Christ the King: Prepare the Way
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you.” Zechariah 9:9
Around 12 years ago, Queen Elizabeth came to Uganda to chair a meeting of heads of state of Common Wealth nations. Prior to her coming, everywhere you went across the country, it was obvious that the expected coming of the Queen had generated a great deal of excitement especially in the city. Old Testament prophecies express a similar sense of anticipation and excitement. It wasn’t the arrival of some foreign dignitary on a state visit or vacation. This was the king who had been part of their national consciousness for generations, the king who was going to bring peace, prosperity and fulfilled promises.
It is difficult to accept the news of a coming king because there is a sense in which all of us want to rule our own lives. But if a king starts trying to control every aspect of our lives – how we do business, how we relate to others, including our families, and even how we speak and think – we tend to resist! But Zech 9:9 says that this king is coming “for you” or “to you” (NIV). He was coming for their good, to benefit them and to ensure their safety and security. There’s no doubt that the coming of this king was something worth looking forward to. And he is coming again! At the first coming, they rejected him because that’s not the kind of Messiah they were expecting. And many people still miss Jesus because of wrong expectations. They want a Savior who will instantly solve their problems, but those problems have not gone away. Or, they expect a Church where everyone always loves one another. But a church member treated them wrongly, so they dropped out in bitter disappointment.
To receive the benefits that this King brings, we need to recognize our need. Israel was under the domination of powerful foreign rulers. They were incapable of freeing themselves. But this King had the power to deliver them and He had their best interests at heart. Spiritually, we must admit that we are under the domination of sin that will destroy us and that we are unable to free ourselves. Then we will welcome the promised King and the benefits that He offers. Have you prepared the way?
How are we to prepare the way for the King in our own lives? In Matt 3:2 John the Baptist says “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, The word “repent” in this text refers to far more than simply being or saying one is sorry for past sins; it means completely turning away from the past way of life. Today there seems to be no universal justice and righteousness in our world, and that could easily become a source of discouragement; but the fact that God has kept his promise in Jesus – His birth, death and resurrection, means that we can take heart and look forward to his coming as King of kings, to save us to life in eternity. God bless you.