 17:2 is mentioned that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, this angel, the Great Harlot. The idea being that the kings accepted this angels idolatry and aligned themselves with her. And now in verse 14, they will wage war is the idea that these kings of the earth, kings of nations, will wage war with Jesus and Jesus the Lamb will overcome them because He is lord of lords and King of kings. Thus, Jesus is the King among all kings. Thus, it seems that John is taking a phrase that has been used of kings and empires somewhat recently, 250 years or less and ascribing that phrase - King of kings - to Jesus. 

It is interesting because I remember singing songs with "King of kings" in the verses. And there is the idea present often that all the governments do submit to Jesus as He is king of Kings. In the Bible are 6 references to King of Kings. I don't see this as a title given to the Lord God himself in the Old Testament, but there are 3 references to it in the new, 2 in Revelation and 1 time by Paul in I Timothy 6:15. 

Yet, the idea of God as King is mentioned in the Bible, like Psalm 10:16, "The Lord is King forever and ever; nations have perished from His land." So on one hand is the title "King of kings" which is not given too many times, but is a true concept and then the idea of Jesus as King is also prominent. 

One instance of this is found in John 12:12-16 as Jesus is entering Jerusalem on his way to being crucified. 

On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

This reference in John seem to go back to Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The Zechariah verse paints the picture of the ideal king coming. And then Zechariah also inserts, coming with salvation. Zechariah is prediction the fall of Israel here and the fall of the neighboring nations. This is not a conquering king coming with weapons, but a king coming as a prince of peace. The colt or ass references back to Judges passages that speak of riding on donkeys in preparation for judgment. This king was spoken by all the prophets and is one coming that will reign forever. So Jesus is meek and still the ultimate rescue for His people. And he is it. No more will be needed. Yes, He will come again to usher in the final kingdom on earth and in heaven, but His rescue of people's souls and lives will never again be repeated. 

This type of king in our lives in not fathomable. We have rotating kings and presidents. We have this constant stress or adulation of who will be our next leader. And the question of what type of leader He will be. Will God be by His side or will he only lean on human wisdom? So, this lesson is so important for Jesus is King of Kings and He is the last and ideal king. No one is better and no one needs to be better for He had done it all. 

Promise: I am Christ's ambassador to point people to the Jesus the only King and only true King of our lives, but we are to bow our knee to Him today and each day. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing me this text. It takes me time, but you illuminate me and open my eyes to your truth and the right understand of you Jesus as King, as the King of Kings. Thank you for using your word and speaking through others in the past to also give me understanding. I am your ambassador of truth. Help me to keep being a blessing to others. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation, Obedience under the Law, Obedience in Suffering, Christ Our Prophet, Christ the Priest, Christ Our King