Every ruler has a scope that generally determines the extent of his or her rule. In most instances, borders determine the range of that dominion, and one can fathom that the jurisdiction he has established for himself will never be easily surrendered. In the case of the 110th Psalm, we are faced with considering the extent of His rule and attempting to answer the question: What does Christ rule over? What are the boundaries or areas where his authority applies? Not only this, but we must also explore the question of what exactly is Christ doing during this reign? What work is He participating in while sitting at the right hand of the Father? How does it affect His people and the world? In this segment, we’ll explore how Psalm 110 is used to answer all these questions.
The Extent of His Rule
We know from the following passage in Ephesians that in the day that the letter was penned, it was already an extensive reign:
These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:19-23)
Not only does Jesus live forever, but He reigns forever as well. The text here is arguing that much like we, as Christians, are already seated in the heavenly places, a reference to our assured victory. If Christ is seated at God’s right hand, we are guaranteed a place in His Kingdom. Christ’s enemies, whether rule, authority, power, dominion, or any name that is named, whether in this age or the age to come, are certain to be placed under His feet. This is not attributable only to angelic powers and spiritual rules but includes those spirits behind the nations. All rule, all authority, whether in heaven or on the earth, all things are in subjection under His feet. He is given a name that is superior to all names, a name that every tongue shall confess (Philippians 2:6-11). This dominion is not restricted to this age but will follow in the age to come. But notice that the dominion is extended to the Church. The congregation of Christ Jesus, with the same confidence that they will be seated in the heavenlies, can also rest assured that all things will be placed under her feet, including all authority, and power and dominion.
Christ’s reign as Davidic King is even further described in 1 Peter:
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. (1 Peter 3:21-22)
Once again, we have a link between the resurrection of Jesus, who went into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God and the extent to which He has been given dominion. This is once again explained as a present reality. As we see in the book of Hebrews also, the angels, authorities and powers have already been subjected to Him and continue to be so long as He sits on this throne while Yahweh is making His enemies a footstool. We mustn’t limit the scope of this reign to something minor or simply heavenly. His reign, while being over the angels and powers and authorities is still a rulership that extends to the earth (Matthew 28:18-20).
His Work During His Reign
The reign of Jesus Christ on the throne of Yahweh is not benign. Jesus is not merely sitting at the right hand of the Father idle. He is very much active in time and history. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father doing the work of the High Priest. This work consists of intercession. He ever continues to function as an advocate on behalf of His people representing them before their God. Christ would not commission his people to go into all the nations and leave them. In fact, He said quite the opposite. This work of intercession is crucial to the advancement of His Kingdom. The apostle Paul, in providing confidence to the believers in Rome argued that nothing in this world could separate them from God, and He used the seat of Christ at the right hand of the Father as a substantiation for this claim. Christ’s work at the right hand of the Father was the means by which they could have confidence in their assurance of salvation in this life. He writes:
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (Romans 8:33-34)
The substance behind this assurance of continued favour in God’s sight is that Christ is in the presence of the Father interceding on our behalf. Jesus is ever present before Him to arbitrate our prayers to the Father and continue to assure our salvation to the end. This work began when He offered the sacrifice of Himself and will continue until that day when He returns to the earth to bring a final salvation and a final judgment.
The Begotten Priest
So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”; just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever, According to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. (Hebrews 5:5-7)
The book of Hebrews has much to say regarding this priestly work. We notice that the priesthood was a means by which God would glorify Him (Hebrews 5:5). He would be a faithful Son, begotten of the Father, and set Him up as a priest according to the order of Melchizedek forever. (Hebrews 5:4). During His first coming, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications to God. While He took time to pray as a faithful follower of Yahweh, it was on the cross that His prayers would resonate publicly showing His utter dependence upon His God and His willingness to do His will unto the very end (Luke 23:34,46). Now, He sits before the Father, no longer offering up His own prayers but the prayers of His people to assure that they are answered.
The Hope Behind the Veil
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20)
When Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at God’s right hand, He entered God’s temple through the veil so that He would give hope and assurance to the glory and blessings to come to God’s people. He becomes the anchor to their souls assuring that none of these will be lost. He did so by becoming a precursor as a guarantee of this hope. What is significant to note in this verse is that He has entered as a forerunner. What Christ has received in His glorification as a priest of the Most High God will be extended to His people.
Bringing His People into the Throne Room
The greatest testimony to His work as the Great Hight Priest established by Psalm 110 is found in Hebrews 7:15-28. While we will not quote the entire text, we recommend spending time examining this beautiful passage. Jesus, a descendant from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, instituted a priesthood that supersedes all other priesthoods by bringing in a better hope, a hope for His people that He would bring them close to God (Hebrews 7:19). His work is to bring them close to their God unlike those priests of old, because He was installed as an eternal priest based upon an oath sworn by God (Hebrews 7:20). To substantiate this, the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110. The assurance of the blessings from this priesthood stem from Jesus. They are assured because of His better covenant. But the priesthood of Jesus does something so much more than anything within the Levitical or Aaronic priesthoods, it saves perfectly because for those who draw close to God have Him as their Great High priest. Those for whom He offered the sacrifice, He continues to intercede. Because He forever lives, He endlessly continues to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). It doesn’t matter if you are Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, all who draw close to Him are saved through Him. What a glorious confidence that we have in Christ that He will continue to work on our behalf, guaranteeing our inheritance and interceding so that we might continue our work in the advancement of His Kingdom.
In our next segment, we will explore one of the most important New Testament concepts relating to Psalm 110, mainly the timetable of His reign and how it relates to the end of history.
The Moncton Herald 