JESUS REIGNS TODAY AS KING, HIGH PRIEST AND LORD

"But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.  9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.'"

Hebrews 1:8-9

Christ, the King, claimed Himself to be King. The Old Testament consistently anticipated and predicted the coming of the Messiah.  He would reign as King over His kingdom.  He came to earth to establish His kingdom and is now reigning as King since the church began on Pentecost.  The Messiah is King over all the earth and is subduing nations under their feet.

"Therefore Pilate said to Him, 'So You are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice"'  (John 18:37).  

But Jesus was not the King that the Jews were expecting.  Why?  Because they assumed He would be an earthly king.  Jesus declared,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36).

In Luke 1:31-33, we read that the angel promised Mary that she would have a Son that would receive the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob forever.  His kingdom would be everlasting and have no end.  In Matthew 2:2, the wise men declared that Jesus was born King of the Jews.  In John 1:49, Nathaniel (early in Jesus' ministry) declared, 

"You are the King of Israel.”  

Jesus did not deny it (cf. John 6:15).  In Matthew 27:11 and John 18:37, on trial before Pilate, Jesus admitted to being King (See Luke 22:70-71; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3).

The word “king” means “sovereign or monarch; a man who holds the chief authority over a country and people... a person or thing pre-eminent in its class.” Jesus has all authority; therefore, He is King!  The Great Commission by which we are saved from sin is based upon Jesus' present command.  To undermine His position is to belittle our salvation!! Furthermore, after Jesus' resurrection, He declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been delivered into His hands so that now all nations must obey all His commands (Matt. 28:18-20).

When Peter was preaching to the Jews about Jesus, He cited David's prophecy but showed that it was not fulfilled by him personally (Acts 2:27-29; Psalm 16:8-11).

“30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay“  (Acts 2:30-31).  

The prophecy of Christ on David's throne was fulfilled in Jesus' resurrection, not in the future at the second coming, as some claim.  Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand (position of authority) (Psalm 110:1-2).  Jesus is now Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).   The word “Lord” means ruler, one possessing authority.  “Christ” means the “anointed one.”  Hence, Peter claimed that Jesus had been anointed as ruler.  According to Psalm 110, Jesus must rule at God's right hand until all enemies are put under His feet.  That will be accomplished when the enemy (death) is defeated at the resurrection.  So Jesus must reign before His second coming. He will not begin His reign after the second coming!

Jesus is sitting at God's right hand; that is, above all, principalities, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named on this earth or that is to come.  All things are subject to Him, and He is the Head of all things to the church (Col. 1:13-18; 2:10; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Ephesians 1:20-21).  He sat at the right hand of God when He made purification of our sins, i.e., after He died on the cross (Hebrews 1:3-4).  Jesus now has a throne and a scepter in His kingdom.  He has been anointed above His creation (Hebrews 1:8-9).  

Moreover, the apostles acknowledged Jesus as King even after His death.

“17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen”  (1 Timothy 1:17).  

Paul also said,

“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen”  (1 Timothy 6:14-16).

Jesus, the Messiah, rules over the kings of the earth from a heavenly throne!

Christ's kingdom was also prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14).  In Psalm 47:5, in the Messianic context, we read that at the ascension of the Messiah, He would receive an everlasting kingdom and dominion.  In verse 9 of this psalm, we also see another Messianic context.  We see the peoples of the earth assembling themselves as the people of the God of Abraham.  Under the Messiah's reign, the peoples of the earth, i.e., the Gentiles, could gather themselves as the people of the God of Abraham.  To be the people of the God of Abraham is to be Israel spiritually.  Paul made this point in Romans 9:6-8.

“6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be namedo.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.”  

Paul affirmed that not all physical Israel was the true Israel.  To be God's people is not about being physically descendant but rather being a child according to the promise through obedience to God.

In Ephesians 2:11-20, we see that Christ fulfilled Psalm 47:9 by reconciling all peoples to Him, making them all the people of the God of Abraham.

