A New Kingdom in which Righteousness Dwells

Our Lord Jesus is a gracious and righteous king. The King of kings! Human kings, not so much!

Jesus urged us to follow His leadership style rather than that of the Gentile kings.

“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.” [1]

Yesterday, we celebrated Palm Sunday, the Sunday on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey. In doing so, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 about Messiah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The people cut palm branches off trees and placed them on the ground before Him. They shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” Thus, Jesus fulfilled Psalm 118:26.

The Roman empire ruled over the people of Jerusalem. Their tax collectors exploited people. Their justice system often tortured criminals cruelly by scourging and crucifying them.

Jesus was not so. He walked among people. He served, healed, and loved people. Those familiar with the Psalms and Proverbs would have recognized His alignment with the Word of God.

“He [the Lord] does not forget the cry of the humble.” [2]

“The needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” [3]

“He who despises his neighbor sins; but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.” [4]

“He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.” [5]

God told His prophet Samuel beforehand how a man that becomes a king treats his fellow countrymen. He recruits their sons to serve in his army, to work his farms, to manufacture weapons of war, and to serve in his kitchen. He takes the best of their food production and gives that produce to those who serve him. He takes their livestock and their servants. A human king tends to create a two tier system of justice. One system for those to whom he gives, and another for those from whom He takes. [6]

The Lord told Samuel that after the people had a king for a while, they would cry out to Him, but He would not hear them. Why would the Lord not listen to them? He would not listen to them, because they rejected Him as their king. [7]

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He did not at once conquer the corrupt Roman and religious leaders. He first dealt with the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places. He needed to make atonement for the sins of people. This gave God legal grounds to rescue us. The devil can no longer lay claim to those whose sins have been granted a divine pardon by God. God forgives us who believe in Jesus.

Peter testified before a council of apostles and elders how the Gentiles heard the Word of the Gospel and believed. Then, “God acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit. God “purified their hearts by faith.” Peter declared, “We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” [8]

God purifies our hearts by forgiving our sins and giving us His Holy Spirit. He makes us better citizens by changing us from the inside. He gives us an appetite for righteousness. He gives us the power to live right by His indwelling Holy Spirit.

King David got it right when he said, “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord Most High.” [9]

The righteousness of Christ is the type of, “Righteousness that exalts a nation.” It does not do any good to patriotically parrot some lower standard of righteousness that a fellow citizen has set for us just because he now bears the title of king or president. Moving the goal posts keeps people from scoring a true touchdown. The Lord says, “Sin is a reproach to any people.” [10]

At this present time, we live in the era of grace. We are saved and transformed by God’s grace. God is giving evil kings and evil empires space to acknowledge their foolishness, repent and turn to Him. Sadly, they are still persecuting and punishing those who will not bow before their egos. But the day is coming when the King of kings and Lord of lords will conquer evil empires.

“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” The Lord will also cast the instigator of evil, that is the devil, into the lake of fire. “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” [11]

The kingdom of Jesus is an everlasting kingdom. He will create a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [12]

[1] Luke 20:25-27
[2] Psalm 9:12
[3] Psalm 9:18
[4] Proverbs 14:21
[5] Proverbs 14:31
[6] 1 Samuel 8:10-17
[7] 1 Samuel 8:7-9, 18
[8] Acts 15:6-9, 11
[9] Psalm 7:17
[10] Proverbs 14:34
[11] Revelation 17:14; 20:10
[12] Daniel 7:14; Acts 3:21; 2 Peter 2:13