The Greater King

The Jesus Storybook Bible forever changed the way I read scripture. With the tag line, “every story whispers His name”, I learned to see the Bible not primarily as a book of rules to follow or heroes to emulate but a book that from cover to cover shows me Jesus. He is the “true and better Adam” who perfectly obeyed the Father’s will in our place. He would be the Passover Lamb whose blood could forever atone for our sins. Like David fighting Goliath, he would battle the greatest enemy our world has ever known. His story is truly written on every page.

So where can we see Jesus in Psalm 72 - a coronation prayer for Solomon? It was good and right for Solomon and all of Israel to pray for the king to judge with justice and righteousness, to uphold the cause of those who were impoverished and oppressed; for peace to abound under his rule, for all other kings and nations to be grateful for his leadership, and for every good thing to come to the people because of their king.

In some measure, Solomon did these things. He oversaw the construction of God’s temple, he increased Israel’s wealth as he strengthened relations with neighboring countries, and he ruled with great wisdom. Yet he also had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and when he was old, (despite God’s warning) “his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father” (1 Kings 11:4). After his death Israel splintered and was never again a unified kingdom, instead ruled by wicked kings and taken into captivity by other nations.

Yet Solomon knew there was One coming who would be the King he could never be. The true royal Son was coming who would embody righteousness and impute it to His people. Those who bore the stain of Adam’s sin would one day have their shame covered by the robe of the coming King. Yes, He would defend the cause of the poor and needy and crush the oppressor to finally and fully bring prosperity to those whom He reigned over. His dominion would be from everlasting to everlasting and at the end of time, every knee would bow and every tongue confess His name. His peace would know no end.

And so it happened, nearly 1000 years later, a faithful and devout man by the name of Simeon was waiting in the temple - waiting his whole life, in fact - for Israel’s consolation. The Holy Spirit would allow Simeon to see the fulfillment of Solomon’s coronation prayer with his very own eyes. Clutching to his chest the King of all kings wrapped in the flesh of a fragile baby, he blessed God and said “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Salvation had come for a people who lived in great darkness. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”, Solomon had said. Finally, after generations of deferred hope, Israel’s prayer for a King was answered and the root of Jesse became a tree of life.

Today, we are still prone to wander, often sipping from broken cisterns instead of drinking deeply of the water of life, but our salvation is at hand and that is cause for hope. The King is coming! Even now as all of creation groans, longing for deliverance at the final consummation, we have a peace that knows no end because Jesus Christ - our perfect prophet, priest and king - has delivered the blow of death to our ancient enemy and crushed Satan beneath his heel.

Our King has come! Our King is coming! “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!” Come quickly Lord Jesus!

-Natalie Runyon