In Hebrews 2:17, we read that Jesus became High Priest to make propitiation for our sins.  Through His priesthood, He can save us forever, and He is always making intercession for us (Heb. 7:24-25).  As High Priest, He entered the Holy Place to obtain eternal redemption by offering His own blood as our sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-12; 24-28).  And without the shedding of His blood, there is no remission, forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).  In the Old Testament, the sacrifices of animals could never forgive sins (Hebrews 10:3-4);  By Jesus offering Himself as High Priest, we can now have forgiveness of sins!! (Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-22).

There are many prophesies in the Old Testament regarding Jesus as High Priest:  (Psalm 110;1-4; Genesis 14:18; Zechariah 6:12-13; Isaiah 53:2; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15; Romans 15:12). Jesus was prophesied to rule on His throne and be Priest on His throne, King, and Priest at the same time.  Salvation is offered free to all through Him.  

Therefore as King and Lord, Christ rules now.  He is in charge of all the affairs of the earth; He is now reigning over all the nations.  He has all power and control over all the nations of the earth.  This is precisely what Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:27.

“27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.”

Paul made this profound statement in Romans 13:1.

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

And just as God made all the nations rise and fall in the Old Testament (Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece), so God made nations rise and fall in the New Testament (Rome and Jerusalem).  He still has all power to establish governments and destroy them.  This is our hope as His children.  We are part of His Son's kingdom.  Though we live in this nation, we are still under the rule of His Son.  We are fellow heirs and partakers of His Son's kingdom even though we live on earth.  We cannot see it yet, but we know by heart that it does exist!!!  Christ's power and dominion will never fail, even if all the world powers were to come against it.  Therefore, as Psalm 47 declares, let us clap our hands in applause.  Let us also appreciate what God has done for us in giving us such a majestic kingdom through His Son.  Let us live as citizens in God's kingdom, offering due honor to our King!


CONCLUSION:

Jesus, our Lord, has the ultimate authority (Matt. 28:18).  He is Head over all things (Eph. 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22).  He is King of kings and Lord of lords of all the earth and heaven (Rev. 1:5).   And no matter who is president, king, or dictator, God rules over all!!!  No matter who rules and what rulers may do, for good or ill, we are in God's protecting hands!! Remember that!!  

When both John and Jesus declared that "the kingdom of God is at hand,"  they were proclaiming that the reign of God had come in the Messiah Himself (Mark 1:15; Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7).  It is in Jesus our Lord that "our God reigns!"  

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth."  Revelation 19:6

"7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"  Isaiah 52:7

Praise the LORD, for His King has come to His kingdom in all righteousness and faithfulness!  All the creation is called to rejoice and worship the Lord of lords and King of kings.  Everyone is to exalt Jehovah God before His Son.

Remember also that our citizenship is in heaven and that we are pilgrims, living among the nations of men (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:19; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11).  This world is not our home.  We are just passing through.  We must not become too attached to the things of this world, which can render us fruitless (Luke 8:14).  Yes, we must guard our hearts against the love of this world, including politics!  (1 John 2:15-17).   As Christians, we are not seeking an earthly kingdom but a heavenly one that has already been established, and we must be willing to be subject to Christ.  Our love for Christ and His kingdom and the souls of men must move us to set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2) rather than being concerned about our earthly and temporal leaders.  

Let us first seek God's rule in our lives (Matt. 6:33); proclaim His mercies (1 Peter 2:9-10). The kingdom of God and His righteousness must be our primary focus.  So why not refocus our efforts on the saving gospel of Christ to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20)?  Are you letting politics render you fruitless in your life and in the work of the Lord?  Are you fulfilling the Great Commission?  Or are you being distracted by earthly things?

Therefore, let us reaffirm our heavenly citizenship, let us refocus on our primary goal; let us resolve to give leaders their due; let us keep praying for godly rulers; let us keep living righteously and not defile ourselves, and finally, let us all resume our role as peacemakers.  Remember that righteousness exalts a nation, and sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).  Our Lord reigns as King and Lord!  Have you allowed Him to reign in your life and the lives of others?

May we allow our King and Lord to reign in our lives.  May God help us to focus more on our heavenly citizenship and less on this earth.

Luci