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The Accession of Christ

The Old Testament informs us about how events unfold by what occurs in the New Testament. More specifically, around the canonical gospels, we see echoes of Jewish life and religious tradition that reach back to ancient norms, customs, mannerisms, practices, and developments. Within this research project, the field of view narrows to how Jewish royal accession serves as a backdrop to the legitimacy of Christ’s kingship. With specific examples, we will walk through what occurred along the timeline of monarchies to validate rulership and governance. Each King’s encounters to station them on their respective thrones were unique yet as part of a consistent pattern that developed an expectation for following kings. More relevantly, concerning Christ as the King of the Jews and ultimately as Christ the King of the Kingdom of God.

Introduction

With scriptural support, the astute bible student can detect overlapping conditions by which the Kings of ancient Israel attained their status through lineage, achievement, and appointment. To perform functions as king to which the ancient nation of Israel navigated through conflict is of paramount interest as it concerns the messianic prophecies and covenant promises that were made by YHWH to a people, unlike any other nation. Down through the centuries to the time of Jesus as the Messiah, we see fulfilled expectations in His intentional activity to demonstrate who He is while supported by a genealogical reality that attests to His legitimacy.

The organization of this paper is segmented into several sections that together demonstrate who Jesus was by what He did and by what occurred in His life. The significance of Jesus’ life as ascendant human divinity who, in His humanity, attains elevated stature is by necessity a required outcome as prescribed throughout Old Testament prophecy. The interrelated functions of kingship and messiah operate together. In one sense, for purposes of rule and administration of justice, while on the other for compassion, deliverance, and mercy as the “Mashiach,” or the anointed one.¹

The three-part requirement of the kingship of Christ involved stages of accession that were both spiritual and physical realities. With Old Testament examples of these stages, expectations formed over time across kings that ascended to the thrones of Israel. However, the kings of the Old Testament were not messianic in nature as they were of Christ in the New Testament. While the nation of Israel and its people insisted upon having a king like other nations (1 Sam 8:20), those who rose to power were not of the divine caliber and origin who would also usher the Kingdom of God to Earth. Jesus was King of the Jews and the King of Kings in supreme reign over the Kingdom of God.

Necessity & Significance

It was necessary for Jesus to die to accomplish His mission and fulfill His ministry. Moreover, He had to die to ascend as both the King of the Jews and the King of the Kingdom of God. There were additional reasons why Jesus chose to give His life. Still, the prevailing significance of His accession was preceded by intervals of kingly rule among Old Testament royalty who commonly share attributes. The New Testament gospel writers intentionally reached back to patterns of accession repeated in the Old Testament to demonstrate in narrative form Christ’s life and ministry to satisfy requirements much the same. Numerous kings throughout Israel’s history foreshadowed Jesus’ eventual rise that meticulously previews a coming King who would be Messiah and God.

All the way back during the prophet Samuel’s time, the Lord spoke about Israel’s rejection as King over them (1 Sam 8:7). It was then that the Jews were to undergo a long series of failed or limited excursions into human governance whereby Christ the King and Messiah would in the distant future arise as the rightful and effective King of the people. It was of significance then because YHWH was once again relegated to the inferior preferences of the people. Even along the way of failed covenantal history, they rejected Him as God and then King whereas eventually, their Messiah would emerge to fulfill prophetic utterances. Jesus’ ascension through the Davidic genealogy was to set up the path in which His office as King would be validated.² Even more, substantiated by the pattern of accession that the biblical writers, in both the Old and New Testaments, articulate as true to Christ.

The announcements of Jesus as King began at the time of John the Baptist as they were both aware of His descendants from King David. While John the Baptist would exclaim, “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2) to usher in Jesus the Messiah, he made sure that His presence was upon the people.³ Moreover, Jesus Himself would proclaim the same message, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:17). Together they were reminiscent of a royal procession as earlier intimated by Rome’s coming to Judea when Caesar traveled through Palestine.⁴Where before him, the way was cleared of logs and debris, and his path was made straight for his visit to Judea. The coming emperor’s recognition was made clear by what was prepared before him and would, after that, translate in John the Baptist’s proclamations about Jesus as the coming King and God-man. It all comes together about 500 years before the arrival of Jesus, Zechariah, the prophet foretold of Him as the king who would be endowed with salvation while riding into Jerusalem.

“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.”
– Zechariah 9:9

There it was in the New Testament, where he arrived in humble yet royal procession into the Kingdom of His own as publicly pronounced dramatically by John the Baptist.

