End Time Insights

The faithful witness, Jesus, now reigns supreme over the kings of the earth, including his enemies .  Jesus is called the “ ruler of the kings of the earth ” in the present tense . His sovereignty over the earth is based on his death and resurrection, NOT on any hereditary rights, economic control, or military might. He is the anointed king who now reigns on the messianic throne.

The New Testament links Christ’s enthronement to his death and resurrection by using key messianic texts in the Hebrew Bible. He achieved the authority to rule because of his faithful obedience unto death, and God vindicated him by raising him from the dead.  And not only did the Father resurrect him, but He also seated him “ at His right hand ” where he now reigns supreme over all things.

Jesus is the promised ruler from the line of David, the King who is shepherding the nations.  The “ son ” born of the “ woman clothed with the sun ” is the Messiah who is destined to “ shepherd the nations .” Following his enthronement, heaven declares that “ now is come the kingdom of God and the authority of His Christ .”

The sacrifice and exaltation of Jesus are prominent themes in the book of  Revelation . God’s plan to redeem humanity is unveiled in its visions, and his death, resurrection, and enthronement are putting it into action. His sovereignty over the Cosmos is the result of his faithful obedience unto death.

The salutations from the throne highlight key themes of the book, especially the victory and present reign of Jesus .  The next paragraph presents greetings to the “ seven churches ” from the “ throne ” - from God, Jesus, and the “ Seven Spirits of God .” It stresses Christ’s current over the earth. His sovereignty is based on his death and resurrection. The recipients of the book   are identified as the “ seven churches ” from key cities of the province.

The conspiracy by the earth’s kings to unseat God’s Son is applied by the New Testament to the plot to destroy Jesus  – Psalm 2:1-6. The second Psalm is a key messianic passage applied to Jesus several times in the New Testament. But precisely when were its predictions fulfilled, and is the Messiah reigning even now on David’s Throne? Or is the world still waiting for his accession at a future date?

Jesus received complete authority from his Father to reign over the Cosmos. Only his kingdom will endure .  At the height of his power, the absolute monarch of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, boasted before heaven and earth, “ Is not this Babylon the great and exceptional kingdom that I built by the  might of my power  and for the glory of my majesty ?” His boast was not an idle one. Babylon was one of the great powers of the ancient world.

In his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul stresses the exaltation of Jesus following his resurrection. It seems some congregants were confused about his authority over the spiritual powers that remained hostile to his people. So, Paul reminded the church of just how highly God exalted the one who became the “ firstborn of the dead .”

The book of  Revelation  assures the beleaguered congregations of Asia that Jesus reigns and has events firmly under his control despite appearances and hostility. His sovereignty is based on his death and resurrection, and the latter marked the commencement of his reign from the messianic throne.

The reign of Jesus began with his exaltation to the messianic throne after his Death and Resurrection  – Psalms 110:1. The New Testament links Christ’s enthronement to his Death and Resurrection by using key messianic texts from the Hebrew Bible. He achieved the authority to rule because of his faithful obedience, and God vindicated him by raising him from the dead.

Philadelphia ( Revelation 3:7-13 ): The city of Philadelphia lay fifty kilometers southeast of Sardis and between it and Laodicea. It straddled a major road into the interior; trade with other regions was vital to its economic life. Philadelphia was established as a city around in 189 B.C. by Eumenés II, king of Pergamos. He named it in honor of his brother and successor, Attalus II . The city came under Roman rule when the last king, Attalus III, bequeathed Pergamos to Rome in his will (133 B.C.).