One greater than Solomon
Please read: Psalm 72, Isaiah 60: 1-6, Matthew 2: 1-12 and Ephesians 3 v 1-13; then pray; God of majestic holiness and light, pour out your Spirit upon me at the start of this new year, and empower to live for the King of kings, embracing and practising his words and ways. Amen.
Today we create time and space to renew our covenant relationship with our glorious God. Covenant is such an important biblical idea, one which runs through the whole of the bible. In the OT, many sacred covenants were made between God and particular individuals including Abraham the spiritual Father of our faith, and David, deemed to be the greatest of all the Israelite kings during the long OT era.
Then, there is the New Covenant spoken of by prophets such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, a covenant that impacted the Gentile world as well the Jewish nation; a covenant that would be channelled through the Jewish nation, but would touch every nation under the sun – a covenant that would be founded upon a unique individual, a promised King and Saviour; One who would establish the eternal righteous and just reign of God upon the earth, ending all oppression and destroying all darkness. We have entered this covenant by the grace of God. We have come to know Jesus, the Light of the world. Today we will renew our vow to serve this King and surrender our lives to Him and His glory.
Our epiphany readings today (see above) can be connected through this theme of covenant through Christ the King – and that is what I want to do as we come to Him again and pledge our allegiance to Him and express our devout love for Him and His Kingdom.
To help us to see the unity and relevance of the biblical revelation and message, let me begin by reminding you of two of the very great covenants which God made with chosen individuals in the OT, and I have already mentioned their names – Abraham and David. The covenant with Abraham comes into being near the beginning of biblical revelation in Genesis 12.
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12: 1-3)
A great nation will arise and be established through this aged man, and all peoples will be blessed through him. This is God’s covenant promise to Abraham. These promises cannot fail and will not be broken. This is the Word of the Lord.
Now to God’s covenant will David and his descendants – the Davidic covenant made to the great King of God’s choosing, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a King who wishes to build a house for God, but who instead is told that God will build a house for him.
When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7: 12-13) Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever. (16)
An everlasting throne promised to David and his line. One that will endure forever. This again is the Word of the Lord and the zeal of the Almighty will accomplish this! (Isaiah 9:7)
Now we can move to what I call the Epiphany Psalm – Psalm 72. This is a unique Psalm, one of only two to be composed by Solomon, David’s son, and successor, and the one who built the great Temple, “the house for God’s name,” spoken of in the covenant promise to David. This Psalm comes at the end of Book 2 in the Psalms, a group of Psalms that stretches from Psalm 42-72 and is dominated by Psalms written by David himself, the most prolific of all the Psalm writers. Solomon’s Psalm, coming right at the end of this second book within the Psalms, is a Psalm dedicated to praying for the King. It is a coronation Psalm and a Psalm that can be used on the anniversary of a King’s accession to the throne. It is a Psalm that seeks God’s richest blessing upon the rule of the King, that it might be a rule directed and dominated by;
- Righteousness and justice. (which are the foundations of God’s own throne; Psalm 89:14, 36:6)
- Prosperity which largely meant total peace (shalom) for the Kingdom.
- Freedom from all oppression and cruelty for the poor, the needy and the disadvantaged.
This is the great and noble prayer of Psalm 72 – a prayer written by Solomon for Solomon and for the Davidic line to come. But it is more than a prayer. There is prophecy as well as prayer, because the Psalm speaks of a King and Kingdom much bigger and greater than even Solomon’s. Solomon’s kingdom was to be even greater than his father David’s, built as it was upon Solomon’s amazing God given wisdom. The wealth, splendour, stature, and breadth of Solomon’s Kingdom was to be unparalleled, impressing the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10f) and causing the world to admire with wonder and praise. (1 Kings 10:23-25) Tribute came to Solomon from many parts of the world and many other kings honoured him and his success.
This prayer was answered in many ways but not all. The poor, for example were not liberated under Solomon. And the Kingdom would not be eternally enduring. In fact, it would fall and be divided. Solomon would fail and fall. This Psalm speaks and prophecies of a greater King than Solomon, a King whose Name would endure forever, for as long as the sun shines, and until the moon is no more, a King who would be ultimately worshipped and honoured by all kings and all nations not just some. (17-18) Who could this King be? When would this King rule? When would the world be drawn to the light of this eternal kingdom? Who could deserve such universal recognition?
As you would expect, there is a harmony between the Psalms and the Prophets – between the writings of David and Solomon and prophets like Isaiah. Isaiah 60 (often read at the beginning of the season of Epiphany) proclaims a similar message of hope and expectation to that of Psalm 72.
Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (3)
And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense, and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. (6)
In the future, look out for the gold and the incense coming from the east? Look out for the rising of the glory and light of the Lord, rising amidst and over the darkness. Look out for the impact upon the Gentile world as well as the people of Israel. Who will have the power and the glory and the light and the love to draw in all peoples – all nations? Which individual will possess this universal incredible drawing power?
Now we move on to Matthew for our answer to that question, and to the New Testament and the New Covenant. Matthew Chapter 1, the first chapter of the NT is strange and puzzling because it is just a genealogy. But it so significant, isn’t it? It is “a record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (1:1) Remember the covenants with Abraham and David? Here is One arriving to fulfil them. You will also find the name Solomon in the list of names. (7)
Then as you move towards the climax of chapter 1 of Matthew, you have details surrounding the birth of Jesus. An angel of the Lord visits a man named Joseph whom he addresses as “son of David.”
