I Am King of Kings

by Christine Kim

Afew summers ago, I came across this picture of Jesus de scribed by John in the book of Revelations. John was ex iled to an island due to his mission to spread the gospel. There, he received divine inspiration from Jesus Himself to prophesy about the end times for the sake of the seven churches of believers, represented by the lampstands in the excerpt. In Revelation 1:13-15 (NIV), John describes his encounter with Jesus:

“13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters…”

Later on in Revelation 19:12-14;16 (NIV), he also wrote on account of Jesus’s appearance:

“12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean…16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.”

The image of Jesus that John described was nothing like the tender person He was in my past Bible readings. Here, Christ was regal and beautiful and I felt His power ripple out of the ancient text and into my present world. Why did this image of Jesus captivate me so much?

Jesus’ life and mission on earth were recounted in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). There, He came to fulfill the prophecy of the “Savior” or “Messiah” who was to redeem mankind from eternal death and destruction. The Jewish leaders and citizens responded with rejection, or only ran to Him to be healed or fed. Many did not understand His true purpose, nor did they see Him for who He truly was. This was because they expected the Messiah to be a King who could deliver them from the Roman Empire. Their vision of a savior was someone who would destroy the Romans, humiliate their enemies, and dethrone Caesar. Yet, Jesus defied their expectations and kept a low profile. His mission was to save humanity by cur ing diseases, teaching parables, eating with outcasts, and most importantly, dying on the cross for all of humanity.

Jesus came to fulfill many things, and among them was to be the“King of Kings.” Thus, in some ways, the Jewish leaders and citizens did rightfully expect Jesus to be a king. But their limited vision of the prophesied Messiah spurred them to reject His life giving power and transformative impact. Therefore, this title does not only mean He is a humble and gentle King for the believers of His kingdom, but also over every dominion in this world. From the tangible governments, monarchies, and terrorists (Revelation 1:5, NIV; Daniel 4:17, NIV) to the unseen forces of spiritual darkness and even Satan himself (Ephesians 2:2, NIV), Jesus is their overlord. Hence, the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords'' written on His thigh in Revelations 19.

The things that are unseen and our daily battles against depression, anxiety, social pressure, idolatry, lust, gluttony, murder, hatred, etc., are not just rooted in the human propensity to sin. They are also orchestrated by the unseen gods, rulers and kings that stir grief, turmoil, and tempt people to commit every possible sin. We are constantly in unseen battles. Apart from Christ, we often fight them alone.

However, if we place our hope and trust in Christ, it will be as if thousands of armies are on our side. We can boldly wage war on the brokenness within and around us because of Jesus’ presence and reign. Furthermore, He has no empty promises when it comes to setting people free because there is nothing too dark for His love to reach. In Romans 3:38-39 (NIV), apostle Paul writes, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This passage refers to how Jesus' death and resurrection allowed mankind to have an unbreakable bond with God. The things that once threatened our eternal separation from God are now subjugated to Christ’s authority. Thus, there is always hope in Jesus’ love for us.

Scripture also says, “In him was the light, which was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5, NIV). Jesus is referred to as the “light” of mankind in these verses. The line “has not overcome,” implies that ever since the existence of darkness until the present and into the future, evil can never overcome the light. Jesus’ eternal authority over the evil rulers and principalities means that they will always be brought below His throne.

Currently, I am in the final stretch of my college career. Everyday feels like an endless to-do list as I am fighting to make the most out of the little time that I have left. After an overwhelming day, I have often looked back and inquired: Jesus, were you really with me all along? I’ve heard Him reminding me that I am living upon the answered prayers of my guilt, sin, depression and rage ridden past. He has sometimes asked me why I only see Him in the mold of a loving parent or the faithful companionship of a friend. He has challenged me to believe that His power can do more than my greatest expectations.

Recently, however, He’s responded with only the image of Himself as the valiant and beautiful King I encountered through Scripture those couple summers ago. As I've been trying to figure out what it all means, and how I need to respond, I’ve also realized that perhaps I am not meant to do anything. Maybe He just wants me to be rest assured and know that His Kingship is real.