On the Messianic Throne

Christ’s reign from the Messianic Throne began following his Death, Resurrection, and Exaltation to God’s presence – Psalms 110:1.

The New Testament links Christ’s enthronement to his Resurrection and subsequent Exaltation by applying key Messianic texts to his life. He qualified to reign from God’s “right hand” because of his “obedience until death, even death on the Cross.” This was confirmed when God raised him from the dead and seated him “at His right hand” where he now rules over the Universe.

[Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash]

Two passages from the Psalms figure prominently in descriptions of his present reign. The Psalmist foresaw this would commence upon his arrival before Yahweh, the God of Israel, and the enthronement of the Messiah at His right side”:

• (Psalm 2:4-8) – “He sitting in the heavens will laugh, My Lord will mock them. Then will he speak to them in his anger, and his wrath will confound them. Yet I have installed My King on Zion, my holy mountain. Let me tell of a decree, Yahweh has 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” – (Hebrews 1:1-14, Revelation 1:4-6, 12:1-5).

• (Psalms 110:1) - “The declaration of Yahweh to my Lord: sit at My right hand until I make your foes your footstool.”

Jesus confirmed his status as the Messiah by alluding to this Psalm in his testimony before the High Priest of Israel when he was condemned to death. He also included a passage from the Book of Daniel:

• (Matthew 26:63-65) – “And the high priest said to him, I adjure you by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, You have said; nevertheless, I say to you, henceforth, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

• (Daniel 7:13) – “I saw in the night-visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days… And there was given him dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.”

The High Priest understood what Jesus said, and he “rent his garments, saying: He has spoken blasphemy!” Not only did he identify himself as the Messiah, but he also asserted his right to reign from his rightful place on the Throne of David.

In his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Peter cited the same Psalm to confirm what God had accomplished only a few weeks earlier when he raised Jesus from the dead. The Resurrection not only confirmed Christ’s status as Israel’s Messiah but also installed him as Lord and King:

• (Acts 2:32-36) – “This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this, which you see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens: but he said himself: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

God made Jesus both “Lord and Messiah.” Already, he reigns from God’s “right hand,” and his authority to dispense the “Promise of the Father,” the Gift of the Holy Spirit, is evidence of this reality. He is the Messiah who reigns over the Kingdom of God. He is not waiting for a future event to become King or usher in the Kingdom. His reign is a present reality.

THE EPISTLES

Peter again pointed to Christ’s reign and sovereignty when he alluded to Psalm 110 in his first epistle. Not only is Jesus reigning from the Divine Throne, but even the hostile spiritual powers have been subjected to him - “He is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.” – (1 Peter 3:22).

Likewise, Paul presents his reign in the present tense. Since Jesus possesses all authority, he reigns over the “powers and principalities” whether hostile to him or not:

• (Ephesians 1:17-22) – “…According to the energy of the grasp of his might which he energized in the Christ when he raised him from among the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavens over-above all principality, authority, and power, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one, and did put all things in subjection beneath his feet” - (See also - Colossians 1:12-20, 2:10-15).

When Paul applied clauses from both Psalms to the Exaltation of Jesus, he used past tense verbs. He was installed as Messiah and King following his Resurrection and Ascension. Since then, he has been implementing the Kingdom and subjugating all his enemies, a process that will continue until his future “arrival,” by which time he will complete this process and consummate God’s Kingdom:

• “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. And the last enemy, death, will be destroyed; for He put all things in subjection under his feet” - (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).

The listed events in the passage from 1 Corinthians leave no room for further victories over Christ’s enemies after his “arrival.” That day will mean nothing less than the cessation of death and the completion of God’s Kingdom. After that, “God will be all in all.”

In his Letter to the Philippians, Paul declared that the obedience of Jesus even “until death” was why he was exalted and made Sovereign over all things:

• (Philippians 2:8-11) – “And in fashion being found as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient as far as death, yea, death upon a cross. Wherefore also, God uplifted him far on high and favored him with the name, which is above every name, so that, in the name of Jesus every knee might bow, of beings in heaven and on earth and underground and every tongue might openly confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord for the glory of God the Father.” - (Compare Romans 14:9-11).

That he is “far above” already means he holds the highest imaginable authority. His sovereignty is not limited to Heaven, restricted to the Earth, or delayed until any future date. He reigns over all things in the present. Following his Resurrection, he was given “all authority in Heaven and on Earth” – (Matthew 24:18).

In the Book of Hebrews, both Psalms are cited to demonstrate the superiority of Jesus over the now obsolete Levitical system. He is now the “High Priest forever” who mediates on behalf of his people in the very presence of God. For example:

• (Hebrews 1:3-5) - “Having achieved the purification of sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become by so much better than the angels, as he inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels said he at any time: You are my Son; this day have I begotten you?”

• (Hebrews 5:5) – “So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said to him: You are my Son; this day have I begotten you; as he said also in another place, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” – (Psalm 110:4. See also Hebrews 8:1, 10:12, 12:2).

Jesus is reigning already. His sovereignty began with his Resurrection and Ascension to God’s “right hand.” Ever since he has been subjugating his enemies wherever his followers announce the “Gospel of the Kingdom of God.” Every heart won by the Good News becomes reconquered territory and further evidence that Jesus reigns as “Lord and Messiah.”

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SEE ALSO:

• His Superior Word - (God has spoken His definitive word in His Son. All previous words given by the prophets were preparatory, promissory, and partial)

• You are My Son - (The Kings of the Earth conspired to unseat the Messiah, but God instead resurrected him and exalted him to the Messianic Throne – Psalm 2:1-6)

• The Mind of Christ - (The submission of Jesus to an unjust death is the paradigm for the love and service to others that disciples are summoned to manifest – Philippians 2:5-11)