Coming Before the King

The Dark Ages were a harsh and dreadful time. Disease and Death were rampant, knowledge was scarce, and kings ruled over all.

We as a nation have been free from monarchy for some three centuries now, and I am very thankful for this, but the old system carried with it some implications that I would like to briefly look at during my short stint (I say this hopefully) in sickness.

Kingship is a concept that I wish we had not lost, yes the tyranny of monarchy was terrible, but we have also lost a sense of ruling power, a sense of who we are, we are creatures meant to be under authority.

Sin has separated us from that standing, or, we think that we are freed from control, our lying hearts tell us that we are now kings of our own lives, and that the real King is deposed. I tell you Christian, God will not be deposed.

This is the reason our sin deserves hell as eternal punishment.

God is the King of this world, His very name was one that His people Israel held in honor, they would not dare to speak His name lightly, and in a time when His name is taken in vain as if it was of no worth, I wish we still knew what kingship means.

Israel knew well who their leader was (despite their constant idolatry and apostasy) they knew who their King was, and one of their greatest follies was desiring a king besides the only Ruler of All, and their folly caused the nation to eventually split under the rule of wicked kings whose hearts turned from the Lord.

But now, because Christ has redeemed us from the curse, by becoming our curse for us, so now we are free, and yet, not as we like to think. We are not freed under grace to be our own, no, no, and no, we were bought with a price. Listen closely Christian, I say to you, let nothing distract you from these words:

We belong, body and soul, in life and in death to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now that is something! Christ didn't save you to be your own! He saved you to be His, and His alone.

Christ Jesus may have humbly come to earth to save the lost, but it does not change who He is, and this is what I'm getting at, why I believe losing the idea of kingship is a terrible mistake, and tossing it aside is foolish at best, and absolutely sinful at worst.

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, the Ruler of all that is, the Lord over all Creation, and He deserves our absolute surrender to His Kingship.

He is the same God before whom Isaiah said: "Woe is me! I am undone!" (Isaiah 6:5) His presence is the same that set fire to the mountain and the same glory that made Moses' face shine so that the people were fearful to see it.

Here is my point, we cannot now, as Christians lose the idea of kingship, for it is our new reality! It is our new way of life given by the death of our King, His humility to make us humble worshipers.

I say this especially for this current age, where the name of our King is slandered as if it was garbage. We must fear the Lord, as in the Dark Ages, the veritable age of monarchy, the people knew who their ruler was, and they had a rightful fear of their king, for he held all power withing the bounds of his kingdom.

And the Lord's kingdom has no limits, no boundaries, no borders. All is within His Kingdom, and He rules it all. Let us not forget that our King can split a sea in two, or calm it with a word, that He can strike down thousands with Death in an instant, or save three thousands by a single sermon.

He demands and deserves our respect, and service, we are little but peasants before His power, but He adopts us a sons.

That is my second point, and the original point of my writing this.

Hebrews 10:19-22 "Therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

The holy places, in Jewish tradition, and by God's mandate in the Temple system there was to be a room, set apart from the rest, the Most Holy Place. To enter without proper course was immediate death, for this Holy Place was the presence of God among His people, His throne room on earth.

But the curtain that separated us from the Throne Room of the divine was torn in two from top to bottom, by the death of our Savior.

So now, we have full assurance to draw near. This is what prayer is. I do not think many realize this, we are walking into the Throne Room of God, to inquire of His Will.

Be it siege, or famine, disease or foes, the peasantry knew where they would find help, they would come before the king to petition his aid.

And we have confidence in faith to enter the Most Holy place without fear of death, for we are washed clean in Christ's blood. To ask our Gracious King for what we need.

But I say this, we cannot forget, God is still King, and He deserves our respect, and honor.

So think this the next time you pray, which you have free, and ready confidence through Christ to do, think of walking along a floor of marble, being led towards the Throne of God, you bow your head, be it in shame over sin, need in trial, or reverence in joy. You look up to see your Heavenly Father, the King of all Creation, smiling at you and saying:

"Come closer my child, and tell me what you need."

He is the King of all, and we must retain the proper fear, the fear of coming before the Righteous King, and God of everything, including you. But hear this comfort, we have a confidence that no serf or noble in the Dark Ages ever had.

We are given full access to our King, free and confident access to the Throne of Grace, to inquire at His temple and to ask of His will, nothing can keep us from Him anymore, and no fear need drive us away from His presence, indeed Christian, it should drive us ever closer to the foot of His Throne.

Draw near to the Throne of Grace, given access by the blood of Jesus.


No longer restrained by the curtain of sin and Death,

--The Scribe