Hoshea was the last king of Israel around 723 B.C. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah around 586 B.C. – remember, when dealing with B.C. dates, the lower the number, the more recent the date. The kingdom of Judah far outlasted Israel. Before Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, there was one king over all the tribes, the first of whom was Saul, the second of whom was David.
After David came Solomon whose son and successor Rehoboam caused the nation to split. Rehoboam and the lineage of David continued as rulers over Judah while a mishmash of leaders ruled over Israel. But the end of the temporary kingdoms of Israel and Judah (Israel was reestablished as a nation in 1948 after World War II) didn’t mean the end of the line of rulers out of the house of David. As Second Chronicles 13:5 says, “Don’t you realize that the Lord, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?” (NLT).
Forever? Yes. “For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born” (John 7:42, referring to Micah 5:2). As heaven overflowed with the Good News of Jesus’ birth, the angels shared their celebration with the shepherds, declaring, “The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11).
That same Lord, Jesus Christ, has power and dominion over all things and all people. Whether or not a person acknowledges His Lordship, He remains the Head of Everything: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all” (Romans 10:12a, NIV). Jesus is “Lord of all” – both "Jew and Gentile," believer and unbeliever.
How can Jesus be Lord over those who don’t believe? Lord is who He is. A person’s unbelief doesn’t change that. What makes the difference for those who believe? He’s also their Savior. Like it or lump, He’s “Lord of all;” but having Him as Savior is an option. And receiving or rejecting Jesus as Savior is the one choice that determines a person’s eternal destination.
So what about those who don’t believe Jesus is God in the Flesh? The Day is coming when “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and… every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11, NASB).
Unbelievers will one day have to admit the truth: He is Lord. But here’s the absolute horror we all need to lay hold to: those people who wait until that Great and Terrible Day to hit their knees and confess Him as Lord will never have the opportunity to confess Him as Savior.
Who do you know that doesn’t know Jesus? Don’t wait until it’s too late to tell them how much He loves them.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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