Tripartite Requirement of Kingship

Ever since the time of the prophet Samuel, we see throughout Scripture the progression of three conditions by which individuals became King of Israel. Every time an ancient Israeli individual became king, there wasn’t a precisely familiar ritual to accession, but a general pattern by which a king was anointed who then overcame a foe as a test and after that underwent a ceremony of some type. To follow are various examples in the Old Testament outlined in detail where they together demonstrate a pattern that beckons toward what Jesus lived through as necessary to rise as the legitimate king over the people of Israel and all nations.

The stages of accession were not formal or structured as some ongoing methodology down through the centuries. However, they were part of a pattern to set expectations among Israel’s people to recognize the legitimacy and qualities of an existing or forthcoming monarchy.⁵ The leaders who took the office of king in ancient Israel arrived at that status by which one condition preceded another by necessity. The first stage of accession (anointing) always followed the second stage (defeat of a foe), which in turn was followed by a third stage (coronation). All stages were accompanied by various circumstances that correspond to the work of YHWH within Israel with respect to its surrounding nations.

Stages of Accession

Consistent with the gospel narratives, the kingly accession pattern follows an Old Testament course of historical events. This pattern of stages is consistent with research and terms concerning their definitions and meaning within an ancient Jewish context.⁶

Divine Selection and Anointing (Designation)
More generally, of a prophet beginning with Samuel and to King Saul, then to David, Solomon, Jeroboam and others, YHWH selects and appoints individuals as rulers over the nation of Israel for a sovereign purpose.

Defeat of a Foe (Demonstration)
Before coronation can occur, a designated king-elect must undergo a trial to overcome a foe and set of difficult circumstances. YHWH forms and uses circumstances to validate selected royal accession to achieve redemptive outcomes toward His purposes.

Exaltation (Coronation)
Once YHWH’s designation is given to an appointee, and there follows a demonstration of worthy accession, an exaltation occurs to indicate permanence (i.e., “Long Live the King!”) to forever seal the newly arrived power to reign, administer justice, and rule.

All three stages are coherent with one another across time as each is mutually inclusive.

Old Testament Stages of Accession

King Saul

We find in 1 Samuel 10:19 a prayer of the Israelites in which they petition YHWH for a King.⁷ As YHWH hears their prayer and answers them, He gathers all tribes together to direct the people to their anointed King. The Lord has chosen Saul to reign as King over them (1 Sam 10:24), where his designation was settled and recognized by the population. He was anointed to be the prince of the people of Israel (1 Sam 10:1) by Samuel with oil as a mark of certitude prior to the people’s recognition of their given King.

After his designation, Saul bears the challenge of defeating an enemy. YHWH instructed him through Samuel to attack and destroy the Philistines (10:7), but instead, he attacks and destroys the Ammonites in a feat of victory and triumph. A satisfactory outcome in the view of the people of Israel, but not before YHWH. Nevertheless, Samuel accepts the victory and the second stage of Saul’s accession advances. The people gather in Gilgal and make peace offerings before the Lord, where they also rejoice greatly for their new king. Yet another rejection of their God over them.

King David

The story of the prophet Samuel’s anointing of David is clear evidence of designation by YHWH (1 Sam 16:13). Thereafter, David would face the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17:50) and kill him to defend God’s honor as a set up to deliver a feat of victory in view of Israel to again point to a valid stage of accession after the prophet Samuel anointed young David as King-elect. The following coronation in Scripture is self-evident (1 Chronicles 12:38) to make clear the final stage of David’s permanent reign.

King Solomon

Solomon’s anointing was done by both a priest and a prophet this time. Both Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint Solomon (1 Kings 1:34) to double-down on the accession’s legitimacy by tradition and divine appointment. King David knew the stages required, and YHWH set the circumstances by which Solomon would become challenged, victorious, and given a coronation to elevate him to reign as king. Adonijah challenges the King-elect by requesting through Bathsheba the concubine Abishag a Shunammite as his wife. This woman, who was previously a type of concubine of David before his death, was a pawn to capture the kingdom even while Adonijah recognized Solomon’s place as king as appointed by YHWH (1 Kings 2:15). Adonijah already had Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the military commander, as allies and to take David’s concubine was to take a piece of his harem. Adonijah was not done and did not relinquish the kingdom to YHWH and Solomon as king. Adonijah, the older brother of Solomon, had challenged him as a foe with formidable support from the people and the authorities surrounding him. Solomon recognized the challenge as defiance where the next stage of his accession would commence.

