David was anointed to be king as a young boy, but it was many years before he was crowned. He had to build his kingdom. He had to learn who he was. He had to fight Goliath, and lead the armies of Israel. He had to fight the enemy within, even to depose the reigning king Saul. He had to build his kingdom of the world. Each of these steps is required to fulfill that anointing. When he was ready, he was crowned king.
In the temple men are anointed to become kings unto God. Like David, every young man gradually becomes a king in the process of growth. As a young knight, heading out on my first adventure to be a missionary in Venezuela, I was anointed to become a king. I had to learn what that meant, and build my own kingdom. I start out as a page, progress to a knight, then I become a prince, and finally a king. As a king, I can grow to be an elder, a wise king. Every man can become a king.
Becoming a King
The process of becoming a king requires the anointing then growing up. A young page becomes a knight, going out on adventures, and learning about the world. The knight becomes a prince when he settles down and builds a kingdom, eventually becoming a king. He creates a kingdom that people will want to be a part of.
Paradoxically, a king is determined by those who are subject to him, but at the same time his subjects do not make him a king. Rather, they choose him to be their king. Also, a man cannot become a king by force; a king cannot demand loyalty. People subject their will to him because they want him to rule over them, but he may not want to rule.
I had a friend who was the most famous man in the world because he had a talent to be able to tell people what they wanted to hear. He had a kingdom that many people wanted to be a part of. They came to his house from all over the world just to see him. They wanted him to be their king. However, He did not want them in his kingdom. The gates were only opened for invited guests. He only wanted to have close friends and his own children, not strangers. He kept out everyone who wanted to be dependent -- they wanted something from him, they wanted him to give to them. He did not want to provide this, except at a distance. He was a reluctant king, “the king of pop.” He was avoiding becoming a king by hiding. Having many who wanted to be subjects did not make him their king.
1. Strength -- mental, physical, emotional, spiritual or other strengths make people feel secure that he can protect them.
2. Riches -- he has lots of stuff so he can provide for them.
3. Popularity -- he has a lot of other followers.
4. Love -- he loves the people in his kingdom.
These are not exclusive, a kingdom may contain all four qualities. The king decides what he will provide for those in his kingdom. Most find it easy to build their kingdom on their talents, wealth, political power, or popularity. These may endure for a while, but everyone leaves when the money, power, or popularity is gone.
Ultimately love is the greatest foundation on which to build a kingdom. Love endures. The other reasons are fickle and do not last. The things of the world can be lost. The stories of ancient kingdoms are filled with examples of those with love who build a very strong kingdom, and then losing love and degrading into nothing. King Solomon was a wise king, an elder, who built a rich and powerful kingdom, only to have it destroyed by his successors who wanted wealth and power without love.
Families are kingdoms that are often based on love, and may not have any of the other qualities. A family my have little of this world and still be loving. The father still protects and provides. The mother directs the work of the family, taking care of each other. This is the reason that families are essential to the existence of a society. Without love, everything degrades into political power, wealth, or popularity. Taking care of people is hard work that requires a sacrifice. Only love brings stability to a kingdom, or nation. The Proclamation on the Family closes with this chilling prophecy:
Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. (THE FAMILY, A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD; The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; 1995)
Jesus Christ, the King
Jesus came into the world, like all men, to build His kingdom of love. He grew up as all men do, going from a page to a knight, to a prince, and then becoming a king. As He grows, He learns who He is, and what He can do, both the ways of the world, and of God.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:52)
We only have a record of Him as a Prince, building His kingdom as He he began preaching the gospel. In time, He became a King. The people of Jerusalem hailed Him as their King as He rode into the city on a donkey. Later, He told Pilate about His kingdom.
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:33-37)
His kingdom is a true kingdom, based only on love; it is not of this world. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, a kingdom of God.
He is not creating a kingdom for Himself; He is creating His kingdom for His Father. He will take His kingdom that He has made with His blood, sweat and tears, and He will give all the glory of it to His Father, as He promised in the beginning.
