What King Are You Voting For???
Reflection: Today is Election Day where we the people will vote to elect a new president to be our leader. Ironically today’s passage describes two leaders in the life of the people of God through their history together.
One cannot help but notice the juxtaposition of the two kingdoms talked about in today’s passage. David has conferred a kingdom on his son Solomon and given him the charge to observe what the Lord requires and walk in obedience (and also finish up some business with his enemies!). Of course that advice had served David all of his life and made him prosperous in all he did with few exceptions when he did not follow God. He also reaffirms the covenant God made with him, that if he walked faithfully he would never fail to have a successor on the throne.
And indeed God did honor that promise in spite of many failing of future kings to rely on Him. All the way down to the birth of Jesus, who was from the line of David too! But the world will see that Jesus is a different kind of king. As Jesus comes toward Jerusalem he is met by crowds who are shouting “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” This was a messianic shout reserved for the Messiah who would one day come and deliver Israel and set up His kingdom.
But instead of coming on a “war horse” as would be expected, Jesus comes in on a donkey, the colt of a donkey. John has been all about signs that point to the kind of Messiah, Jesus was and is, and today is no different. In the coming days Jesus will show the world a king like no other. One who will go to the cross and die a death on behalf of his subjects. And then confer on the disciples 50 days later, the power of the kingdom to live on his behalf in the same type of power and authority that lays itself down for the sake of others.
What King are you following? Even earthly leaders like Presidents of the United States will eventually bow down to this King. But the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly do so now. Take a moment to give thanks for King Jesus and the kingdom he has conferred upon as His disciples. We get to be ambassadors of the King as we die to ourselves and live for His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven!
Psalm 119:153-160
Resh
153 Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.
1 Kings 2:1-38
David’s Charge to Solomon
2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. 7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom. 8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.” 10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
John 12:12-19
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old. Psalm 44:1
Though you have not seen Him, you love Jesus Christ, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries. 1 Peter 1:8,9-10 (NASB)
One cannot help but notice the juxtaposition of the two kingdoms talked about in today’s passage. David has conferred a kingdom on his son Solomon and given him the charge to observe what the Lord requires and walk in obedience (and also finish up some business with his enemies!). Of course that advice had served David all of his life and made him prosperous in all he did with few exceptions when he did not follow God. He also reaffirms the covenant God made with him, that if he walked faithfully he would never fail to have a successor on the throne.
And indeed God did honor that promise in spite of many failing of future kings to rely on Him. All the way down to the birth of Jesus, who was from the line of David too! But the world will see that Jesus is a different kind of king. As Jesus comes toward Jerusalem he is met by crowds who are shouting “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” This was a messianic shout reserved for the Messiah who would one day come and deliver Israel and set up His kingdom.
But instead of coming on a “war horse” as would be expected, Jesus comes in on a donkey, the colt of a donkey. John has been all about signs that point to the kind of Messiah, Jesus was and is, and today is no different. In the coming days Jesus will show the world a king like no other. One who will go to the cross and die a death on behalf of his subjects. And then confer on the disciples 50 days later, the power of the kingdom to live on his behalf in the same type of power and authority that lays itself down for the sake of others.
What King are you following? Even earthly leaders like Presidents of the United States will eventually bow down to this King. But the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly do so now. Take a moment to give thanks for King Jesus and the kingdom he has conferred upon as His disciples. We get to be ambassadors of the King as we die to ourselves and live for His kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven!
Psalm 119:153-160
Resh
153 Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.
1 Kings 2:1-38
David’s Charge to Solomon
2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. 7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom. 8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.” 10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
John 12:12-19
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old. Psalm 44:1
Though you have not seen Him, you love Jesus Christ, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries. 1 Peter 1:8,9-10 (NASB)
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