Solomon had both Adonijah, and Joab killed, with Abiathar exiled by decree. Solomon’s first and final stages of accession by coronation are recorded in Scripture (1 Chronicles 29:20-25).

King Jeroboam

King Jeroboam’s designation does not come by anointing but by another means that indicate a succession of Solomon from YHWH (1 Kings 11:29-37). Ahijah, the prophet, finds Jeroboam on the road, takes his garment, and rips it into 12-pieces. There were ten pieces of which represent ten tribes of Israel, handed over to Jeroboam. This activity is a prophetic act of designation that sets Jeroboam to the king of these tribes. As Jeroboam was not of a Davidic lineage and the transfer of power originated as a judgment from YHWH against Solomon, the requirement to validate Jeroboam’s kingship was implicitly waived. To therefore recognize him as a king who was simply illegitimate in terms of accession and by comparison.

New Testament Stages of Accession

Old Testament patterns of accession are valuable indicators for recognizing and understanding what prophetic events led to the kingship of Christ. We realize through the biblical text what markers to look for from among legitimate kingly accessions. Namely, from the Davidic line of royalty to validate the office of King toward Jesus, we are to look for the stages of His ascent and ask what is more substantive to gain maximum confidence around the accuracy of prophetic fulfillment. More importantly, what these stages mean with respect to the reign of Christ over the Kingdom of God.

In careful consideration of New Testament events, we observe the anointing of Jesus through His baptism, His demonstration and defeat of a foe, and His coronation at the crucifixion.⁸ These were the stages He underwent with spiritual meaning at a much greater depth and significance than merely as the King of the Jews (which He was). Old Testament stages anchored the legitimacy of His elevated status that various kings cleared. Still, the translation to events in the life of Jesus was of a spiritual realm compared to a kingdom of a chosen people fraught with politics and religious self-interest.

The difference between the anointing of Jesus and the legitimate Davidic kings that preceded Him was that John the Baptist baptized Him, and God the Father audibly appeared to express His approval. His anointing was unique in this sense because He was designated rightful king both as human and God to become God-king. The prophet’s anointing was a double portion, so to speak, as both John the Baptist and Elijah were there to designate Jesus as King (Matt 11:14). King of both the Kingdom of God and the Jews. Immediately after the anointing of Christ, He was led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to face His foe, Satan. The second stage of accession was ushered upon Jesus to prove He is worthy and to set the tone for His ministry and forthcoming work through His apostles. While He was tempted to commit sins against the Father and betray His mission, the hardship He underwent was of enormous spiritual significance. Far greater than conflicts that were upon Him from religious adversaries, or Rome, and the social pressures throughout the Galilee area. Jesus was especially victorious in the face of temptations common to humanity where He would become elevated as the King over the Kingdom of God. Exalted and worthy of all honor and glory befitting Him as King of the greatest stature, His coronation thereafter became inevitable. He proved Himself worthy while holy and blameless as a man to serve as a model for humanity to admire, love, and pursue in righteousness.

Before the final stage of Jesus’ accession, it was necessary to establish expectations toward His forthcoming status. Both Old and New Testament biblical writers knew these patterns of accession, whether they were a matter of tradition or historically customary norms. Jesus likely knew of the tripartite stages of accession as He was entirely adept at Old Testament Scripture since they spoke of Him (John 5:39). His successful completion of one stage after the other had to be public to satisfy the expectations concerning legitimacy compared to the Davidic lineage before Him. Witnesses to His anointing, or designation, and demonstration of kingly stature and position were necessary as a validated correlation to assure maximum confidence in Jewish literature that He was and is, in fact, a King. Both the King of the Jews and the King of the Kingdom of God due to how Jesus advanced along the stages of accession.

It was not until the end of Christ’s life that the Roman Procurator Pilate began to recognize Jesus’ assertion that He is a king. At the time of Jesus’ trial, from among numerous Jewish leaders, Herod, Roman officials, and others, He was referred to as a King several times. While recorded in Scripture as a mockery, His status was recognized if not dismissed as a joke for the privileged class and onlookers to witness. To cast shame upon Him, He suffered as a King not for Himself, but for others to accomplish what the King of a spiritual kingdom would do.