But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. (Moses 4:2)
His path is known. He will organize His kingdom and put everyone in his place before presenting His kingdom to the Father, and then sit on a throne in His Father’s kingdom.
...the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work; When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign forever and ever. (Doctrine and Covenants 76:106-108)
His kingdom is true. It includes all men. It will last forever. It is not finished, He is still building. His kingdom includes every one of God’s children who come to earth throughout time. Jesus came to the world to build a kingdom with His love, gathering all who will unto Him, and then He eventually will bring them all together and present it to His Father. This is the pattern He has outlined.
Building My Kingdom
I likewise come to earth to build a kingdom, following Jesus Christ, to create a kingdom in the world. My kingdom is uniquely mine because of my unique talents and personality. I need to take what is given to me, such as talents and blessings, and enlarge them, using my gifts as a springboard to find what is my own in the world. I must use my unique pattern of gifts to bless others, gathering them into my kingdom. If I don’t take what I am given and make a kingdom in the world, then what I had will be taken from me and given to another, as Jesus taught in the parable of the talents.
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (Luke 19:26)
PAGE
I started out as a page, wanting to be a knight.
When I left home I was a page to Eddy, and he taught me to go out on adventures and be a knight.
KNIGHT
I became a knight when I served a mission, starting my adventures.
I did not marry Annette because I was still a knight, and was not ready to commit. I did not have means to support a family.
PRINCE
Once I finished college, I was done with adventure, I was ready to settle down. I became a prince while in Medical School and got married.
I started building my kingdom in the world.
I built businesses.
I built houses.
I built a family.
I got sidetracked when my world crumbled because of loss of my home, business and family through a divorce.
I got a new business and a new home and family and started building again. I was still a prince, but now I was an old prince.
KING
Over time, I took what was given to me and made it my own, becoming a king.
I am now a king. I have a kingdom. I know who I am. I know where I belong. I know what I have, what is mine, and what I can give.
I have no queen. (My “queen” is still a princess. I only hope that she may someday want to be a queen in my kingdom.)
Those who want to be in my kingdom are welcome; they can choose.
I nurture them and provide for everyone in my kingdom.
I love everyone in my kingdom.
ELDER
As a king, I continue to progress, becoming a wise king, like Solomon -- an elder.
A king has dependents, but an elder is a mentor to help others become kings and queens.
As an elder, I provide wisdom instead of goods and services. They are the pages, knights, princes and princesses that are in my kingdom. I am their king. They are in my kingdom. They are my subjects. They obey me and listen to me. I teach them to help them to develop and mature.
My kingdom is mine. I possess it. I have power over it. I am ruler over it.
I am.
I am sovereign.
As a king, I exist independent of all other entities.
I am independent of any kings of the world.
I am independent of God, the King of kings.
I have the right to do anything I want in my kingdom. I rule. I reign. I make the laws. I expect obedience. Those who want to be in my kingdom must obey -- they are part of my kingdom because they want to follow me. I know who I am, and what I am. I possess myself.
Subjects with a wise king are not exclusively loyal to a king of the world. They may have many kings of the world. Ultimately, all are subjects of the King of heaven, where our loyalty lies.
This is my worldly kingdom. I must become a king in the world. I must possess myself. I cannot be a dependent page, knight, or prince in someone else’s kingdom. I have my own kingdom. My kingdom is of this world. It contains all that I possess, things, and people of the world. Like every other king, I collect things and people. They are part of my kingdom. My patients are part of my kingdom. My children are part of my kingdom. My friends are part of my kingdom. The pages, knights, and princes are part of my kingdom. I must set in order my own kingdom. I become a king over all I influence.
