Jesus is the Messiah-King appointed by God to reign, and his Kingdom will never fade or come to an end. As our Epiphany anthem We Three Kings suggests, he will be “King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.” In Jacob’s final prophetic blessing over his sons, he tells Judah, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples” (Gen. 49.10, ESV). Jesus was from Jesse’s clan, David’s family, of the tribe of Judah, and the scepter of God’s kingdom rule will never depart from his side; to him all the nations will ultimately bow down and serve.

As the word of the prophecy declares, the scepter will not depart from Judah’s anointed one until the peoples render their praise and tribute to him. In a world today that either ignores or downplays the meaning of Christ, one day the promise will be fulfilled, and all the peoples will acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all.

Let every knee bow and every tongue confess that you, Jesus, are the Messiah, the King and Lord of all. For your sake we pray, amen.

“In Jesus, the believing community has seen the glory of God, which in the Old Testament was associated with Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:15–16), the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and then the temple in Jerusalem (1 Ki. 8:10–11; Is. 6:1–4) and which, it was believed, would be revealed to ‘all mankind’ in the new age (Is. 40:5). Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God filling the restored temple (Ezk. 44:4) has been witnessed in Christ. God has pitched the ultimate tabernacle in the flesh of Jesus and in this way made his glory visible!”

~ David G. Peterson, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992. pp. 93-94.

Let God Arise! Seasonal Focus
Jesus Fulfills the Law, Matthew 5.13-20

Book Reading
Peterson, Engaging with God

Special Church Year Service
The Presentation of the Lord: Thursday, February 2, 2023