Jesus Came as the Humble King

Jesus came as the humble King.

And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. –Philippians 2:8-11

After the throne of David is established, the Old Testament records the tragic decline in the power and prestige of Israel (and later Judah). More tragic was the steady drift of the people away from the God who had graciously delivered them from the Egyptians and brought them into the Promised Land. This spiritual decline was overseen (and aided and abetted) by a multitude of bad kings. The books of 1 and 2 Kings record a steady refrain, “King X did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all his fathers had done before him.”

So how unexpected is it to see a King in Israel, who does not set Himself up against God, who does not lead His people into idolatry, and who does not Lord it over His subjects? Instead, we see this King washing the feet of His disciples, healing the sick and broken, and caring for the least of these. Amazingly, we see this King exchange His crown for a crown of thorns and sacrifice His life for a rebellious people.

But the humility of King Jesus is so much more profound than merely laying aside an earthly crown. The words “He came” should stagger us. The God of the universe took on human flesh! Before He did anything in this world, Jesus had already humbled Himself more than our minds can comprehend. And this is before He died the death of a common criminal and bore the wrath of the Father for the sins of those who would trust in Him.

Can our finite minds fully grasp the humility of King Jesus? We cannot. But we do not need to fully comprehend in order to bow in worship to this great, humble King, whose name is now exalted above every name.