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (1:20)
We then proceed into Matthew 2 and the subject of Kingship and the birth of a King become prominent. Strange men from the east, Magi, arrive in Jerusalem; men of immense, wealth, wisdom, influence; men who have access to ancient prophecies emanating from the time of Daniel. They are in search of a new born King. The present one, Herod, a ruler known for his egotistical pride, cruelty, and obsession with power – is disturbed. The Magi go on to find the child and his mother – who was born in Bethlehem, as the prophet Micah had foretold the birth-place of the Christ would be, (Micah 5:2) the town of David. Tribute had regularly been brought to Solomon, but now gold, frankincense and myrrh are offered along with humble worship to this little boy. Why? Who is this child?
But then in Matthew 3 and 4, all starts to be more fully revealed. Jesus is baptised and there is a moment of epiphany – revelation. This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (3:17)
Then, as Jesus steps out to begin his ministry after his forty-day trial in the desert, we read this very significant statement in Matthew 4: 12-17. READ.
The people living in darkness have seen a great light: on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned….
Go back to Isaiah 60 v 1-3.
He is here. The King and the Kingdom are now at hand. It will take time for the disciples to realise who they are walking and talking with, but Peter will confess sometime later;
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
This is the King prophesied in Psalm 72 and other Psalms, Isaiah 60, and many other OT prophecies. As Jesus will later say to two dejected disciples on the road to Emmaus after he has risen from the dead;
“This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms. (Luke 24: 44)
And the Psalms begin to be fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus. Here is this King who liberates the poor and heals the oppressed of body, mind, and spirit. Do you recall what Psalm 72 said about the King? Here is the One who begins to draw the attention and worship not just of Jews, but also of Gentiles. Here is the One who when asked about special signs, said this:
The Queen of the South (Sheba) will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42)
Here is the One, Solomon prayed for and prophesied about.
Many did not, would not recognise and acknowledge his Kingship. Many did not want His kind of rule and kingdom which encourages non-violence, forgiveness and liberation for women, children and societies nobodies and outcasts. When Jesus told the parable of the ten minas toward the end of his life, he was speaking of himself and his rejection;
But the subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.” (Luke 19:14)
The strange and unexpected Kingship of Jesus remained in the air. It would not disappear. It would not go away as he became the prophetic figure and king riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling more prophecy – and to the praise of prophetic psalms. (Matthew 19: 35-38, Psalm 118:26). This was a kingly procession marked by humility and gentleness. Then comes the questioning of Pilate. He wants to know one key truth:
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. (Matthew 27:11)
Then, as this servant king is crucified, an inscription is nailed above his head:
Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (27:37)
Is that the end of this King? Has the darkness now destroyed and disposed of the light that rose in Galilee of the Gentiles and Israel? No, for we have the truth of his historical resurrection from death. God, who declared him to be his beloved Son at his baptism and transfiguration, raised him from the dead and seated him at His own right hand in glory. As another great Messianic Psalm declares to the whole world;
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:6)
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes. (Psalm 118: 22-23)
We are now confronted and presented with a risen King, an ascended King, an acclaimed King, an enthroned King, with visible wounds, and a King who will return in power and glory to establish universal peace and justice; One who will achieve world-wide acclaim and praise. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow. (Philippians 2: 9-11)
We can move now on to Paul’s words of testimony and revelation in Ephesians. Because Jesus is the King, God’s installed and coronated King, the Universal King, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, (Revelation 19:16), the message of his saving love and righteous and just kingdom must go out into all the world. It simply must! There has to be evangelism.
This was always the intention, always the plan of Almighty God. Hence the covenant with Abraham, that all nations would be blessed through him. Hence Psalm 72; the same message; “All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.” (72:17b) Hence the need for the greatest commission of all from Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection: To go to all nations and preach the gospel, proclaiming, baptising, and teaching in the King’s name. (Matthew 28: 19-20).
One incredible man, initially a vicious and violent persecutor of the Church, was chosen by God to be His apostle to the Gentiles. (Ephesians 3: 1-2, 7-9) Saul of Tarsus, who was transformed into the apostle Paul by the great and glorious administration and bestowal of God’s grace, became God’s ambassador and mouthpiece to the Gentile world. He was charged, as Ephesians 3 points out, to share the glorious mystery of the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ with the Gentile world – and he did, in the power of the Spirit. A massive part of that mystery, now revealed in Christ, was that God wanted to build a holy people, Jew and Gentile, into a Church that would enjoy the nearness and blessings of God. (3:12) All nations would be drawn to the King, to the Saviour of the world, who alone atoned for the world’s sin and who alone destroyed death through his resurrection.
Slowly but surely, the gospel has reached the ends of the earth. Two and a half billion Christians and counting. Paul’s efforts started off this miraculous process; our efforts continue it. The gospel light is rising all over the world. The Kingdom that began as a mustard seed has grown and branched out everywhere – all peoples, every nation, every language, every culture. All nations will be blessed through you and your offspring – was the covenant promise to Abraham. All nations will be blessed through him, was the promise through the Solomon’s Psalm. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn, was the word to the prophet Isaiah. (60:3)
Considering HIS LIGHT, and in the light of the fact that Jesus’s light and glory has risen in us and upon us as individuals and as a Church (Isaiah 60:1) let us renew our covenant of commitment and love to the Lord Jesus Christ – our God and our King. Let us renew our commitment to be his people, passionately committed to his Kingdom of righteousness, justice, shalom and the uplifting and liberation of the needy and the poor. Let us renew our commitment to the great commission and play our part in spreading the news that “the Kingdom of God is now at hand.” In the words of Issac Watts, let us be reassured and strengthened by this reality and hope;
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
does His successive journey’s run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall rise and set no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made
and princes throng to crown His head;
His name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.
Let every creature rise and bring
the highest honours to our King;
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud “Amen.”
Just as Watt’s hymn ends with a triumphant and loud “Amen,” so does Solomon’s Psalm, and with this I close:
“Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.”
(Psalm 72:19)
(Revd Peter J Clarkson 5.1.25)