At 96 years old, and after serving as England’s prime monarch for over 70 years, the Queen passed away.
(Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
| And as the news breaks, the world seems to recoil. Words like tragic, and unexpected, and devastating emerge. With surprising intensity, dignity, and urgency. It is indisputable that Queen Elizabeth II lived a noteworthy, and commendable life. Devout in her Christian faith, and steady in her leadership resolve, she will be admired for generations. Yet, I can’t help but believe that there is more at play here. More that invites interrogation and ultimately consideration. As an American citizen, the concept of a monarchy is unfamiliar, yet curious. Captivating and intriguing. And as the next couple of weeks will reveal, the impact of this loss, and the global interest, will be stunning. As part of a country that elects its congressional representatives every two years, Senators every six, and a President every four, a monarchy is both geographically and conceptionally foreign. It is a ballot box and not a birth certificate that qualifies a leader in the United States. I fear that this exercise in democracy has at times skewed our understanding of a cosmic King, and His Kingdom. But make no mistake, Jesus understood perfectly who and what He was, and is. Take this interaction with Pilate in the Gospel of John… Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:36–37) So are you a king? Pilate’s question is really, the question. Is Jesus king? The King? It was for this calling that Jesus was born… to make clear to the world that He alone is King. I’m convinced that part of the preoccupation of the world to the British monarchy, is the cosmic reality that we were born to be a part of a Kingdom. We want to be a part of something transcendent and eternal. Something with clarity and purpose. We want a King. A good King. A righteous King. An exalted King. With a throne. With worship and adoration. With reverence and awe. Yes, I believe in a small and frail way, Queen Elizabeth II reminded us that we are part of something grand and glorious. Something that polling data and politics can’t create or remove. And while I cherish the freedom and liberty that I enjoy in my home country, I should never make the mistake of believing that democracy is the operating posture of God. He is sovereign in rule and reign. And perhaps, the loss that the world seems to be encountering is a vivid reminder that it is an eternal King that we long for. It is an eternal King that we have in Jesus. He is not up for reelection, and He has already shown His victory over death. Indeed, long live King Jesus. |
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