21/03/12

Behold your King

Luke 23:33 - And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.


When we take this scripture in different translations the name of the hill on which Jesus was crucified is written as Calvary in some as The Skull. The term The Skull comes from its Hebrew name Golgotha / Gulgoleth which in Hebrew means "the place of a skull". I haven't been to Israel to see the place, but the hill has a slight elevation towards the end and the cliff face has holes in it, making it appear has a skull. The recent pictures do not give that kind of appearance so much, but it may have been prominent 2000years and beyond that.

Luke alone uses the Greek word 'kranion' translated in English as Calvary and does not use the Hebrew name Golgotha. In the Bible we see almost all names whenever translated into Greek the meaning behind the name was maintained, not the phonics like we do.

There is no link or connection between the names Golgotha and Calvary. The Greek word 'kranion' comes from the root word 'keras' which means horn. In the Bible the horn has always been used to symbolize a ruler, king or a kingdom. Luke did not use the local name Golgotha but used the name Kranion to bring out the reality what this world had done. Pilate put a text stating THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS but the world by crucifying Him on the hillock declared Him the King of the world.

During the times of Samuel when the Israelites have any king, for the Lord was their King. But looking at the world they wanted a human as king over them and not the Lord. Later since all the people put as kings failed one after another or even the good ones like David could not be there forever, the Lord came as man to be King of His people forever.

The promise of an eternal King who takes God's people to victory was given through many Prophets before Jesus. During the times of Jesus as man many people asked Jesus if He was the one who would be their saviour king. Jesus never answered them clearly but on the day He entered Jerusalem on a donkey He answered them and thus seeing Him from far the whole city rejoiced and came to welcome Him with palms (used for decoration during those days) and even put their robes on the floor for Him to walk over. Jesus did not shout 'I am your king' but the fact He came sitting on a donkey to enter Jerusalem He fulfilled the words spoken through Zechariah. It was this donkey that proclaimed the man Jesus Christ as King. In today's scripture we see the hill also proclaimed the crucified Jesus Christ as King.

We live in a time when we have the risen Jesus Christ with us. Christ Who as broken the curse of Hell and overcame the world for us. Are we worse than the donkey, Pilate or the hill that we do not proclaim the risen Lord Jesus Christ as King?

Behind the donkey was a promise a fulfilment of scriptures, behind Pilate was convection, behind the hill was an understanding a meaning, what is behind our proclaiming Jesus King. Is it just a title, a meaningless title? Do we really proclaim the risen Jesus Christ as King? Do our actions, our faith, our way of life proclaim the risen Jesus Christ as King?

What do we do when there are problems facing us? When the world comes against us? When stress and depression burden us? When persecutions comes knocking our door? Do we proclaim to them our risen Jesus Christ as King? Let us ask ourselves this question.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, no man was found worthy to lead your people, so You humbled yourself as man and came to lead your people. Lord Jesus Christ You are King in our lives. When there is darkness surrounding us we will proclaim You as King. Even when our own come against us we will proclaim You as King. When temptations come our way we will proclaim You as King. We know You have overcome and we being in You and with You will also overcome...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
John 12:12-16
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Matthew 21:1-9
1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Mark 15:9-10
9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

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