BEHOLD JESUS CHRIST THE KING

BEHOLD JESUS CHRIST THE KING

“Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” Isaiah 32:1-2 

Looking at the natural setting of the days that this prophecy was delivered by Prophet Isaiah it will seem that it was directed at king Hezekiah but it was an allegory to look at the Messiah and King of kings Jesus Christ who reign both as king on earth and in heaven eternally [Coll. 2:15-19]. He is the Head of the Church of God and was set by His Father as the King over Mount Zion after being exalted to the right hand of the Father and declared Lord of lords. There He will be and reign until all His enemies are put under His feet reigning with great pomp, power and glory before His ancients in Jerusalem.

“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously” Isa. 24:23

Jesus Christ is part of the Godhead and He is holy, sinless, blameless and a righteous King. Christ reigns in a righteous manner, according to the rules of uprightness, fairness and equity: all his laws are just; his ways and methods of government are right; his scepter is a scepter of righteousness: righteousness is the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

In the New Testament, Christ now rules in the hearts of his people by his Spirit [Holy Spirit] and grace. His spiritual reign will more manifestly appear in the latter day; but here it is to be understood of his reign on earth. Remember all powers in heaven and on earth has been given to Him and He spoil principalities and powers making an open show triumphing over them.  

Christ is the Prince of Peace that “shall rule in judgment”, the fivefold ministers of the Gospel, pastors of churches, are the “princes” under the Prince of Peace who are set over the Church of God in the Lord, and have the rule over them; and who rule as under-shepherds, in judgment and righteousness, when they rule according to the word of God; when they preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances, and do all the business of Christ's house, according to the instructions, laws, and rules Christ has given.

Christ is the one described as “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest”. The King Messiah agreed to become man, though He had often appeared in a human form, was to be incarnate, and now is; though he is not a mere man; were he, he could not be what is here said of him, "as a hiding place, and covert from the wind and tempest".

Christ is our hiding place from His Father's wrath. We were raised in sin; and which all men are deserving of punishment, and on whom it must fall, unless secured or redeemed from it by Christ; who bore it on the Cross and in the stead of His people, He turned away sin, and delivered us all from it, and all the effects of it, so that nothing of it comes upon us. We are free from guilt and consequences of sin.

Christ endured the whole force of the storm Himself as He died on the Cross of Calvary for the remission of our sin; and his righteousness, blood, sacrifice, and intercession, hereby screening his people from sin. He also hides and covers us from Satan's temptations, the blast of the terrible ones, which is as a storm against the wall, so that we shall not be destroyed by them.  Christ prayed and interceded for us, and supplied us with His grace.

Likewise Christ protects us from the rage and fury of our persecuting enemies, when they come like a "whirlwind" to "scatter" us; we have rest in Christ. When troubled by men and we are secured by him, when these winds and waves beat upon us; and when we are tossed with the tempests of afflictions of various kinds, Christ bears us up and gather us under His wings, and carries and delivers us through these life afflictions, and brings us at last safely to the harbor of glory.

“Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” Isa. 32:15-18 

Jesus the King is “as rivers of water in a dry place”; which are very delightful, refreshing, fruit bearing and harvest producers. This denotes the abundance of grace in Christ, and the freeness of it, which flows from the boundless ocean of divine love, and which greatly comforts and refreshes the souls of the Lord's people in this dry and barren land, and makes us cheerful and fruitful, revives our spirits, makes glad our hearts, and causes us to go on our way rejoicing.

Christ is “as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” to travelers in it, who passing through a desert in hot countries and sultry climates, are glad when they find a rock which casts a shade, under which they can sit a while, sheltered from the scorching sun. He is our Spiritual guide and we are the pilgrims carousing through the earth looking for rest that only Christ can give.

Such a weary land is this world to the saints, who are wearied with sins, their own and others, with Satan's temptations, with afflictions and troubles of various sorts.

Christ is the "Rock" that is higher than us who the Holy Spirit leads us to for season of refreshing. To Christ we are directed and led when our hearts are overwhelmed within us; on whom not only our souls are built, and our feet are set. He is our shelter; His breath is reviving and refreshing. The entrance of His word under which we sit with delight and pleasure gives light and understanding to the simple. He acts as our guide and makes our traveling through this wilderness comfortable knowing that we will soon cross River Jordan by the Spirit into the Promised Land.