THE KING OF AGES

I Timothy 1:17  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

When I publicly became a Christian in 1962, I immediately—that day—became a Bible student.  And along with that I became interested in Bible subjects, particularly at that time, prophecy.  This meant with the influence of my friends, I became a Dispensationalist.

I avidly studied this doctrine and became at least somewhat informed on the basics of what was believed.  I remember with clarity two of the most avidly held truths at that time.  The reason I qualify my statement with “at that time”, is because this was in the early 60’s and there have been as I understand, some major changes in Dispensationalism in these 50 years.

What I do remember as two very basic facts of Dispensationalism was:

 1) Israel had not yet received the promises of land made to Abraham and will not have these promises fulfilled until the Millennium. cf  Joshua 21:43-45, I Kings 8:56. 

2) Christ was not King.  The Kingship of Israel was offered and He refused.  He will not be king until the Millennium.  In the Millennium He will become King of Israel and reign over Israel 1000 years subduing all her enemies, and bringing Israel the land and the rule over the nations promised to Abraham.

I think this is still to some extent the doctrine of Dispensationalism, but I am not sure.  It seems so basic to that doctrine  that I do not see how it can be completely abandoned and a Millennial Kingdom remain.

In the face of this error that removes from Christ His kingly prerogative is the text in I Timothy 1:17.  It is clearly a doxology, but it is unique in the context and diction

The context of I Timothy 1:12-16 is the person of Christ first as Lord, vs 12-13, secondly as dispenser of grace, vs 14, thirdly as savior, vs 15, fourthly as the revealer of mercy, vs 16.  What then are we to expect in vs 17?  Does Paul depart from this context filled with his high praise of Christ to another object.  Not hardly.

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 

¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 

¹⁵ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 

¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The King he praises in vs 17 is time related.  He is “King of the ages, incorruptible.”  This simply does not refer to the eternal triune God.  If further proof is needed, He is invisible.

“This is the only passage in the entire New Testament in which God is described as invisible without the accompanying assertion that He has made Himself known in Christ or in the works of creation.”  The New Century Bible Commentary, The Pastoral Epistles, A.T.  Hamon, pg 62.

This is confirmed in John 1:18; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15.

I can recommend to you I Timothy 1:17 as clear statements of Jesus’ present and enduring Kingship which is His of old and waits on nothing.  As He was born “king” so He lived and lives and will everlastingly be, Hebrews 13:8.

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Is that a key in His hand?

No one can turn Him away.

It is not with a key He waits in Kingly glory,

But with His sovereign scepter He stands.

waf