Jesus was placed on trial because He claimed to sit at the right hand of power. Before the Jewish religious authorities, this put Him in a heap of big trouble. Jesus used this intentional phrase to cast certainty upon what the Sanhedrin would do to assure Jesus would die. For Jesus to advance to the final stage of accession, He had to die. As King, for there to be a resurrection and ascension, He first had to die. And die as a messianic king to accomplish His eternal status and reign over the Kingdom of God inhabited by people who would follow Him through salvation by grace through faith made possible. He would return His people to the Father, and they were to become citizens of a Kingdom that He brought in fulfillment of covenant promises centuries before.

The question Pilate posed to Jesus, “are you the King of the Jews?” (Lk 23:3, Jn 18:33), revealed that he did not recognize the Jewish rules of accession. After all, in his words, “Am I a Jew?” (Jn 18:35) reinforces the value of Jesus’ clarity when He acknowledges His reign of another Kingdom. A kingdom above all kingdoms to include both Israel and Rome. Pilate pressed Jesus about His claim of royalty; the words of Jesus resonate in the hearts of millions. He, in fact, was and is a King who bears witness to the truth, and His followers know Him and abide in Him. By His testimony before Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I have come into the world,” Jesus seals His claim and what was to follow by necessity was His coronation. There was nothing Pilate could do to release Him as His redemptive purpose must be fulfilled.

Jews, the political class, the social elite, and religious leaders were oblivious to what Jesus was to accomplish. Even His apostles were not fully aware of what was to occur and why. Only as revealed through Christ’s post-resurrection appearances and the Holy Spirit were they later able to piece together the implications of what was to come. Through the gospel and discipleship, the Kingdom of God was to develop and grow just as YHWH intended from the beginning. Challenges to the Kingdom from the Jews or Pilate were ineffective and absented any coherent understanding of what was forming before them and those for generations to follow.

The crucifixion was the final stage of accession. The crucifixion was the official coronation ceremony of Jesus’ ascent to the throne. His seat of power was given to Him by His death on the cross and by it, He was awarded eternal glory and honor due to such magnificence. As He was held at trial before Pilate and then to Herod and back to Pilate again, the vestments of royal position and notoriety were placed upon Him.⁹ He was given a crown of thorns (Jn 19:2) to serve as a visual cue that He was a king yet not by derision only. Even while Jewish people as a nation rejected Jesus, they still crowned Him King, and in a spiritual sense, the way they did it was of far greater significance and eternal meaning.

With the three stages of accession now complete, Jesus was irreversibly endowed as King. In accordance with the Scriptures, His intended purpose (Jn 18:37), and by the Jewish tradition of ascent to monarchy, there is no denying that He was marked as King both then and now. Then He was made King of the Jews and now as the ruler over the Kingdom of God both in heaven and on Earth. Objections to Jesus’ status from a historical perspective were made implausible because of what He had accomplished.

The Royal Heritage of Jesus

To further reinforce the historical accession of Christ as He passed through the three stages, His genealogy must be considered. If He did not begin from the correct bloodline, then at the outset, His contemporaries and everyone today must recognize His ascent as invalid. The root of His claim to the throne comes through the Davidic line of kingly advancement. Crucial to the Jews is the genealogy of a family line to trace back generations of heritage. The distinction between the genealogical account in the gospel of Matthew as compared to Luke was centered around His Jewish ancestry.¹⁰ The fascination about the lineages from Adam to Jesus rests with the divergence of genealogies after King David. Both Solomon and Nathan were the ancestors of Jesus’ parents, both Joseph and Mary, respectively. While Jesus needed to pass through the kingly accession, foundational to that effort and those outcomes was the royal descent between male and female to originate him through His birth. To this end, the backdrop of Jesus’ lineage was of paramount importance to Jewish populations during first-century Judaism.

The Royal Retinue of Jesus

The emergence of Jesus as King is found throughout Scripture to indicate His royal place among His people. The markers are placed throughout the biblical text to illustrate the means of His kingly office between His role as prophet, priest, and judge. The functional depth and breadth of Jesus’ place among His people and throughout history are unmistakable through various gospel accounts that speak of Him as a teacher, healer, counselor, and further positions of high regard. However, Augustine termed the three chief offices of Christ as the munus triplex: prophet, priest, and king designate Him as the son of David who alone is worthy of the seat of power at the right hand of God. All functions are subordinate to the overarching place as the mediator between God and humanity (1 Tim 2:5).

