The True Emperor

Jesus, the Slain Lamb, is the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth, the King of Kings, who now reigns over all the nations of the Earth. Jesus has reigned as Sovereign over the Earth since his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Already, he is seated on the Throne of David. Because of his obedience, God appointed him as “the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth.” He is the only true emperor. All other political powers are subordinate to him, whether they know it or not.

Just before he ascended to God’s “right hand,” the Nazarene declared that His Father had bestowed all authority on him: “In Heaven and on Earth.” His authority is without limits and a present reality.

[Cross - Photo by Ben Allan (London) on Unsplash]

Only the Kingdom of God will endure. All other realms and regimes will vanish from the Earth, sooner or later. None of them will survive beyond the moment of Christ’s return – (Matthew 28:18, Revelation 1:5).

• “Then comes the end, when he will deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he will abolish all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. <…> And when all things have been subjected to him, then the Son also will be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all” – (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

Not only is Jesus the present ruler of God’s kingdom, but every man, woman, and child redeemed by his blood becomes a member of his priestly kingdom 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).

The Greek noun translated as “ruler” in Revelation 1:5 is ‘archôn’ (αρχων), meaning “the first, primary, foremost, chief prince.” Jesus is not just another king or even a king among kings, but rather a ruler of a much higher rank to whom the kings and presidents of this age must answer.

Similarly, the Book of Revelation also calls Jesus “the Lord of lords, and the King of kings.” Even the Beast from the Sea is unable to attack the Church until it is authorized to do so by the Lamb (“And it was given to it to wage war on the saints…” - Revelation 13:7, 17:14, 19:16).

It is the sacrificial Lamb who sits on the Divine Throne. In Chapter 5 of Revelation, John hears one of the twenty-four elders announce the victory of the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” but when he turns to look, he sees instead the Slain Lamb. What John saw interprets what he first heard. In other words, Jesus is the Messiah of Israel destined to rule the nations, but he does so as the sacrificial Lamb rather than the predatory lion – (Revelation 5:5-6).

This understanding is confirmed when the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before the Lamb:

• “And they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals, for you were slain, and you purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and you made them a kingdom and priests for our God. And they are reigning on the earth. <…> Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing. <…>  Unto him who is sitting on the throne, and unto the Lamb be the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever” – (Revelation 5:9-14).

It is the Lamb who is worthy to open the Sealed Scroll, not the Lion, and it is the Lamb who immediately takes the scroll from the right hand of God and begins to open its seals.

From this point forward in the Book, it is the Lamb who sits with God on the Throne, even in the Holy City, New Jerusalem at the conclusion of Revelation. Jesus never ceases to be the Lamb after Chapter 5 – (Revelation 7:17, 22:3 – “And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city”).

HIS PRIESTLY KINGDOM

Because he now possesses absolute authority, Jesus sends his disciples as his envoys to proclaim his message and his sovereignty to “the ends of the Earth.” That is how we, as his disciples, participate in his reign and priestly kingdom. Because of his “obedience unto death,” God made Jesus “both Messiah and Lord,” as well as the royal son of David and King who now reigns from Zion – (Acts 2:36, Ephesians 1:20-22, Revelation 14:1-4).

We proclaim his lordship 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 and King join his “Kingdom of Priests” - (Exodus 19:5, Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 1:5-6).

The man from Nazareth has become the only true Emperor who reigns over the nations, the Earth, and the Cosmos. This distinction does not belong to Caesar or any other world ruler of this age, including kings, dictators, prime ministers, and presidents. Only Jesus, the Lamb slain to redeem humanity, has received “all power and authority.”

• “Fear not! I am the first and the last, and the Living one. And I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades” - (Revelation 1:17-18).

There is nothing that is beyond his reach, including the realm of the dead. Putting our hope and faith in any other political power would be most unwise.

Each of us will be held to account for every deed we have done, and every word we have spoken, when “the King of kings” appears on “the clouds of heaven,” gathers his elect, and judges the nations.

If we have rejected Jesus as Savior and Lord, we will “be cast into outer darkness” and suffer “everlasting destruction.” However, if we remain faithful to him even when doing so brings suffering and death, then we will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of his Father.”

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SEE ALSO:

• Christ's Radical Message - (Jesus summoned his disciples to proclaim the Good News to every nation, and to give complete allegiance to him and his kingdom)

• Allegiance to whom? - (In the Book of Revelation, every man and woman must choose between loyalty to the Beast from the Sea or the Sacrificial Lamb)

• The Power of God - (The power of God is revealed in the proclamation of a Messiah, one who was crucified by the World Empire on a Roman Cross)

• Le Véritable Empereur - (Jésus, l'Agneau immolé, est le Souverain des Rois de la Terre, le Roi des Rois, qui règne maintenant sur toutes les nations de la Terre)