This Kingdom Foretold
Genesis 14:18-20 "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed Abram and said 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High. Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand'." Having the benefit of forthcoming scripture, we see here a crucial foretelling of the King Who would come. Note that Melchizedek was a king and priest, importantly, the king of Salem, or King of Peace.(Recall that beautiful Psalm 85:10 in which "righteousness and peace have kissed each other" in our Melchizedek, Christ Jesus.) He brings to the forerunner and father of the faithful(Romans 4:16), Abram at that point, the emblems of the New Covenant in Christ's blood--he brings bread and wine.
Psalm 110 is crucial in considering the Kingdom of God in Christ. The King/Priest is here spoken of in clearer prophecy. This Kingdom is not necessarily a peaceable kingdom. The present stage is a war—“in the midst of you enemies”. But it is a sure Kingdom—“till I make your enemies your footstool." This Psalm also introduces the gloriously unique nature of our King, “you are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” He is to be our Priest of access in all things pertaining to God!!! These words are the very oath of God whereby our Christ receives the authority of God to be our High Priest of an endless life, in all things that concern His People in their relation to the Holy God of Heaven. Hebrews 2:17 "Therefore, He is able to save to the uttermost, those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25 We will visit the final victory later as in I Corinthians 15:20-28 in its glorious application of His Resurrection Victory!!!
II Samuel 7:12-17 God's covenant with David promises a King from David's seed, whose kingdom and throne "shall be established forever." In Isaiah 55:3, this covenant is called the Sure Mercies of David (vs 5) and prophesies that this reign of mercy will exceed the borders of physical Israel to include "a nation you do not know'. Acts 13:27-41 is Paul’s explanation of the fulfillment of this promise in the resurrection of our Lord Christ.(vs 34-35 combines Isa.55:3 with Ps 16:10 to make his point.) In Psalm 89:3-4, please note the place of Mercy in this Psalm along with David's covenant restated in vs 3-4. This Psalm “fleshes out” the Sure Mercies of David! (Vs 1-2, 14, 24-29, 33) Note particularly vs 24-29 in which this King's relationship with God and His Unique Authority over all thing is established. "Also, I will make Him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Psalm 132 This Psalm again flows from David's covenant being his physical seed, to an eternal Seed Whose city, Zion, will be the Lord's resting place forever. I think this is beautifully fulfilled in Revelation 21-22 when Zion, the city of our God is presented as the New Jerusalem, which has no temple for the Father and His Son, the Lamb, are the temple and the Glory of God illuminates it and the Lamb is its light!!!
Daniel 7:9-14 Note vs 13, "And behold, One like the Son of Man, to Him was given dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom." And what a Kingdom--"it shall not pass away, and His Kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." Now notice John 5:16-30, especially vs 26-27, "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ALSO, BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN."!!! Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man 13 times in John, a clear connection with the Son of Man of Daniel 7, and a definite claim to His position as that King!!!
Luke 11:14-23 These are Jesus' own words, "But if I cast out demons with THE FINGER OF GOD, surely the Kingdom of God is upon you." In Exodus 8:19, the magicians of Egypt could not reproduce lice as had Aaron and his rod. They recognized this miracle "as the finger of God". And more significantly, in Exodus 31:18, where God has given His Law to Moses, it concludes with "And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sanai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD." In Deut. 9:9-10, Moses recounts His time on Mount Sinai, again referring to the "two tablets of stone WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD." How fitting that the Word made flesh, the very fulfillment of all righteousness, should speak of Himself as casting out demons with that same FINGER!!! He is God. Whether He is writing the Law on tablets of stone or casting out demons, it is His Finger!!! He is the Word of God. He is the Righteousness of God, and He has come to retake His creation. The King has come!!!
Acts 2:22-39 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, in this most incredible sermon, makes it plain that Pentecost evidences the fulfillment of the Sure Mercies of David in the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ and that this same Jesus has ascended to the Throne of David in heaven at the Right Hand of the Father. Note the amazing truth Peter speaks of in vs 30, "knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that OF THE FRUIT OF HIS BODY, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne". And lest there be any confusion, he states, "This Jesus, God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this (the Pentecost event) which you now see and hear, for David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The LORD said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool". And with the Apostolic commission and the history of the book of Acts, we see the warfare segment of the Kingdom commence. "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock (Peter's confession that Jesus is the Son of the Living God), I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus here states that He is on the offense! He is storming the gates of hell and taking out whomsoever He wills through the Power of God which is the Gospel. (Romans 1:16) Remember, the weapons of this "warfare are not carnal, but mighty THROUGH GOD to the pulling down of strongholds." II Corinthians 10:4 The Kingdom has come and it shall not pass away!!!
