The True Emperor

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 yasmin peyman 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.”

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SEE ALSO:

• Servants or Overlords - (The submission of Jesus to an unjust death stands in stark contrast to the political mechanisms and ideologies of this age)

• True Power - (The power of God is revealed in the proclamation of a Messiah who was crucified by the world on Calvary)

• Salvation for the Nations - (The Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people)