Back toward early Christian thought, the primary facet of Jesus’ kingship was His messianic identity.¹¹ With the royal retinue of the crucified with Him at the cross, there were yet further indications of His station in a literal way. Not in figurative imagery to infer His place, but by actual instances and accounts of royal conduct of the messianic king. When biblical figures referenced Jesus as master, rabbi, Lord, they generally recognized His preeminent status. However, over time, His messianic status became more widely recognized as His ministry grew. As savior, the Christ, His performative function as a rescuer and deliverer was entirely congruent with how He as a God-king serves those of His Kingdom. The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well recognized His messianic status (Jn 4:29). Peter recognized His messianic status (Matt 16:12-20). In time, all the Apostles, including the early church, recognized His divine nature as Messiah and a King of Kings due to return.

Further evidence of Jesus’ accession is found at the beginning and ending periods of His life. From the time of the Magi in Matthew 2, King Herod becomes distressed about the arrival of the “King of the Jews” (v.3). In fulfillment of Micah 5:2, Herod and all of Jerusalem were alarmed at the birth of Christ as the forthcoming king. As it was written,

“‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

The phrase, “a ruler over the people of Israel,” has a clear enough meaning to bring out panic within Herod as he would seek to kill the coming king (v.13). There is no mystery here that Jesus was who Micah prophesied about to give an early indication and prediction that he would accede to ruler status and have governance over the people of Israel. There was enough prophetic credibility around the magi’s testimony to end the lives of the firstborn throughout Bethlehem and its vicinity. The valid and plausible threat of a king to impose rulership over Herod’s house of successors was enough for him to recognize its merits and act upon them.

At the end of Jesus’ life, just before the crucifixion, He was referred to as king several times in the space of a day. Between Herod, Pilate, and the Jews, front and center was this notion that Jesus was a king who would become pitted against Caesar as the Jews decried “we have no king but Caesar” (Jn 19:15).

With all the intense upheaval in Jerusalem, in Galilee to the North, and even among Judean territories, so much attention and consternation added enormous weight to the accession of Christ. Not just by the accusations against Him and the claim to power that Jesus said and demonstrated, but by His matter-of-fact status. The gravity of protests against Him added weight to the truth of His kingship.

The Royal Return of Jesus

The return of Jesus as King is not only eschatological. Upon His resurrection, He returned to live among His followers victorious over sin and death. Just as a conquering king does, He defeats yet another foe. Only now to set Him as ultimate Potentate, or Lord of lords and King of kings because of the circumstances around His death and recovery. Having visited the “spirits in prison” to proclaim to them the truth of what He overcame and was now seated at the right hand of God (1 Pet 3:19-22) where angels and authorities were now subjected to Him. The reign of Christ just kept going well after the stages of His accession. His return by resurrection after death by crucifixion was further evidence of His kingship.

Throughout apocalyptic and eschatological work, we read of vivid imagery and symbolic meaning around the return of Christ. Particularly concerning His second coming and of His reign during the millennium era. The “Day of the Lord” suggests a call to authority. The kind of authority that is due to the King who reigns over the Kingdom of God. More explicitly, the Kingdom of God upon the Earth at His arrival is referred to by the Apostle John in his letter to the Churches in Asia Minor. In the biblical text, Revelation 19:16, he writes about the authority and power of the King.

“And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”

So as an expression of absolute sovereignty, Jesus appears as having authority over all rulers.¹² Yet, while the title “King of kings” is frequently found in early Jewish literature, we find references to the same title in a similar fashion.¹³ The associations to this ultimate title are referenced by the gospel writers from the Old Testament (Deut. 10:17, Dan. 2:47) and sources available during the intertestamental period (2nd & 3rd Maccabees, 1 Enoch 9:4, among others). For example, to extoll the glories of Christ, “You are Lord of lords and the God of gods and King of the ages. The throne of your glory lasts unto all the generations of the ages, and your name is holy and great and blessed unto all the ages.”¹⁴ Throughout scripture and first-century literature is a foundation of references to the significance and meaning around the truth of Jesus’ return and reign in power and glory. As a King would reign over His kingdom, Jesus has a forthcoming mission to settle the Kingdom of God on Earth where renewal of creation and the restoration of His people is made certain.

Conclusion

With exquisite detail, all the way from the birth of Jesus through to the time of His return, there is a mountain of evidence about His kingship. Yet a royalty of a different kind. An ultimate royalty as the messianic God-king who was and is deeply involved in the welfare of His people. In Scripture, He gives the people of His kingdom historic clarity about the stages of accession as His predecessors assume the throne before Him. Sort of precursors to the reign that would follow, we witness human authorities and governments’ failures, whereas, in Christ, we become informed and understand His place as Lord of lords and King of Kings. Throughout His life and ministry, we see the overwhelming certainty of who He is by what He does from His authority.

