God IS King

Psalm 24:7–10 

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!

What do you know about kingship? As Americans, we know relatively little about kingship. We play “king of the hill” or try to become “king” in foursquare, but that only brings the connotation of strength and winning. We know that our country was start as a rebellion against the king of England, who was a tyrant and taxed us without representation. But that was over 200 years ago.

We don’t really understand kingship, other than some romanticized version of the European kings in recent history and stories. When the Bible talks about kings, it is referring to the Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) understanding of kings. 

The ANE king was the ultimate rule in their realm where the people and the land belong to the king. It was expected that the oldest son of the king would become the next king. They were to defend their kingdom and were leaders of the army. 

They also set the religious tone for the kingdom. In the ANE the king would select a god or gods for the kingdom to worship. The ANE king would be the mediator and representative of that god to the people. In some ANE cultures, the king was considered divine, such as Pharaoh in Egypt. ANE kings that were depicted in carvings or reliefs, were shown as larger than every other person in the picture, this was to demonstrate his divinity. 

An ANE king would rule over a city-state, a country, or even an empire. When the kings would go out to battle, it was considered a battle between the gods of those cities/empires. This is why Goliath called out to the Israelites and blasphemed God, he was saying that the god of the Philistines was greater than the God of the Israelites. He obviously learned his lesson.

ANE people thought gods had regions and you could travel to another land to get away from a god. This is why Jonah hopped on that boat, he thought he could get away from the local realm of YHWH. He learned his lesson, that YHWH is King of the Universe.

ANE kings ruled with fear and power. If you offended an ANE king, he could have you killed on a whim. Consider the story of Esther and how she feared for her life to go before the king without being invited. ANE kings had complete ownership and commanded authority that often times corrupted their understanding of themselves and others. 

With these thoughts swirling, consider what the ANE people would have thought about when they heard that God is King, the King of kings.

Read Psalm 99.

What might an ANE person think about after reading this?

God is described as King, one to be feared, that is consistent with an ANE understanding. “The King in his might loves…” destroying other cities? Taking many wives? Expanding his empire? Punishing the criminals? None of those.

Rather, the King in his might loves justice. He uses his power in purity for the good of his people. The way he wields his power doesn’t bring his people to cower before him but they sing his praises. 

He is also described as a forgiving king, which again sets him apart from the cruel ANE kings. In Psalm 99 we encounter a description of God as King who is worthy of worship. Who is to be feared, revered, respected, and loved because he is just, merciful, and forgiving. 

When we think of the God of the Bible, we need to remember that He is our King. Like the ANE kings, God’s decrees are ultimate, and we belong to Him. Unlike the ANE kings, God is full of mercy, compassion, and good. He wants us to come to Him and find our refuge and help (Ps 47:2; Ps 9:9-10; Prov 18:10).

God is good, kind, merciful, compassionate, and forgiving. He demonstrated how much love He has for His creation by sending his only Son to die for us (Rom 5:8). ANE kingship is passed from father to son. God was willing to put his heir on the cross for our behalf. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and conquered death in the resurrection. He invites us to follow Him by trusting in Him. Those who trust Christ are adopted into the family of God and joint heirs with Jesus. That’s huge…something to be explored at another time. 

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our King, and we are His people. We need to remember that he uses his might for our good and He executes justice. He is a King worthy of our worship. 

God IS...

Key Verse: Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (KJV)

    I used to tease a friend of mine that his girlfriend did not exist because I had never met her. He said she would be hanging out at the house, but when I would get home, he said I just missed her. Our paths never crossed, so I began to think he was making her up. It happened so frequently that we had a running joke.  

    However, I actually knew she existed long before I ever met her. Why? The way he talked about her, described her, and say her name left an impression that she was real. Also, the way he began to change his behaviors, his diet, and his appearance testified to the reality of this “mystery” girl.

    It didn’t take much for me to believe she was real. I finally met her, and they are now married. It’s a cute story, however it teaches us something true about our relationship with God.

