With an apology to T. H. White, my thoughts today center on the notion of a king who not only once was, but is now set to appear again. No, I’m not referring to King Arthur of so long ago, but rather to the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.
It seems that through the magic of artificial intelligence and a plethora of photos and film, the king himself is now set to appear “live” as a hologram in a concert this fall in London. The top-selling solo artist of all time was recently surpassed by Taylor Swift. But it appears that he is soon to regain his throne, as a whole new generation is set to experience him in concert.
Imagine that… Elvis alive. Elvis dead. And now Elvis alive once again! Long live the king!
And yet, the king is not really the king. For a hologram is not really a human being, but rather a mere representation of one. And artificial intelligence is just that - artificial!
By contrast, there is another “Once and Future King”, One Who was at one point quite alive, and then was quite dead, and then, was quite alive again! What is more, one day, not long hence, this “Once and Future King” will be front and center on the stage of history once again!
And just Who is this king? Not merely the king of a given music genre, or of a given nation, or of even a given epoch of history, He is in fact the one true “King of Kings”. And His name is Jesus Christ.
In the New Testament Gospel of Mathew (chapter 27, verse 37), the Bible tells us that when Jesus was crucified, His accusers nailed a plaque on the cross above His head mockingly referring to Him as the “King of the Jews”. And yet, even as they did so, they unwittingly placed Him in the position to justify Himself and His claims. For as the one, true, once and future King, He was destined by His resurrection to prove Himself not only the King of the Jews but of all peoples in all times and in all places.
But this one, true King did not just reappear for a short time after His physical resurrection. This He did, but then (according to the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 1-6), He went away in order to go away and prepare a place for those who chose to follow Him.
And now, He is set to appear again, live and in person! For the same Bible that tells us that He came the first time also tells us that He will soon come again the second time. Only He will not come as a hologram; but rather live and in person!
According to the New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 1, verses 1-11), when Jesus ascended into Heaven, two individuals (presumably angels) from Heaven, suddenly appeared next to Jesus’ disciples and said to them, “Men of Galilee … why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
I, for one, long for the return of the “Once and Future King”. Only it is not for the long forgotten Arthur of Camelot, nor is it for the more recently departed Elvis of Graceland. Instead, it is for the sure to be manifested Jesus of Nazareth!
Do you long for the return of the King? If so, my friend, then get ready. For soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King!
STORY SOURCE:
Available widely on the internet. See, for example:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/04/elvis-evolution-hologram-show-london-premiere.
SEE ALSO:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Once_and_Future_King.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/matthew/27-37.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/john/14.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/1.htm.
LASTLY, ENJOY THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmGiu9JfbIs.
It seems that through the magic of artificial intelligence and a plethora of photos and film, the king himself is now set to appear “live” as a hologram in a concert this fall in London. The top-selling solo artist of all time was recently surpassed by Taylor Swift. But it appears that he is soon to regain his throne, as a whole new generation is set to experience him in concert.
Imagine that… Elvis alive. Elvis dead. And now Elvis alive once again! Long live the king!
And yet, the king is not really the king. For a hologram is not really a human being, but rather a mere representation of one. And artificial intelligence is just that - artificial!
By contrast, there is another “Once and Future King”, One Who was at one point quite alive, and then was quite dead, and then, was quite alive again! What is more, one day, not long hence, this “Once and Future King” will be front and center on the stage of history once again!
And just Who is this king? Not merely the king of a given music genre, or of a given nation, or of even a given epoch of history, He is in fact the one true “King of Kings”. And His name is Jesus Christ.
In the New Testament Gospel of Mathew (chapter 27, verse 37), the Bible tells us that when Jesus was crucified, His accusers nailed a plaque on the cross above His head mockingly referring to Him as the “King of the Jews”. And yet, even as they did so, they unwittingly placed Him in the position to justify Himself and His claims. For as the one, true, once and future King, He was destined by His resurrection to prove Himself not only the King of the Jews but of all peoples in all times and in all places.
But this one, true King did not just reappear for a short time after His physical resurrection. This He did, but then (according to the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 1-6), He went away in order to go away and prepare a place for those who chose to follow Him.
And now, He is set to appear again, live and in person! For the same Bible that tells us that He came the first time also tells us that He will soon come again the second time. Only He will not come as a hologram; but rather live and in person!
According to the New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 1, verses 1-11), when Jesus ascended into Heaven, two individuals (presumably angels) from Heaven, suddenly appeared next to Jesus’ disciples and said to them, “Men of Galilee … why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
I, for one, long for the return of the “Once and Future King”. Only it is not for the long forgotten Arthur of Camelot, nor is it for the more recently departed Elvis of Graceland. Instead, it is for the sure to be manifested Jesus of Nazareth!
Do you long for the return of the King? If so, my friend, then get ready. For soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King!
STORY SOURCE:
Available widely on the internet. See, for example:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/04/elvis-evolution-hologram-show-london-premiere.
SEE ALSO:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Once_and_Future_King.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/matthew/27-37.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/john/14.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/1.htm.
LASTLY, ENJOY THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmGiu9JfbIs.