What does it mean that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords?

Of this Paul reminds him in a beautiful but most solemn way. When Moses was about to depart this life, by God's command he gave Joshua a charge in the sight of all the congregation. (Num. 27:19.) Now ere Paul departed he gave Timothy a charge, but in the sight of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, putting him consciously in their presence, to keep the commandment without spot and unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; for till His appearing - epiphaneia, a different thought and time from His coming for His own into the air - Timothy, as a servant, would not be discharged from his responsibility by the Master taking account of his service. Hence to the appearing of Christ he is here directed. Before God, who keeps all things in life, he was thus put by Paul, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. The mention of God in this character would embolden him, and the remembrance of Christ Jesus as a faithful witness would encourage him. With their eyes on him he was to go forward, learning how God values a good confession, and will own it, when He, i.e. God, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King* of those who reign, and the Lord of those who exercise lordship, i.e. the fountain of all authority and rule in the universe, who only has immortality, dwelling in light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see, will show Christ Jesus to all as His faithful witness here on earth.

And He would, in duly appointed time, show in His own person, the glory of God, the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords. To us who are saved, such glory manifested in the person of Christ is a blessed reality now; but the full display of it to all creation we may with patience and confidence await unashamed meanwhile to bear a true witness for Him, though it may be that even falsehood is in public authority now. It is He only, the Eternal, who has immortality: others who receive it do so only as a communication from Himself 1 Cor. 15:53, 54). Intrinsically it is His alone. He dwells in light unapproachable, not in darkness, but in light infinitely brighter than creature eyes can endure. Honor and power everlasting are His alone: the heart that gladly subscribes to this ascription to Him, will bear willingly a place in which he himself is given no honor or power.

Lastly, His Name, "King of kings and Lord of lords," is written on His vesture; that is, externally, where every eye may see it. It is also on His thigh; internally, in the place of His secret strength. It is hardly an eternal designation like the others, for it could hardly be assumed until kings and lords came into existence as created by Him. Still it will be of the first importance in His glorious appearing. Kings are earthly potentates, whereas "lords," we think, would-cover heavenly as well as earthly dignitaries. In His appearing the Lord Jesus comes forth "to subdue all things to Himself" (Phil. 3:21). The many crowns, of which verse 12 speaks, being kingly diadems, are in keeping with this.

As He has many crowns, so His names are many, and now the name is added on His garment and on His thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (v. 16). Whatever kings there may be, He is King over them all; and every titled lord is subservient to Him. The name on the thigh is where the sword usually would hang.

Yet another name is given: in verse 16 it is said, "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." The context explains at once the force of this title, showing that, in harmony with the whole book, it has relation to the earth. In the preceding verse, we are told that He will smite the nations, and rule them with a rod of iron; and the name, or title, we are considering, indicates that it is consequent upon this that our blessed Lord will establish His throne of universal supremacy upon the earth. Already exalted at the right hand of God, "angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him," He will in the day of which our passage speaks, be exalted also in this world, when He will "have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." It will be the fulfilment of the promise, "Also I will make Him My Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." (Psalm 89:27.)

Nevertheless it may be remarked, that these saints are not said to be executers of judgment as Christ is.* It is to Him that God has given all judgment, not necessarily to us. We may have a special task in it; but this is not the work for us. We are to judge the world, even angels (1 Cor. 6); but this will be in our reigning with Christ. Hence there is no sword proceeding out of our mouth; nor are the saints or heavenly hosts said to be arrayed in such a fashion as the Lord. It is simply said that the glorified are to follow the Lord in victorious power, and nothing more "clothed in fine linen, bright, pure." Angels, we know from other scriptures, will be there; yet of this we hear nothing here. But "out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." What makes it all the more notable is that the rod of iron is promised to us, not the sword. There is the reigning dignity, but not the execution of judgment in the awful emblems attributed to the Lord Himself. For He "treadeth the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty," another character of judgment never attributed to the saints. "And he hath upon his garment and upon his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords." Supremacy of rule and lordship belongs to Him no less than to the Father, or God as God (1 Tim. 6:15).

Rev. 17:14. — “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with Him called, and chosen, and faithful.” Here is recorded the final public act of the Beast and his allies. The conflict itself is fully described in Revelation 19:19-21. The angel here simply notes the fact, passing over many intervening events. The war has not been actually entered upon, but it is anticipated. Its issue is in no wise doubtful. “The Lamb shall overcome them.” Victory is assured ere the conflict is entered upon, for the mighty Conqueror is King of all who reign, and Lord of all who exercise authority. He is supreme. All power in Heaven and on earth is His (Matt. 28:18). Oh, what madness and folly for men and governments to enter the lists with God’s Lamb Who will publicly wield the authority of Jehovah’s throne! How touching the blessed association of the Lamb with the mighty King — tenderness and power combined (Rev. 5:5-6).

Before I close this introductory address, I want to ask you, sinner, if you will submit to Christ to-night. God has exalted Him above all might and dominion. The true Joseph is seated now upon the highest pinnacle of celestial glory. Here, in the sphere of the terrestrial, "we see not yet all things put under Him." But we shall. He is coming again, not as once He came, the lowly Nazarene, to meekly suffer, but in His glory. But if you wait till that time, you will find, alas, that it is then too late. The time to own a king's authority in a land that has risen up in rebellion against him is not when he comes with his armies to put the rebellion down, for then it will be "not to your honor." It is during the rebellion, in the very midst of it, that loyalty is demanded. Now is your opportunity. I have heard it said that when "The Messiah" was being sung before Queen Victoria, and the part was reached where it says, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth," when all but herself were supposed to rise from their seats, she too arose and stood upon her feet. It was contrary to all custom for crowned heads to rise during any part of the oratorio; but, happy woman, she had yielded her heart's submission to Him who is King of kings, and would confess it in this way. She had anticipated the second Psalm, where, when God sets His Son upon His holy hill of Zion, all earthly potentates are called to yield instant and absolute submission. "Kiss the Son," the last verse says, "lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way. … Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Do it, unsaved one; do it here, and Now!

In Revelation 17, we see the two characters of kingship brought together again, but the "other King, one Jesus," is no longer the rejected One. Ten kings combine their forces against him, but as the Lamb, "He overcomes them; for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings," (v. 14). The lowly King, the suffering Lamb, has triumphed, and in Rev. 19 we see Him coming forth as "King of kings, and Lord of lords," implementing His victory and destroying the powers of evil.

The language of the remnant is graphically expressed in Psalm 46:6-7: “The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. Jehovah of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high fortress. Selah”. The deliverance for the remnant is described in Revelation 19:11-16. Who is able to confront the trinity of evil and the other enemies of the remnant? A little Lamb!1 The little Lamb is none other than the “Lord of lords, and King of kings” (Rev.17:14). Riding upon a white horse, the emblem of victory, and followed by the armies of heaven, He executes the righteous wrath of God upon the impious and rebellious nations. The little Lamb, by divine power, has triumphed over the assembled Gentile powers and the little remnant has been delivered.