Alistair Begg Devotional

Alistair Begg Devotional The King of Kings

The King of Kings

The King of Kings

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces … in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.

The book of Esther presents King Ahasuerus to us as a big deal. He is a big deal textually: his name comes up time and time again throughout Esther. He is also a big deal politically: India and Ethiopia, the scope of his reign, represented the extreme boundaries of the then-known world. And the picture of his greatness only builds as he is shown giving a celebration that lasts for six months! The longevity of this party attended by so many nobles was a status symbol. In all of history, under any standards of kings, dominions, authorities, and powers, this king stands out as significant.

Clearly, Ahasuerus was a big deal. But when we take all the notions that describe this king and compare them to Jesus, the King of kings, we see that only Jesus is the real deal.

King Ahasuerus “reigned … over 127 provinces”—quite a lot of territory! Yet our heavenly Father says to the Messiah, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Psalm 2:8).

King Ahasuerus was seated upon his throne while hundreds of nobles came to give their respect—a significant display of authority. But that fades into obscurity when we read, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new … It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end’” (Revelation 21:5-6). The authority of King Jesus reaches to the ends of the earth, forever and forever.

King Ahasuerus put together a banquet that lasted for 180 days—a party to rival any other in history. But the marriage supper of the Lamb is a banquet that will be eternal (Revelation 19:6-9). In the meantime, He has left us little feasts of remembrance so that we may pause together as His subjects and come to His table to acknowledge that Christ is the King who died in our place (Luke 22:19).

Ahasuerus sat on a splendid earthly throne, but where is all his finery, majesty, and authority now? It’s buried. Jesus, meanwhile, continues to be seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, the ascended King and reigning Lord. The big deals of the world, whether they’re from the 5th century BC or the 21st century AD, will eventually bow before His authority. He is the real deal—and yet He invites us to come and meet Him!

It is easy to be captivated, impressed, and directed by those men and women of this world who are a big deal. But take a few moments to reflect on the significance of Jesus. As you come before the presence of the one and only truly great King, bow and acknowledge His worth, and let His majesty and holiness and kindness lead you to submit with joy to His kingly rule.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

1In the first year of pBelshazzar king of Babylon, qDaniel saw a dream and rvisions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2Daniel declared,1 “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, sthe four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3And four great beasts tcame up out of the sea, different from one another. 4The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5And behold, uanother beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6After this I looked, and behold, another, like a vleopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and wdominion was given to it. 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, xterrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; xit devoured and broke in pieces xand stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and yit had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and behold, zthere came up among them another horn, a little one, zbefore which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and aa mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9“As I looked,

bthrones were placed,

and the cAncient of Days took his seat;

dhis clothing was white as snow,

and ethe hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

fits wheels were burning fire.

10gA stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

ha thousand thousands iserved him,

hand ten thousand times ten thousand jstood before him;

the kcourt sat in judgment,

and lthe books were opened.

11“I looked then because of the sound of athe great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, mthe beast was killed, and its body destroyed mand given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, ntheir dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13“I saw in the night visions,

and obehold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the cAncient of Days

and was presented before him.

14pAnd to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all qpeoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

rhis dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

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Footnotes
1 7:2 Aramaic answered and said

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.

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