I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14 ESV)

We celebrate the Lord’s coming with His kingdom this Easter, and isn’t it remarkable how his triumphful entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was nothing like the description above. While on earth, Jesus was more humble than we tend to be, but in the spiritual background, he was the one would be praised by all creation, even the rocks. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38 ESV).

His kingdom is here now (Luke 17:20-21), like a pitch of leaven worked throughout the dough, and it will not pass away. So what earthly agenda should we put aside in humility? What preceive right should we forfeit in deference to the Lord’s authority? How could we have the mind of Christ knowing His kingdom is near?

Man in himself had ever lack’d the means

Of satisfaction, for he could not stoop

Obeying, in humility so low,

As high, he, disobeying, thought to soar:

And, for this reason, he had vainly tried,

Out of his own sufficiency to pay

The rigid satisfaction. Then behoved

That God should by His own ways lead him back

Unto the life, from whence he fell, restored;

By both His ways, I mean, or one alone.

But since the deed is ever prized the more,

The more the doer’s good intent appears;

Goodness celestial, whose broad signature

Is on the universe, of all its ways

To raise ye up, was fain to leave out none.

Nor aught so vast or so magnificent,

Either for Him who gave or who received,

Between the last night and the primal day,

Was or can be. For God more bounty show’d,

Giving Himself to make man capable

Of his return to life, than had the terms

Been mere and unconditional release.

And for His justice, every method else

Were all too scant, had not the Son of God

Humbled Himself to put on mortal flesh. (from Dante’s Paradise)