Messianic promises from the Psalms are applied to the present reign of Jesus who possesses all authority in Heaven and on Earth.
Jesus has reigned as Sovereign over the Earth since
his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, already, he is seated on the Messianic Throne.
Because of his obedience, he is the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth.” Before
his Ascension, he declared that God had bestowed all authority on him - “In Heaven
and on Earth.” His authority is without limits and a present
reality. Thus, working for competing political entities becomes, at
best, a waste of time. Only God’s Kingdom will endure.
![]() |
[Photo by Manuel Rheinschmidt on Unsplash] |
Not only is he the “King of kings,” but everyone redeemed by his blood becomes a member of his “Kingdom of Priests” and reigns with him, only his disciples “overcome” and reign in the same manner that he did:
- “Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the Dead, and the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. Unto him who loves us and loosed us from our sins through his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father… He that overcomes, I will grant him to sit with me on my Throne, just as I overcame and sat with my Father on his throne… the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful” - (Revelation 1:5-6, 3:21, 17:14).
In Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his
disciples, “Who do men say that the Son
of Man is?” Peter declared, “You are
the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” though Peter’s brief epiphany
vanished once Jesus explained what the Messianic calling meant.
As the Messiah of Israel, Jesus must “go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the
elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed,” though God would
resurrect him on the third day. Before his exaltation, he would become the Suffering
Servant of Yahweh persecuted by unrighteous yet “pious” men - (Matthew
16:13-28, Isaiah 53:1-12).
Following his Resurrection, God exalted Jesus
and gave him the “name which is above every name, that in the name
of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in Heaven and
things on Earth and things under the Earth, and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord.” He now summons his disciples to proclaim his message
and his lordship over the Earth - (Philippians 2:9-11).
On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus promised
that some disciples would not die until they saw the “Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” His words alluded to a vision in
the Book of Daniel that portrayed the receipt of the Kingdom by the
figure known as the “Son of Man”:
- “I continued looking in the visions of the night, when, behold, with the clouds of the heavens, one like a son of man was coming, and to the Ancient of days he approached, and before him, they brought him near; and to him were given dominion and dignity and kingship, that all peoples, races, and tongues unto him should do service, his dominion was an everlasting dominion ” – (Daniel 7:13-14).
Jesus received “all authority in Heaven and on Earth” after his Death and Resurrection,
authority attained through his suffering and death. His declaration as recorded
in Matthew 24:18 echoes the Messianic prophecy of the Second Psalm:
- (Psalm 2:7-8) – “Let me tell of a decree, Yahweh said to me, You are my son. I, this day, have begotten you. Ask of me and let me give nations as your inheritance, and as your possession, the ends of the earth.”
HIS PRIESTLY KINGDOM
Because he now possesses absolute authority,
he sends his disciples as his envoys to proclaim his Gospel and sovereignty to the
“ends of the Earth.” That is how his disciples participate in Christ’s reign.
Because of his obedience, God made him “both Messiah and Lord”
– (Acts 2:36, Ephesians 1:20-22).
The disciples of Jesus proclaim his Lordship
and Salvation to the Nations of the Earth. All men are called to submit
to his sovereignty and receive his salvation while time remains before the
final judgment. All who do receive the forgiveness of sins and submit to Christ
as “Lord” join his “Kingdom of Priests” - (Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation
1:5-6).
Thus, the man from Nazareth has become the one and only true “Emperor” who reigns over the planet, indeed, over the Cosmos. This distinction does not belong to Caesar or any other pretender to sovereignty over the world, including kings, dictators, prime ministers, and presidents.
The one who now reigns over all things is the
“Lamb with Seven Horns and Seven Eyes,” an image that points to his absolute
power and limitless knowledge. There is nothing that is beyond his reach,
including “Death and Hades,” and nothing is hidden from his eyes. Putting
our hope and faith in any other political power than Christ and his Kingdom
would be unwise in the extreme.
Each man will be held to account for every
deed and word when the “King of kings” appears on the “clouds of
heaven” to gather his elect and judge the nations. Those who have rejected
him as Savior and Lord will be “cast into outer darkness” and suffer “everlasting
destruction,” but his faithful saints and martyrs will “shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of his Father.”
Anyone who rejects his Gospel defies Christ’s sovereignty and becomes
aligned with the “Dragon” and his earthly representatives, the “Beast
from the Sea” and the “False Prophet.” That man will discover to his
shame and horror that his name has been erased from the “Book of Life of the
Lamb.”
[PDF Copy]
SEE ALSO:
- Usurping God - (The submission of Jesus to an unjust death stands in stark contrast to the political systems and ideologies of this world)
- Fleeting Power - (Only God’s kingdom will prevail and endure in the end. All other political powers are transitory. Already they are passing away)
- Idolizing Caesar - (The World Empire’s propagandists encourage men and women to give allegiance to and idolize Caesar, the Beast from the Sea)
- Le Seul Vrai Empereur - (Les promesses messianiques des Psaumes sont appliquées au règne actuel de Jésus qui possède toute autorité au Ciel et sur la Terre)
No comments:
Post a Comment
We encourage free discussions on the commenting system provided by the Google Blogger platform, with the stipulation that conversations remain civil. Comments voicing dissenting views are encouraged.