The Divine King (John 6:15)

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself - John 6:15

Place yourself for a moment back two thousand years ago in the land of Roman-occupied Israel.

Word has been spreading that a wonder-working rabbi from Galilee could possibly be the long-awaited Messiah!

And you have finally just seen him for the first time.

You sat at his feet and listened as he taught with an authority unmatched by any teacher you had ever heard. He healed multitudes of ailments and diseases, and cast unclean spirits out of people with ease. And now he had just performed the most mind-bending miracle: feeding over 5,000 people with only a few loaves and fish.

You and the rest of the crowd are amazed. You're all thinking the same thing: "This must be the one spoken of by the prophets who has come to restore Israel."

People start talking and within minutes there is consensus: Jesus will be anointed king! Of course, such a decision is sure to spark absolute chaos in the land - Herod and Pilate will never stand for such a thing - but what does it matter? The Messiah is here!

This is the one whom the Scripture says will "possess the nations" and "break them with a rod of iron, dashing them in pieces like a potter's vessel." The divine oracles are clear: the Messiah cannot be defeated.

But as soon as Jesus catches wind of this talk, he disappears alone into the mountains.

Why?

This is the question everyone is asking. Why does he refuse to be king?

Is he afraid? Is he doubting himself? Is he refusing to accept his responsibility? Or perhaps, is he simply not the Messiah after all?

The answer is none of the above.

The truth is that Jesus is simply obeying His Father.

He has not been called to establish a political government, but an Eternal Kingdom.

He has not come to conquer Rome, but sin and death.

His foes are not Herod, Pilate, or Caesar, but beings far superior in power.

His battle is not against mere flesh and blood, but against the cosmic rulers and principalities in the spiritual realms.

The people do not understand this - and how could they? They are fleshly-minded. They have not yet experienced the second birth. They cannot see past what their eyes tell them.

And this is why Jesus could not accept this coronation. It would have done them no good.

But make no mistake. His coronation was coming.

The coronation of Heaven's King would not take place in a palace but on Calvary.

With the Cross for His throne,

and Adam's curse for His crown,

the Son of God was lifted up by men

so that one day all men to Him would bow down.

“My kingdom is not of this world"

John 18:36