God IS…REAL

    It begins with faith, trust, belief. Faith that God does exist. God is real. I shared the ESV and the KJV verse today, because I grew up on the KJV and memorized Hebrews 11:6 in the KJV. I love the way it says “must believe that he is.” 

    In order to come to God, you must first believe that God IS, that he exists. We may not be able to see him with our eyes (John 20:29), but we can see the evidence of God all around us in nature, in others, and in his Word. Psalm 8 and 19 point us to the beauty of creation. Psalm 139 reveals the hand of God in how God made us and has a plan for us. Its basic and foundational, but acknowledging the existence of God is the starting point. 

God IS…a REWARDER

    The author of Hebrews boils faith down to two elements, God exists and God gives rewards to those who seek him. God is real and he is gracious. God is knowable and relatable. God delights to give good gifts to those who love him (James 1:17). 

    God’s ultimate reward is the forgiveness of sins through his Son, Jesus Christ. God gave Jesus in the ultimate display of love and kindness, inviting sinners into a right relationship with him. 

God IS…REVEALED

    God has disclosed himself on the pages of Scripture and throughout creation. Romans 1 tells us that nature declares the existence of God. John 20:30-31 tells us what was written was so that we might believe in the revealed Son of God.

    Several years ago, I wrote a lesson on the names of God. Each name of God in the Bible reveals a layer of who he is. Some of the names of God have been transliterated from Hebrew into English, such as Elohim, or Jehovah Jireh. And others have been translated into English, such as God Almighty, or the God who sees. Either way we state them, when we pause and recognize the names of God and what they reveal about God, we will be drawn closer to him because they are his revelation to us. 

    I was struck by the name El-Roi, or the God who sees, when reading about Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 16. In her distress, Hagar cries out to God and he sees her and rescues her. Hagar is not Sarah, she was not the woman of promise. Her participation in Sarah’s plan led to frustration, hurt, and isolation. Sin does that. Yet God sees her in her affliction and compassionately cares for her. El-Roi reminds us that he hasn’t forgotten about us, he is aware, and he will rescue us. 

God IS…TRANSFORMING

    Those who know God, who are in a right relationship with Jesus, will be changed. Knowing God is different than just knowing about God. The difference is between information and transformation. Information alone makes you smart and you can pass the test. Transformation changes you and makes you wise. 

    Knowing God in a personal relationship is the difference between a caterpillar and a butterfly. Like my friend dating the “mystery” girl, the evidence of a changed life, changed behavior, and changed appetite demonstrated the reality of someone in his life. Likewise, a changed life is testimony to the reality of that God IS to the world around us. Knowing God exist should lead you to be aware of his presence in your daily life and cause you to joyfully obey him in whatever you do!

Jesus Understands

Hebrews 4:14–16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

What causes you to be anxious, depressed, or feel lonely? It was not too long ago when most children and teens would not resonate with these descriptors. Unfortunately, in our post-pandemic, social media infused society, anxiety, depression, and loneliness is on the rise in our children, teens, and adults.

Sitting in a doctor’s office waiting for a test result is a lonely experience that can be rife with anxious thoughts, however the doctor’s demeanor, tone, and answer can alleviate those feelings in a matter of moments with a hopeful response. What are we supposed to do when we have these feelings throughout the course of a normal day? When there is no reason to have them, no impending report, just a nagging, almost sickening sensation deep in our chest, where are we to turn?

Consider this Holy Week, the events that transpired in the life of Christ the week leading up to his crucifixion. What emotions, feelings, and thoughts were swirling around in his head? How did Jesus cope with anxiety, depression, and loneliness? 

So, you might be hung up on my explicit statement that Jesus had anxious, depressed, and lonely thoughts. Some might even be offended by that implication. Jesus was human, was he not? Anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, fear, happiness, joy, love, etc. are emotional responses that all humans experience in some way or another. 

