Connecting Point: Kings and Kingdoms

History has a seemingly countless record of rulers, dating back to ancient times to the present. We use terms for heads of state like presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, sultans, chancellors, supreme leader, premier, Fuhrer, and more. Some leaders rule for long periods of time and others short, some in their earlier years and others in their latter years. Governing styles can include a republic, democracy, monarchy, communism,

dictatorship, totalitarianism, and oligarchy to name several.

Understanding the difference between actual history and fiction helps us to determine what’s true. The Bible is filled with factual history and

archeology that can be confirmed by many non-religious resources. We know that Jesus Christ was real just like Caesar Augustus by both Biblical and historical records. In the early first century the Mediterranean region was plagued by wars, Rome’s conquest was riddled with internal conflict and the murder of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. known as the “Ides of March.” Rome’s authority was split three ways, Octavian Augustus, Mark Antony, and Lepidus. In a few years, Lepidus was pushed aside, and Octavian and Mark Anthony tried to co-exist. Eventually, Mark Anthony along with Cleopatra of Egypt tried to overthrow Octavian but those plans failed, leaving him full reign of Rome and its empires becoming the self-appointed Caesar Augustus. During

Caesar’s rule there was some stability, the empire was no longer a tossed salad…lol! Caesar brought about many administrative and political changes, as well as large sums of money from Egypt.

This historical background is helpful in understanding the world in which Jesus was born, especially for the Jewish people who were being crushed by the Romans. The promise of “The Messiah” was a moment Jews longed to see, yet many rejected Jesus Christ. In some respects, I understand why this was the case, the Jews thought the best course of action for the Messiah was to overthrow the Roman authority, but God’s plans can often be different from our own.

Luke provides the setting, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So, Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available,” (Luke 2:1-7).

Caesar Augustus was just a man, he demanded absolute power and authority but that reign only lasted about 45 years. Enter Jesus Christ, the Messiah, a humble birth in some field barely covered in some torn garments. The Bible informs us that Jesus in fact was and is eternal, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together,” (Colossians 1:17). Titles throughout the Bible refer to Jesus as the “King of kings, Lord of lords,” “heir of all things,” “Light of the World,” and “Resurrection and Life” to mention a few.

Herein lies the principle: humans will rule and reign for temporary assignments, but it is only Jesus who reigns for all eternity, no one else.