King of kings, Lord of lords

“And so Jehovah waits to be gracious to you. And therefore He is exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For Jehovah is a God of judgment; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18)

“...the Lord waits to be gracious to you...” What a beautiful picture of His love and mercy. He is longsuffering. He’s waiting for those He loves to come to Him, to believe on Him and to repent so that He can be gracious, to favor and bestow kindness on them.  Peter wrote: “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Peter 3:9) The unbelievers have an erroneous view of the Lord. They think He’s just waiting for them to sin so that He can punish them. But the Lord doesn’t wish for anyone to perish. He is waiting patiently for them to turn to Him so that He can give them life. That is the Good News, the Gospel that Jesus died for. He took our punishment, so we don’t have to take it. He paid the debt of sin because we could never have paid what was owed. And He took our death so that we can live eternally with Him. Jesus is the favor and mercy of the Father.

And the Lord is exalted because of His mercy and love toward us in saving us from the punishment and death of our sin. After the ascension of Jesus to heaven, the apostles preached the Gospel with many miracles and signs. (Acts 5: 12-16) This angered the high priest and the Sadducees who had them arrested but an angel opened the prison gates that night and told them to preach the Gospel in the temple. (Acts 5:17-20) When they were to be brought before the Sanhedrin the officers found the prison cell locked but empty. They were found in the temple preaching. (Acts 5:23-28) Peter responds when they’re told that they were not to preach. “And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed and hanged on a tree. This One God has exalted to be a Ruler and Savior to His right hand in order to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel. And we are His witnesses of these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29-32) And Jesus was exalted and remains exalted. “For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and has given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly ones, and of earthly ones, and of ones under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11) All creation exalts Him. And those who don’t, will. Paul in writing to the Ephesians about how he prayed for them writes to them how Jesus is exalted. “Therefore I also, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age. And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Jesus was moved by compassion when He walked the earth. They were in darkness and like sheep without a shepherd were distressed and dispirited. (Matthew 9:36) Mark also records that Jesus was moved with compassion. They needed to be taught. They needed hope. So, He taught them. (Mark 6:34) He felt compassion for those who were sick and healed them. (Matthew 14:14) He wanted to embrace them under His wings to protect them from sin, from sickness and from the demonic attacks they were suffering. (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34) He extended His mercy by teaching, delivering from unclean spirits and healing with His touch, healing which He would provide by the stripes He would receive. (Matthew 8:2,3; 8:5-13; 20:30-34; Mark 1:39,40; Luke 5:12,13 to name a few incidents) “He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.” (1Peter 2:24)

Jesus is merciful waiting for all to receive come to Him to receive His blessings and He is also a God of judgement. His mercy will rescue the faithful out of the time of judgement to come on the earth. Then He will return with all His saints and angels to judge His enemies. “And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war. And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself. And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, so that with it He should strike the nations. And He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and of the wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and those sitting on them, and the flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, being gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet doing signs before it, (by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast), and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were slain by the sword of Him who sat on the horse, it proceeding out of His mouth. And all the birds were filled from their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11-21) This whole passage talks about His judgement when He returns to earth. The whole passage is necessary to grasp the vivid event. And even reading it in detail as John saw it, it’s too amazing to imagine it.

Yes! The Lord Jesus is patiently waiting for men to repent so He can bless them. He was merciful when He walked the earth, moved by compassion on suffering mankind. He is exalted seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is also just. The time of mercy will end. And Jesus will come to judge His enemies.