Jesus, the Enthroned King
by J. C. Philpot
In our past Meditations we have, though in scanty measure
and with feeble pen, attempted to set before our readers a few leading
features of that surpassing grace and glory which the Lord Jesus Christ
bears as anointed of the Father to be the interceding High Priest and the
teaching Prophet of his Church and people. We now approach the consideration
of that still greater and more glorious title which he wears as Zion's
enthroned King.
But O, at the very outset, how unworthy, as well as
unable, do we feel ourselves to be to set forth in any suitable, any
befitting manner the glory of that exalted Sovereign who sits at the right
hand of the Father as Head over all things to the Church! When the sun veils
its rays behind a cloud we can look upon its milder glories with undazzled
eye. But who can gaze on its meridian beams in all their undimmed splendor?
Thus when the Son of God veiled the brightness of his eternal glory by
assuming a tabernacle of flesh, faith can view him as a suffering yet
sacrificing High Priest in the garden and on the cross with undazzled,
though with sympathizing, eye. In a similar way, when Jesus still speaks as
a Prophet in the word of his grace—"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me,
for I am meek and lowly in heart," faith can now sit at his feet and hear
his words without being overwhelmed with his glory.
But when we look up and attempt to view him sitting at
the right hand of the Majesty on high in all his exalted dignity and power
as King of kings and Lord of lords—then we feel as if dazzled and overborne
with a sight and sense of his surpassing glory. In the days of his flesh,
the beloved disciple could lean on the bosom of Jesus and stand by his
cross; but when in Patmos' lonely isle he appeared in his majesty so that
"his eyes were as a flame of fire," and "his countenance was as the sun
shines in his strength," John fell at his feet as dead! Yet if he has made
us willing in the day of his power, has brought us to his feet in all
humility to touch the scepter of his grace and own him Lord of all, we may,
in company with his saints, "speak of the glory of his kingdom and talk of
his power, to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the
glorious majesty of his kingdom." (Psalm 145:11, 12.) And as we have
undertaken to set forth the covenant characters of the Lord Jesus, we must
not now sink under the sense either of his glory or of our own
insufficiency, and throw aside our pen as we are tempted to do, but
endeavor, as the Lord may enable us, to trace out what is revealed to us in
the word of truth of his present dignity as Zion's exalted King.
But as we desire to present the subject before the mind
of our readers with as much clearness and distinctness as possible, we shall
arrange our views and Meditations upon it in the following order:
I. The eternal purpose of God the Father to glorify
his dear Son, and exalt him as Lord and King.
II. The execution of this purpose in the incarnation,
death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of the Son of God.
III. The nature, object, extent, and duration of his
kingdom.
IV. Its future development and glorious
manifestation.
V. The practical and experimental bearing and
influence which the royal power and authority of Jesus have on believing
hearts.