When babies are born they have no knowledge of what their future will hold or even what circumstances they have been born into – a palace or a shed. The world around them knows some of what life will bring, especially if the family they are born into is of some consequence in this world.
The new King Charles III was born to be king. His mother was the rightful queen of Britain whose succession extends back hundreds of years. So Charles grew up learning what was meant by being ‘born to be king’ one day, if he outlived his mother. It has taken 73 years but at last he has succeeded to the throne.
The Bible has examples of Kings and even an anointing and coronation. Words from one of Handel’s famous anthems ‘Zadok the priest’ come directly from the pages of the Bible.
‘And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, Long live King Solomon!’ You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”…..‘There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” ‘
The one great example of a child born to be king in the Bible was of course Jesus Christ. He wasn’t born in a palace but in a stable and God made great promises about what he was to become. When the angel announced his impending birth to Mary he said
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
This kingdom has not been established yet. It will be a worldwide kingdom with Jesus as the rightful king when he returns to the earth. It will be God’s kingdom of righteousness and we are invited to be part of it. We can become heirs of this kingdom too by new birth – belief and baptism into Jesus’ name. In the book of Revelation, which is a wonderful and dramatic description of the establishment of this kingdom, there is a promise made to those who are faithful that they will reign with him.
“Worthy are you (Jesus ) to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth.”