The Present Reign of the King of Kings

I feel I've said enough about the rapture of the church and it's relation to the timing of the Great Tribulation. I'd be happy, however, to entertain further discussion in the comment section.

I'd like now to move on to another eschatological issue that some Evangelicals have come to view as a test of true faithfulness to Scripture. This is the doctrine of premillennialism. The basic premise of this teaching is that when Christ comes again, he will then begin to reign on earth over an earthly kingdom which will last for a thousand years. There are, however, more extreme forms of premillennialism which, in addition to this idea, also deny that Christ is reigning in any way shape or form in the present age. It is this latter issue that I think important to address first. I will attempt to demonstrate that even while the New Testament was being written, Christ was already reigning in his kingdom.

First, we see that in the course of Christ’s earthly ministry, the kingdom is already is said to have been at hand (Matt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7), to have come near (Luke 10:9), and to have come upon his hearers (Matt 12:28). There is a certain sense, in Christ’s days on earth, in which the kingdom has already been appointed to him (Luke 22:29) and in which he has already received authority over all flesh (John 17:2). After his death and resurrection, we see an intensification of these royal indications, as Christ announces to his apostles that all authority has been given to him both in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18).

But the key moment in the inauguration of Christ’s kingdom is clearly his ascension into heaven. The scriptures place great significance upon this event. It is at this time that Christ was received up in glory (I Tim 3:16), to return to where he was before (John 6:62), and to enter the presence of his Father (John 20:17; Heb 9:24). The scriptures are clear, moreover, that the ascension of Christ marked, in many ways, the “beginning” of his kingly rule. As far back as the prophet Daniel, we see the coronation of the Son of Man being identified with his ascending to the throne of the Ancient of Days (Dan 7:13-14). And we see Jesus himself indicating that his inheritance of the kingdom should take place upon his going away (Luke 19:12).

Christ’s present reign is also indicated in those passages describing the majestic status which he had resumed upon his ascension. Upon entering heaven, he was highly exalted, receiving a name above every name (Phil 2:9) not only in this age, but also in the age to come (Eph 1:21). All things placed were under his feet (Heb 2:8) and he became the head (Col 2:10), being seated above all principality, power, might and dominion (Eph 1:21).

But the strongest evidence that Christ’s ascension marked the beginning of his reign are those passages that describe him as taking his seat at the right hand of God. Over and over again, the Scriptures emphasize that, having ascended, Christ was exalted to God’s right hand (Acts 2:33), the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:3), the right hand of Power (Matt 26:64). Most significant, however, are those passages that describe Christ’s position at his Father’s throne. Hebrews tells us that he sat down at the right hand of the throne of majesty (8:1) Revelation tells us that when he ascended, he was caught up to God’s throne (12:5), that he sat down with his Father on that throne and that he was already sharing that throne with his Father, so that he was able to speak of that throne as his own (3:21).

Finally, Hebrews tells us that when Christ sat down at the right hand of God, he began waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool (1:13). In I Corinthians, Paul makes it crystal clear what else Christ began doing at precisely the same time, for as he says, he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (15:25).

When Christ ascended into heaven, he sat down on his throne. To say he did not also begin to reign is, I believe, to make utter nonsense of the Scriptures. There may be some reasonable dispute as to the present nature and extent of the kingdom of Christ in this age, and I intend to address those issues in the next couple of posts. What should not even be entertained, however, in the clear light of scripture, is the idea that Christ has not yet begun to reign in any sense. The scriptures cannot possibly support such a notion. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something-- maybe even a set of best-selling novels.