There is a clear thread of Jesus as King throughout all of Scripture. All of it and then some throughout first-century literature. His prominence and exalted stature throughout creation to include humanity are of utmost astonishing value and meaning. All of creation is in witness of who He is and what He has done. That God the Father is pleased with Him adds to our desire to worship and honor Him as our sovereign King over all the Earth. His life’s events and circumstances in the Old and New Testaments are a comprehensive representation of who He is as King in authority over all rulers. It is without question that Jesus was the King of the Jews. Everyone will bow before Him from then, now, and the future. As Paul wrote to the Romans long ago, “Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess Jesus as Lord” (Is 45:23, Rom 14:11, Phil 2:10), we shall honor Him and worship Him because of who He is and what He has done.

Citations

A portion of the research and material here is inspired and supported by the framework of accession as covered by Heiser’s podcast that outlines Shelton’s paper as cited. His review of other academic papers is referenced here as well. For further details and depth, reference Heiser’s podcast 333 “The Israelite King and Jesus as King” posted July 19, 2020, https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/podcast/naked-bible-333-the-israelite-king-and-jesus-as-king/.

Mark L. Strauss, “Messiah,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
M. G. Easton, “Kingly Office of Christ,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893).
David S. Dockery, “King, Christ As,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 984.
John F Hall, “The Roman Province of Judea: A Historical Overview.” Brigham Young University Studies, vol. 36, no. 3, 1996, pp. 319–336. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43044136. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.
Marc Zvi Brettler – God Is King: Understanding an Israelite Metaphor, vol. 76, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1989), 51.
W. Brian Shelton, “An Ancient Israelite Pattern of Kingly Accession in the Life of Christ,” Trinity Journal 25, no. 1 (2004): 72.
James Parks, All the Prayers in the Bible, Faithlife Biblical and Theological Lists (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2020), 1 Sa 10:19.
Joel Marcus, “Crucifixion as Parodic Exaltation” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 125, no. 1, 2006, pp. 73–87.
John MacArthur, “One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2012), 455.
Robert Duncan Culver, “The Earthly Career of Jesus, the Christ” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 17.
David Schrock, “Jesus’ Kingly Office,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Re 17:14.
Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck, eds., John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation, First Edition., The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO; Paris, ON; Eastbourne: David C Cook, 2005), 387.
Rick Brannan et al., eds., The Lexham English Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Enoch 9:4.

Bibliography

al., Rick Brannan et. The Lexham English Septuagint. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2012.
Brettler, Marc Zvi. “God Is King: Understanding an Israelite Metaphor.” Journal for the Study of Old Testament Supplement Series, vol. 76, 1989: 51.
Craig A. Evans, Craig A. Bubeck. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary – John’s Gospel, Hebrews-Revelation. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2005.
Culver, Robert Duncan. The Earthly Career of Jesus, the Christ. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.
Dockery, David S. Christ As King. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003.
Easton, M.G. Kingly Office of Christ, Easton’s Bible Dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893.
Hall, John F. “The Roman Province of Judea: A Historical Overview.” Brigham Young University Studies, vol 36, no. 3, 1996: 319-336.
Heiser, Michael “The Israelite King and Jesus as King”: Podcast 333 posted July 19, 2020. https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/podcast/naked-bible-333-the-israelite-king-and-jesus-as-king/. Accessed March 08, 2021.
MacArthur, John. One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2012.
—. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
Marcus, Joel. “Crucifixion as Parodic Exaltation.” Journal of Biblical Literature, 2006: 73-87.
Parks, Jimmy. All the Prayers of the Bible. Bellingham: Faithlife, 2020.
Schrock, David. Jesus’ Kingly Office. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2018.
Shelton, W. Brian. “An Ancient Israelite Pattern of Kingly Accession in the Life of Christ.” Trinity Journal, vol. 25, 2004: 72. Strauss, Mark L. “Messiah”, The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham: Lexham, 2016.

My Heart Christ’s Home

By on in Discipleship

My Heart Christ’s Home

by Robert Boyd Munger (PDF)

In Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, we find these words:

“That (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:16). Or, as another has translated, “That Christ may settle down and be at home in your hearts by faith.” Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart His abode.

Our Lord said to His disciples, “If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). It was difficult for them to understand what He was saying. How was it possible for Him to make his abode with them in this sense?

