The Splendor of the King

I will never forget my first tour of Buckingham Palace in London years ago after a business trip. The splendor of the gilded rooms, the jewels, and the garden were all breathtaking.

Now, when I think of the word splendor, what usually comes to mind are opulent surroundings lavishly embellished with gold, silver, silks, or rare gems. Since the definition of splendor includes such phrases as brilliant appearance, grandeur, glory, and dazzling light, Buckingham Palace certainly met that description.

The Christmas season is filled with a different type of splendor, isn’t it? Everything is grander and more fragrant, delightful and more vivid at Christmastime. Whatever your age, whether eight or eighty-eight, bright lights, vibrant decorations, dazzling trees, gaily-wrapped gifts, and mouth-watering treats combine to create an enchanting time from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

As a native New Yorker, I remember annual trips to the 75-foot-tall Rockefeller Center tree. And visits to see the NYC Ballet perform the Nutcracker Suite at Lincoln Center. No matter how many times I watched that show, the stage Christmas tree that appeared to grow to forty feet tall at the beginning of the dream sequence always amazed me. Mesmerizing and magnificent!

But why? Why do we so often go overboard in celebrating this special day?

Some say it’s because our secular culture has stolen Christmas and turned it into a celebration of worldly excess. A time when greed and selfishness are embraced and even extolled. A time when Christ is lost amid the commercialism of the season and the piles of torn wrapping paper and discarded ribbons on Christmas morning.

Maybe that’s all true. There does seem to be a concerted effort to turn Christmas into a generic holiday, stripped of its association with the One whose birth is the original reason for our celebrations. And let’s face it, even we as Christians delight in the lights and decorations, the pageantry and the parties. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Still, what are we celebrating? After all, there’s not much external splendor in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ:

• a helpless babe – with no noticeable power
• poor surroundings – laid in a manger in a stable, not a palace
• a poor earthly family – too poor to afford a lamb, they offered a sacrifice of two pigeons for Mary’s purification

So where was Jesus’ splendor? The human eye might have missed it, but the splendor of the King was there nonetheless.

The Splendor of Kingship

Christmas carols such as “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” and “Angels from the Realms of Glory” all speak of His kingship. This poor, helpless babe in a manger is the splendor of God incarnate!

• The splendor of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The Spirit did the Father’s will and overshadowed Mary, and the Son was born: fully God and fully man.
• The splendor of Perfection as the sinless, spotless baby grew to adulthood, taught His disciples, wept over His people, and proved Jesus had the authority and ability to heal spirits by healing bodies.
• The splendor of El Shaddai, the all-sufficient One who is almighty, yet who experienced fatigue and discouragement.
• The splendor of Yahweh Jireh, our Provider, who fed crowds of thousands, yet who faced the tempter in the wilderness, hungry after fasting forty days.
• The splendor of the King of kings, who refused Satan’s offer of all the kingdoms of the world, because He knew that if He reigned without going to the cross, He would reign without us.
• The splendor of Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, who could have called down legions of angels, yet chose to submit Himself to capture by temple guards and Roman soldiers.
• The splendor of the Light of the World, who came to free prisoners of darkness.
• The splendor of Yahweh Rapha, God who is our Healer, yet who allowed His hands and feet to be pierced by nails, and a spear driven into His side.
• The splendor of the Great Shepherd who became the sacrificial lamb in our place.
• The splendor of Yahweh Tsidkenu, The Lord our Righteousness, who became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). The greatest exchange ever offered!
• The splendor of the One who was born to die, that He might conquer death for you and me.
• The splendor of the One called the Resurrection and the Life, whose resurrection proved that our sin-debt to God is paid in full.

There was indeed splendor in that stable that night; splendor veiled in the body of a baby. But don’t be fooled.

• He came as a baby, yet didn’t remain a baby.
• He died a humiliating and excruciating death, but didn’t stay dead.
• His splendor was veiled for a time…but no longer.

Do you want to know what He looks like today? We’re told in Revelation 1 that He has:

• hair that reflects the brightest, whitest light.
• eyes that burn deep into the thoughts and intentions of every heart.
• feet like burnished bronze to carry out judgment.
• and a voice like the sound of many waters, eclipsing all human authority.

That’s the splendor of our king!

So how ought we to respond to the excitement of the Christmas season with its parades, concerts, parties, and songs? Are we celebrating the splendor of the lights, gifts, and pageantry? Or are we celebrating the splendor of the King who was born to die for you and me?

May this be the Christmas when the splendor of Jesus overshadows even the brightest lights and the most opulent gifts. A time when we honor Him as the shepherds, angels, and magi did at His birth. A time when we truly honor the splendor of the King.

How do you plan to honor the splendor of our king this Christmas?
Share your answer in the comments!

Notes:

• For more information about the names and attributes of God, check out Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully.