Marvelous, Matchless Majesty

When I think of Jesus, I must admit I usually picture a simple and inconspicuous man.  I see Him with black hair and a rough beard, skin leathery and darkened by the sun, a neutral-colored tunic, hands calloused and rough from a life of carpentry, and feet dry and dusty from the day's travels.  Usually, my mind places Him sitting alone in prayer, walking alongside His disciples with purposeful and unhurried steps, or standing on a quiet hilltop while teaching with a gentle, yet resolved, authority.  We are comfortable with this picture of Jesus.  We can relate to His humble humanity, and we like His gentleness.  Though this portrait of Him may not be entirely inaccurate (we know that His humanity is very real and that He was not a particularly striking man while on earth), it is certainly incomplete.  Nothing I've said so far would cause the world to be so threatened and offended by Him. 

Psalm 45 gives us an expanded view of Jesus.  Here, He is the King whose very presence emanates power and strength.  He is armed with sword and bow, and He rides into swift and sure victory over His enemies.  His royal splendor and majesty described in this Psalm are foreign concepts to many of us today, especially those of us who live in the United States.  Our culture respects, esteems, and exalts very little other than self.  

Yet, we love stories of great and noble leaders, worthy of all loyalty and even the very lives of their followers.  Thorin Oakenshield's commanding presence, courage, and stubborn devotion to his people and his homeland inspire unwavering faithfulness in his small band of followers.  Aragorn's skill, charisma, tact, passion, integrity, and humility enable him to lead multiple armies into seemingly hopeless battles with boldness and courage.  My husband will be proud of my Tolkien references, but for those who aren't familiar with The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, there is also Aslan: the beloved lion who is the rightful king of Narnia.  He is wise, gentle, loving, and powerful.  Above all of these admirable qualities, these three kings win the hearts of their people, and our hearts, because they are willing to put their own lives on the line for those whom they lead.    

While we can gain at least some small frame of reference from these fictional kings to help us understand Jesus's splendor and majesty, they still fall far short.  Jesus is very real, and not only is He a king, but He is the King of Kings.  He is not only fully human, but He is also fully God.  God!  His righteousness, power, authority, justice, and other kingly traits are not tarnished by sin or limited in their scope.  Instead they are perfect, complete, and infinite.  Not only that, but He laid down His life and paid the sin penalty, not only for those who love Him, but for those who hate Him as well.  Seconds before the dagger was plunged into your heart and my heart, He stepped in the gap and took the blow.  His sacrifice provided salvation for all, though not all will choose to accept that gift through belief.  

When we forget who Jesus really is, it's easy to get inappropriately comfortable with Him.  When we emphasize His humanity without His deity, we bring Him down to our level, and we don't respond to Him the way we should.  Instead of responding with loyal faithfulness and love, courageous obedience, and humble submission, we respond with half-hearted admiration, convenient obedience, or even prideful mutiny.  We rationalize our rebellious, rude, flippant, and apathetic attitudes toward Him by pointing out His patience and forgiveness, but we choose to ignore the fact that He is also the One who will conquer all the governments of this world by the word of His mouth.  Even the dwarves in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey completely transformed in their countenance and behavior when Thorin's arrival was announced by his simple knock on the door.  They responded to his mere presence with a healthy respect and fear.  How much more is Jesus worthy to be exalted, to be set apart in our hearts, to be treated differently, and to be feared?  

I am thankful that Jesus is a human.  He intimately knows my struggles and fears.  He gave us His tangible example to follow.  However, I am also thankful that Jesus is God and the King of Kings.  Psalm 47:1-2 says, "O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy.  For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth."  The fact that we have a Savior who is to be feared is a reason for rejoicing.  We have a righteous and capable Warrior King to follow.  We have a loving Savior who has  all power and authority.  With Him as our Leader, what else or who else in this life is there left to fear?  He is worthy.