It is interesting that our Lord used the same word here that He gave them in the first of the fourteenth chapter of John: “I go to prepare a place for you .. that where I am, ye may be also.” Our Lord was promising his disciples that, just as He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them and would welcome them one day, now it would be possible for them to prepare a place for Him in their hearts and He would come and make His abode with them.

They could not understand this. How could it be?

Then came Pentecost. The Spirit of the living Christ was given to the church and they understood. God did not dwell in Herod’s temple in Jerusalem! God did not dwell in a temple made with hands; but now, through the miracle of the outpoured Spirit, God would dwell in human hearts. The body of the believer would be the temple of the living God and the human heart would be the home of Jesus Christ. It is difficult for me to think of a higher privilege than to make Christ a home in my heart, to welcome, to serve, to please, to fellowship with him there.

One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance He made! It was not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real. It was at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will – not into eternity!

This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ’s home. He has said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20). If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living God, let me encourage you to invite Christ into your heart and He will surely come.

After Christ entered my heart and in the joy of this new relationship I said to Him, “Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around and introduce you to the various features of the home that you may be more comfortable with and that we may have fuller fellowship together.” He was very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given a place in the heart.

The Library

The first room was the study – the library. Let us call it the study of the mind. Now in my home, this room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is an important room. In a sense, it is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, the magazines upon the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed His gaze I became uncomfortable. Strangely enough, I had not felt bad about this before, but now that He was there looking at these things I was embarrassed. There were some books that were there that His eyes were too pure to behold. There was a lot of trash and literature on the table that a Christian had no business reading, and as for the pictures on the walls – the imaginations and thoughts of the mind – these were shameful.

I turned to Him and said, “Master, I know that this room needs a radical alteration. Will You help me make it what it ought to be? – to bring every thought into captivity to you?”

“Surely!” He said. “Gladly will I help you. First of all, take all the things that you are reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good, and true, and throw them out! Now put on the empty shelves the books of the Bible. Fill the library with Scriptures and meditate on them day and night. As for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but here is an aid” He gave me a full-size portrait of Himself. “Hang this centrally,” He said, “on the wall of the mind.”

I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my thoughts are centered upon Christ Himself, His purity and power cause impure thoughts to back away. So He has helped me to bring my thoughts into captivity.

May I suggest to you if you have difficulty with this little room of the mind, that you bring Christ in there? Pack it full with the Word of God, meditate upon it and keep before it the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus.

The Dining Room

From the study, we went into the dining room, the room of appetites and desires. Now, this was a very large room. I spent a good deal of time in the dining room and much effort in satisfying my wants.

I said to Him, “This is a favorite room. I am quite sure You will be pleased with what we serve.” He seated Himself at the table with me and asked, “What is on the menu for dinner?”

“Well,” I said, “my favorite dishes: money, academic degrees, and stocks, with newspaper articles of fame and fortune as side dishes.” These were the things I liked – worldly fare. I suppose there was nothing radically wrong in any particular item, but it was not the food that should satisfy the life of a real Christian. When the food was placed before Him, He said nothing about it. However, I observed that He did not eat it, and I said to Him, somewhat disturbed, “Master, don’t You care for this food? What is the trouble?”

He answered, “I have meat to eat that you do not know of. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me.” He looked at me again and said, “If you want food that really satisfies you, seek the will of the Father, not your own pleasures, not your own desires, and not your own satisfaction. Seek to please Me and that food will satisfy you.” And there at the table, He gave me a taste of doing God’s will. What a flavor! There is no food like it in all the world. It alone satisfies. Everything else is dissatisfying in the end.

Now if Christ is in your heart, and I trust He is, what kind of food are you serving Him and what kind of food are you eating yourself? Are you living for the lust of the flesh and the pride of life – selfishly? Or are you choosing God’s will for your meat and drink?

The Living Room

We walked next into the living room. This room was rather intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere. He also seemed pleased with it. He said, “This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together.”

Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in intimate companionship.

He promised, “I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together.” So, morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room and He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase. He would open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold to me its truths. He would make my heart warm as He revealed His love and His grace He had toward me. These were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called the living room the “withdrawing room.” It was a period when we had our quiet time together.

But, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why I don’t know, but I thought I was just too busy to spend time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand; it just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss a day now and then. It was examination time at the university. Then it was some other urgent emergency. I would miss it two days in a row and often more.

I remember one morning when I was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. As I passed the living room, the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay, I thought to myself, “He was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of my home. And yet here I am neglecting Him.”

I turned and went in. With a downcast glance, I said, “Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?”

