"The King of Kings"
Summary
The final chapter gathers the whole vision of Christ’s kingship: the eternal Son anointed with oil of gladness, enthroned in righteousness, coming in the clouds to raise the dead and judge the nations, and reigning from Zion until every enemy is subdued. The King of Kings is also the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 and the Vine of John 15 — his kingdom is not merely power but life, joy, and the everlasting inheritance of the redeemed.
The Psalmist announced the anointing of the King with unparalleled beauty: "God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions." (Psalm 45:7)[1] The letter to the Hebrews applies these words directly to Christ: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom." (Hebrews 1:8)[2] His kingship is inseparable from righteousness — he cannot rule apart from it.
Paul sets out his cosmic pre-eminence: "All things were created through Him and for Him... and in all things He has the preeminence." (Colossians 1:16,18)[3] Psalm 2 pictures the nations raging against this dominion — "Why do the nations rage?" — only to hear the Father's answer: "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion." (Psalm 2:1,6)[4] The warning to the kings of the earth follows: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry." (Psalm 2:12)[5]
His coming in glory is announced in the Olivet Discourse: "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30)[6] The resurrection precedes it — Job had faith: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth." (Job 19:25)[7]
Paul taught that the mortal body will be transformed: "Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body." (Philippians 3:21)[8] The redeemed from every nation will sing before the throne: "You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9–10)[9]
John saw the King going out to war: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True... and on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:11,16)[10] Isaiah assured: "He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth." (Isaiah 42:4)[11]
Yet this same King is also the Good Shepherd: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1)[12] He gathers Israel from the nations: "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock." (Jeremiah 31:10)[13] Zechariah hears his joyful invitation: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst." (Zechariah 2:10)[14]
The people who come through great tribulation will know his shepherding forever: "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters." (Revelation 7:17)[15] And the Psalmist who opened with "my shepherd" closes with "the Lord reigneth" — (Psalm 97:1)[16] the two are one. The King of Kings is the Shepherd of Psalm 23, and his kingdom is the house of the Lord in which his people dwell forever.