    “But isn’t it a sin to be anxious or depressed?” It is unfortunate that some have used the Bible or the pulpit to make harsh statements that have characterized certain emotional responses as sin, to the point that it has caused a sense of guilt and shame that has pushed people deeper into their affliction. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness can in fact become a sinful state of mind or be the result of holding on to sin in your life, but that is for a separate lesson. Understanding our emotional state, the severity of it, and the process we go through can help us determine how to handle them. 

If you are having a hard time understanding your emotions, I encourage you to invite someone into your process. You may need to talk to a Christian Counselor or therapist to help understand what is going on. There is no shame in seeking help. When our thought processes go unchecked, they can develop into something bigger than we can handle ourselves, and we need Christian brothers and sisters to help carry our burdens (Galatians 6:2).

    Jesus is human, and he lived his earthly life as any man would. Jesus was misunderstood, mocked, rejected, betrayed, and disappointed. Jesus experienced loneliness, grief, poverty, and tempted yet he did not sin. Jesus stated to his disciples, “my soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Matt. 26:38). Jesus anxiously cried out three times to the Father, “if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39, 42, 44). In all these things, Jesus did not give in to sin and allow human emotions to overcome him. He remained faithful to his calling, and he obeyed the Father, “your will be done” (Matt. 26:42).  

    The human body will process traumatic experiences by releasing different hormones to help cope with the stress. When these hormones are released, they cause the body and mind to sense different feelings and emotions. Sometimes it will be exhaustion, an acute sense of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and so on. Jesus is human, and his body produced adrenaline, which mean he experienced the adrenaline crash (consider the story of Elijah on Mt Carmel 1 Kings 18ff). 

    This is why the author of Hebrews says we have a great high priest in Jesus Christ who can sympathize with our struggles. He endured through the most difficult of trials to become the perfect sacrifice for you and me. Because he understands the human condition, he understands when you bring your fears, anxiety, depression, and loneliness to him. He wants you to come boldly to his throne of judgement to receive his wrath? No…his throne of grace so that you can receive mercy in your time of need. 

As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I want you to know that Jesus understands you. He knows the human struggles. He knows your pain, your loneliness, your grief, your depression, and he loves you. He went through it and has come out victorious, so that you too can be victorious. 

Some practical things you can do when you have these emotions is to start by recognizing your physical body and meeting your physical needs. When is the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Do you need to set some time aside to take an uninterrupted nap? How is your diet? Have you been eating healthy or unhealthy foods? When is the last time you exercised? It’s not like you need to do a HIIT method, just go for a walk regularly, a hike, bike ride, or play a sport. These will help bring your body back into rhythm.

Remember what Jesus went through by reflecting on these verses. Talk to Jesus about them and how you are processing them. It is super helpful to recognize that you are not alone in these feelings, how much more to know that the Son of God understands them too. Memorizing the Word of God is a powerful tool to help your mind process difficult emotions. 

Jesus would often go off to pray. Developing a prayer routine will help you invite God into your process. Remember he knows you better than you know yourself. Consider praying Psalm 139:23-24. While you look it up, meditate on the whole psalm. Consider Psalm 103 or pray a lament like Psalm 13. 

Invite others into your process. Jesus invited the disciples to go and pray with him, and even gave them a charge to pray with him. You do not have to battle these feelings alone. Invite godly friends, mentors, pastors, or trained counselors to help you. The earlier you begin the conversation the better. The longer you hold on to the feelings internally the harder it will be to begin the conversation, but once you do you will be blessed. Again, if you have had persistent anxiety or depression, you may want to talk to your pastor or seek a Christian counselor soon. 

Celebrate the good things God has done in your life. Remember his faithfulness to his Word. 

Whether you are facing a test, a health issue, a relational issue, or just struggling on a normal Wednesday, Jesus understands. He can sympathize with your feelings and he loves you. Picture it like sitting in Doctor’s office waiting for the test result, full of anxiety, fear, depression, and loneliness. Jesus walks in with a smile on his face, a soft but strong tone to his voice, and an arm around your shoulder saying, “everything is going to be ok.” All it takes is a little encouragement for our feelings to dissipate. Jesus is a big God, and he can handle the big stuff. Trust him.