A throne, and its ache for the true King
The King of Kings
Jesus is the answer to the whole line of kings, the Son of David whose throne has no end. Every crown that failed pointed forward to Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”Revelation 19:16
His reign
His reign. Where every earthly king fell short, Jesus is the true and everlasting King. To David God had sworn, I will set up thy seed after thee, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Isaiah foretold Him: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). The angel Gabriel told Mary, The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:32-33). He was born King of the Jews, mocked with a crown of thorns, and crucified under a title that read THE KING OF THE JEWS. Yet He rose, and John saw Him returning with eyes as a flame of fire and many crowns, and on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16). Saul was the king Israel wanted; Jesus is the King they needed. He alone rules in perfect righteousness and never abuses His throne.
What it revealed
What it revealed. The reign of Christ reveals what every king before Him could only fail to be. Saul was impressive but disobedient; Christ is obedient unto death. David was a man after God's heart yet fell into grievous sin; Christ is the sinless Son whose heart never wavered. Solomon was wise yet drawn away by idols; Christ is wisdom itself, undivided in devotion. Good kings like Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah shone for a season and then faltered or died; Christ reigns forever and dies no more. The whole broken line of kings reveals the need for one who would not fail, and Christ is the answer written across every empty throne. His reign reveals that God's ancient promise to David was never resting on human faithfulness but on God's own oath, an oath fulfilled in Jesus. The cross reveals a King who conquers not by shedding His subjects' blood but by shedding His own, and the resurrection reveals a kingdom that death itself cannot end.
How it points to Christ
How it points to Christ. This is Christ Himself, the fulfillment toward which the whole line pointed. The covenant with David, of an unending throne (2 Samuel 7:13); the child of Isaiah 9 whose government has no end; the son of David of Luke 1:32-33 whose kingdom shall never cease; and the rider of Revelation 19:16 whose name is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, all meet in Jesus. He is the King who is also the Priest, and also the sacrifice; the Lion of the tribe of Judah who conquered as a slain Lamb. Every failed king shows the need for Him; every faithful king shows a glimpse of Him. He reigns now at the right hand of God and will reign until He has put all enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25), and of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end. The story of the kings ends not in another failure but in a throne that will never be empty.
Questions people ask
How is Jesus the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant?
God promised David an offspring whose throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Jesus is that offspring, the son of David, and Gabriel told Mary His kingdom would have no end (Luke 1:32-33), fulfilling the promise that no earthly king could.
Why is Jesus called the King of kings?
Because He rules over all other kings and kingdoms. John saw Him returning in glory with the name KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS on His vesture (Revelation 19:16), the supreme and eternal King above every earthly throne.
How do the failed kings of Israel point to Jesus?
By contrast. Their sins, pride, and mortality reveal the need for a perfect and everlasting King. Where they disobeyed, fell, or died, Jesus obeyed fully, remained sinless, and rose to reign forever, the true King they could never be.