The Kingships of God and Jesus
Stephanie Schlegel
The newly released album “Jesus is King” by Kayne West is quite popular these days, and amazing timing as I’ve recently finished reading Psalms and Proverbs and was struck by how many times the LORD (YHWH) God is mentioned as King and even sometimes by King David. Although David was king of Israel, he and others still recognized God as King overall the earth forever.
- “The LORD (YHWH) is king forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.” Psalms 10:16
- Anointed King David wrote, “The LORD (YHWH) sits enthroned as king forever.” Psalms 29:10
- Sons of Korah, “You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!” Psalms 44:4
- Sons of Korah, “For the LORD (YHWH), Most High, is awesome, a great King over all the earth … For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!” Psalms 47:2, 7
- Song of David, “The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary” Psalms 68:24b
- Asaph, “Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” Psalms 74:12
- Sons of Korah, “O LORD (YHWH) of hosts, my King and my God.” Psalms 84:3c
- “For the LORD (YHWH) is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” Psalms 95:3
- Song of David, “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless Your name forever and ever.” Psalms 145:1
- “The LORD (YHWH) shall reign forever— Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD (YHWH)!” Psalms 146:10
- “Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.” Psalms 149:2
- “My son, fear the LORD (YHWH) and the king;” Proverbs 24:21a
“Therefore, David blessed the LORD (YHWH) before all the assembly; and David said: “Blessed are You, LORD (YHWH) God of Israel our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD (YHWH), is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD (YHWH), And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. …
Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD (YHWH) your God.” So all the assembly blessed the LORD (YHWH) God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD (YHWH) and the king.” I Chronicles 29:10-12, 20
Is God King? Yes. Was David King? Yes. Can both be honored as king? Yes, as the Israelites did.
Is Jesus King? Yes! As David was made king by God, so was Jesus (Luke 1:32). And, as God’s king was honored in the Old Testament, likewise Jesus is honored in the New Testament. But God remains King overall! That’s why both God and Jesus are blessed and honored in Revelation 5:13, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him (God) who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” Revelation 5:13
Is God King of Kings? Yes. (1 Tim. 6:15)
Is Jesus King of Kings? Yes. (Rev. 17:14, 19:16)
Did God call King Nebuchadnezzar King of Kings? Yes! (Ezekiel 26:7)
(Likewise, both God and Jesus are referred to as Lord of lords)
But only God is called “God of gods.” (Deut.10:17, Ps. 136:2, Dan. 2:47, 11:36)
Jesus is never called that because he’s not God. Only one is God Almighty, the LORD (YHWH), the Father.
Fear the LORD (YHWH) God as King overall. Jesus is the King that God appointed and gave all authority in heaven and on earth to rule. “Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. … When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:24, 28
And the LORD (YHWH) shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be — “The LORD is one, and His name one.” Zechariah 14:9