Virtual Kingdom
My kingdom is based on money (I provide for my family), talents (I am able to help people with their health), and popularity (people come to me by referrals from others). It is made up of the people and things of the world. While these are not eternal, it is important for me to use them wisely and faithfully. They are my test to see what I can receive for myself in eternity. Jesus explains that we must use what we have been given in the world faithfully if we are to receive the things of eternity.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? (Luke 16:10-12)
Being a king, I now have a kingdom that I have built with my blood, sweat, and tears. I possess myself, people, and things of the world. I have taken the talents I was given and built up a significant increase, but I know it is all virtual. It will all crumble to the dust, eventually. Everyone in my kingdom will die. I possess only things of the temporal world, in time, but not in eternity. Even if I were to build a large corporation and billions of dollars, with a foundation, schools, libraries, homes, lands, and all the things of the world. I may have buildings and streets named after me, but all of this will crumble. It will fall. It is nothing. It is virtual, not real. The Lord explained the difference:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (3 Nephi 13:19-21)
I have acquired the things of the world which will be corrupted and stolen. The things of the world are just metaphors for what is real, it’s only temporary. The next step is to sacrifice my virtual kingdom for a real one.
Sacrificing My Kingdom
I can have a permanent, eternal kingdom if I do the same thing He did. He gave His kingdom to the Father to become a king in the kingdom of God. In the same way, I follow Him by sacrificing my virtual kingdom to Him. The king of the Lamanites explains the requirement for every man who is a king, who desires to be born of God and receive His Spirit:
And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy. (Alma 22:15)
He eventually did forsake his kingdom to live among his former enemies who protected him from his own people. Likewise, I must give up the virtual if I want to have what is real. Jesus explained that even those I love of my own family must be sacrificed.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:34-37)
This is hard to give up my own family. I know. At one point, my first wife gave me the option to choose the Lord or my wife and children, as they had decided to be in the world. I chose the Lord, and they left me alone.
I choose what is real over the virtual stuff that surrounds me. I present all that I have and all that I am to Him and He says:
Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:17)
Being faithful in very little refers to the virtual things of the world. To get an eternal kingdom, I must give all I have in the world to the Lord. I make Him my Lord and my King. He then gives me a portion in His true kingdom. The King of eternity is going to give kingdoms, or authority over the things of eternity. This is a forever kingdom. This is what lasts. It will not break down, or be lost, but will continue to increase.
Becoming a King unto God
Once I have sacrificed my virtual kingdom, I can immediately begin to build a true kingdom based on love that will live, or grow, forever. Now I am starting over -- again! I gave up all I have to God, my entire kingdom, so I must start over, building a kingdom in the kingdom of God, filled with treasures in His kingdom.
Do I start as a page, and find a knight to follow?
Do I start as a knight, seeking adventures and knowledge?
Do I start as a prince, like I have done twice before in building a kingdom of the world?
No, I start as a king, growing my kingdom and bringing others in. I was anointed to become a king unto God. I have enough of the things of the world, more than I need. I also have a knowledge of God. I have been building up knowledge that I can use to help others to come to Him. I know Him; He is my King. I teach of Him. I invite others to come to Him. My kingdom will be filled by those who desire to know Him. and serve Him.
As Jesus stood before Pilate and explained that He was a King, and that His kingdom is not of this world, so I will build a kingdom filled with the riches of eternity. A kingdom of truth is built with people, the children of God. They are what constitutes “treasures in heaven.”
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-16)
The most valuable things to have in my kingdom are not things, but people. I sacrifice things to win people. They want to be part of my kingdom because I love them by bearing their burdens, mourning with them, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and taking in the homeless.
Building a kingdom that is not of this world is difficult because we never know the extent of our kingdom. We may influence others to come to Christ and not know it. Jesus commended the righteous, but they didn't know what they had done to warrant a kingdom in heaven.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:34-40)
The blessed who inherit a kingdom prepared for them before the world was created do not know the extent of their kingdom. They were building a kingdom with treasures in heaven by giving to others. The only enduring kingdom is built on love, especially charity, the pure love of Christ. A kingdom of eternity is not just given, it is built like any other kingdom. However, a true kingdom is made up of people who come to Christ and glorify God. My eternal kingdom which I present to the Lord is comprised of people that I bring to Him -- His children whom He redeems by His love. The more people I influence to come to God, the greater is my kingdom. My kingdom will be part of His. I am a king. He is my King. This is why He is the King of kings.
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