The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"The Servant King"
Were God not humble in heart, He would not be glorious in majesty.
"Before honor is humility" (Proverbs 15:33).
The Lord Jesus Christ exemplified this truth. The second person of the triune God, who became "the second man" in His incarnation, displayed humility in His first coming (I Corinthians 15:47). He will one day come again to His world in a display of honor. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Matthew 13:26). First humility, then honor. This describes the way of God in His conduct, based on the nature and disposition of God in His character. Indeed, the Lord who humbled Himself to behold humanity in the Old Testament exponentially magnified such wonder by becoming as one of us in the New Testament:
"The Lord our God, who dwelleth on high… humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth" (Psalm 113:5-6; emphasis added).
"For such an High Priest became us" (Hebrews 7:26; emphasis added).
The only One in existence who has anything of which to be proud, is not. The wondrous "King eternal," the Creator, Sustainer, Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge of all things, bears the heart of a servant (I Timothy 1:17). "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father" said the Lord Jesus, who also declared, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many" (John 14:9; Matthew 20:28). Such beauty of heart explains why a righteous, holy God, "greatly to be feared" and "terrible in His doing toward the children of men," approaches a fallen human race with redeeming grace as His first and mercifully earnest administration (Psalm 89:7; 66:5). He comes with a heart so beautiful in humility that His Son still bears upon His hands and feet the prints of nails suffered for our redemption. The servant King desires to save rather than condemn. However, if we will not respond in humility to His humility, His honor means that He must judge and condemn those who refuse to kneel before the One who not only knelt to wash human feet, but hung on a cross to redeem human hearts (John 13:5-7; Philippians 2:9-11).
To know God rightly means that we know the character of His heart and the power of His hand. We approach Him as the One who serves us with salvation, leading us into a relationship with Him wherein we find ourselves continually overwhelmed with the glory of His kingly majesty. The Apostle John laid his head on the Lord Jesus' chest upon the earth. He fell at His feet as dead when seeing Him in His heavenly glory (John 13:25; Revelation 1:17). The Servant. The King. The Servant King. This is the God we love and fear, who, rightly known, defines and exemplifies the meaning of "Before honor is humility."
"Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy."
(Micah 7:18)
"Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"
(Exodus 15:11)
Weekly Memory Verses
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11)
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