Thoughts for another day

March 28, 2013.

Today's verse: Mk. 15:26. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Jesus was crucified to death and as was the practice of the Romans, they placed a sign on the Cross to indicate His crime and it read, ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.’  Strange isn’t it, punished for being a King?  But what’s stranger is that Pilate in his affirmation through that writing on the Cross did that which the Jews didn’t do.  Isn’t it strange that the Jews, who knew Scripture and were waiting for the promised Messiah, didn’t recognize Him?  They didn’t, even when Jesus did all those marvelous works which no one could do unless He was God.  And may I say, they didn’t recognize Jesus as the King of the Jews although they read the Scriptures, Sabbath after Sabbath in the synagogues.  And if their hearts were right, they would have discovered Jesus for what He really was: The Divine King! 

Let’s go to Gen. 14:18, ‘Then Melchizedek King of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,’ see here is Jesus the King of Salem.  The Name Melchi’zedek is a combination of two words, ‘malqui’ and ‘sedek’ which means ‘King of righteousness…see Heb. 7:2.  And Jesus stood before the Jews saying, ‘Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?’ Jn. 8:46. Then Salem means peace and Jesus exhibited it abundantly even as He healed people and sent them in peace.  Were they to watch Him closely, see His nature and His works and listen to His Words, which were like no other as the Bible says, He taught them with authority, unlike the scribes and Pharisees; then they would plainly see Him as King which, because of their pride, they didn’t, for their minds were closed and in their hearts they didn’t accept the mercy of God.  But then, much as the Jews didn’t like it, Pilate in the finale on Calvary, asserted: Jesus as King.  What a tragedy that the Jews, the chosen people of God never accepted God as King.  If we go back in time, to meet Samuel, we see that the Jews even then rejected God as their King…1 Sam. 8:7.   

Is it different now?  We need to ask ourselves that, even as we reflect on the passion and death of our Lord.  Is He King of my life?  Truly, if we accept Him as King, He will give us His Kingdom as our heritage in the next life and we’ll spend it with Him; glorifying and worshiping Him, just the way we do now, of course with a lot more fervor, for we shall see Him face to face and be one with Him.