“Yes,” He said, “I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you.” Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my faithfulness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me as He does when we are truly repentant.

“The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at a great cost. I value your fellowship. Now,” He said, “do not neglect this hour if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I want your fellowship!”

You know, the truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He loves me, wants me to be with Him, who wants to be with me and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don’t let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find some time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.

The Workroom

Before long, He asked, “Do you have a workroom in your home?” Down in the basement of the home of my heart, I had a workbench and some equipment, but I was not doing much with it. Once in a while, I would play around with a few little gadgets, but I wasn’t producing anything substantial or worthwhile.

I led Him down there.

He looked over the workbench and what little talents and skills I had. He said, “This is quite well furnished. What are you producing with your life for the Kingdom of God?” He looked at one or two little toys that I had thrown together on the bench and held one up to me. “Are these little toys all that you are doing for others in your Christian life?”

“Well,” I said, “Lord, that is the best I can do. I know it isn’t much, and I really want to do more, but after all, I have no skill or strength to do more.”

“Would you like to do better?” He asked.

“Certainly,” I replied.

“All right. Let me have your hands. Now relax in me and let my Spirit work through you. I know that you are unskilled, clumsy, and awkward, but the Holy Spirit is the Master-Worker, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He will work through you.” And so, stepping around behind me and putting His great, strong hands over mine, controlling the tools with His skilled fingers He began to work through me.

There’s much more that I must still learn and I am very far from satisfied with the product that is being turned out, but I do know that whatever has been produced for God has been through His strong hand and through the power of His Spirit in me.

Do not become discouraged because you cannot do much for God. Your ability is not the fundamental condition. It is He who is controlling your fingers and upon whom you are relying. Give your talents and gifts to God and He will do things with them that will surprise you.

The Rec Room

I remember the time He asked me about the playroom. I was hoping He would not ask about that. There were certain associations and friendships, activities, and amusements that I wanted to keep for myself. I did not think Christ would enjoy them or approve of them, so I evaded the question. But there came an evening when I was on my way out with some of my friends, and as I was about to cross the threshold, He stopped me with a glance and asked, “Are you going out?”

I replied, “Yes.”

“Good,” He said, “I would like to go with you.”

“Oh,” I answered rather awkwardly. “I don’t think, Lord Jesus, that You would really want to go with us. Let’s go out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to a prayer meeting, but tonight I have another appointment.”

He said. “That’s alright. Only I thought that when I came into your home, we were going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just want you to know that I am willing to go with you.” “Well,” I said, “we will go someplace together tomorrow night.”

That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt wretched. What kind of a friend was I to Jesus when I was deliberately leaving Him out of my associations, doing things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy? When I returned that evening, there was a light in His room, and I went up to talk it over with Him. I said, “Lord, I have learned my lesson. I can’t have a good time without You. From now on we will do everything together.”

Then we went down into the playroom of the house and He transformed it. He brought into life real joy, real happiness, real satisfaction, new friends, new excitement, new joys. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since.

The Hall Closet

There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, “There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. It’s upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet.” As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on the landing, just a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about and certainly, I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there.

Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door. “It’s in there! Some dead thing!”

I was angry. That’s the only way I can put it. I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the playroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, “This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key.” “Well,” He said, reading my thoughts, “if you think I’m going to stay up here on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my bed out on the back porch. I’m certainly not going to put up with that.” Then I saw Him start down the stairs.

When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense His fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. “I’ll give You the key,” I said sadly, “but You’ll have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven’t the strength to do it.”

“I know,” He said. “I know you haven’t. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will.” So with trembling fingers, I passed the key to Him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. Then He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment’s time. Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!

Transferring the Title

Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, “I have been trying to keep this heart of mine clear for Christ. I start on one room and no sooner have I cleaned that than another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first room becomes dusty again. I am so tired and weary trying to maintain a clean heart and an obedient life. I am just not up to it!”

So I ventured a question: “Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the responsibility of the whole house and operate it for me and with me just as You did that closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my heart what it ought to be and my life where it ought to be?”

I could see His face light up as He replied, “Certainly, that is what I came to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But,” He added slowly, “I am not the owner of this house. I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed since the property is not mine.”

I saw it in a minute and dropping to my knees, I said, “Lord, You have been a guest and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master and Lord.”

Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, location, and situation and condition. I eagerly signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. “Here,” I said. “Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as a servant and friend.”

He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it in shape and deep peace settles down on the soul. May Christ settle down and be at home in your heart as Lord of all!