Acts 7:55-56 "But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the Right Hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the SON OF MAN standing at the Right Hand of God." Stephen is the eyewitness to the fact that the Son of Man of Daniel 7 is standing with all authority, dominion, and power at the Right Hand of the Most High God. The Kingdom has come and it shall not pass away!!!
Much more scriptural evidence could be put forth, but this is sufficient to stir our faith in our Victorious Priest/King Who ever lives to make intercession for the people of God and to rule and reign in their hearts, and Who works in the present time to call out a people for His Name.
Genesis 14:18-20 "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed Abram and said 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High. Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand'." Having the benefit of forthcoming scripture, we see here a crucial foretelling of the King Who would come. Note that Melchizedek was a king and priest, importantly, the king of Salem, or King of Peace.(Recall that beautiful Psalm 85:10 in which "righteousness and peace have kissed each other" in our Melchizedek, Christ Jesus.) He brings to the forerunner and father of the faithful(Romans 4:16), Abram at that point, the emblems of the New Covenant in Christ's blood--he brings bread and wine.
Psalm 110 is crucial in considering the Kingdom of God in Christ. The King/Priest is here spoken of in clearer prophecy. This Kingdom is not necessarily a peaceable kingdom. The present stage is a war—“in the midst of you enemies”. But it is a sure Kingdom—“till I make your enemies your footstool." This Psalm also introduces the gloriously unique nature of our King, “you are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” He is to be our Priest of access in all things pertaining to God!!! These words are the very oath of God whereby our Christ receives the authority of God to be our High Priest of an endless life, in all things that concern His People in their relation to the Holy God of Heaven. Hebrews 2:17 "Therefore, He is able to save to the uttermost, those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25 We will visit the final victory later as in I Corinthians 15:20-28 in its glorious application of His Resurrection Victory!!!
II Samuel 7:12-17 God's covenant with David promises a King from David's seed, whose kingdom and throne "shall be established forever." In Isaiah 55:3, this covenant is called the Sure Mercies of David (vs 5) and prophesies that this reign of mercy will exceed the borders of physical Israel to include "a nation you do not know'. Acts 13:27-41 is Paul’s explanation of the fulfillment of this promise in the resurrection of our Lord Christ.(vs 34-35 combines Isa.55:3 with Ps 16:10 to make his point.) In Psalm 89:3-4, please note the place of Mercy in this Psalm along with David's covenant restated in vs 3-4. This Psalm “fleshes out” the Sure Mercies of David! (Vs 1-2, 14, 24-29, 33) Note particularly vs 24-29 in which this King's relationship with God and His Unique Authority over all thing is established. "Also, I will make Him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Psalm 132 This Psalm again flows from David's covenant being his physical seed, to an eternal Seed Whose city, Zion, will be the Lord's resting place forever. I think this is beautifully fulfilled in Revelation 21-22 when Zion, the city of our God is presented as the New Jerusalem, which has no temple for the Father and His Son, the Lamb, are the temple and the Glory of God illuminates it and the Lamb is its light!!!
Daniel 7:9-14 Note vs 13, "And behold, One like the Son of Man, to Him was given dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom." And what a Kingdom--"it shall not pass away, and His Kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." Now notice John 5:16-30, especially vs 26-27, "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and HAS GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ALSO, BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF MAN."!!! Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man 13 times in John, a clear connection with the Son of Man of Daniel 7, and a definite claim to His position as that King!!!
Luke 11:14-23 These are Jesus' own words, "But if I cast out demons with THE FINGER OF GOD, surely the Kingdom of God is upon you." In Exodus 8:19, the magicians of Egypt could not reproduce lice as had Aaron and his rod. They recognized this miracle "as the finger of God". And more significantly, in Exodus 31:18, where God has given His Law to Moses, it concludes with "And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sanai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD." In Deut. 9:9-10, Moses recounts His time on Mount Sinai, again referring to the "two tablets of stone WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD." How fitting that the Word made flesh, the very fulfillment of all righteousness, should speak of Himself as casting out demons with that same FINGER!!! He is God. Whether He is writing the Law on tablets of stone or casting out demons, it is His Finger!!! He is the Word of God. He is the Righteousness of God, and He has come to retake His creation. The King has come!!!
Acts 2:22-39 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, in this most incredible sermon, makes it plain that Pentecost evidences the fulfillment of the Sure Mercies of David in the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ and that this same Jesus has ascended to the Throne of David in heaven at the Right Hand of the Father. Note the amazing truth Peter speaks of in vs 30, "knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that OF THE FRUIT OF HIS BODY, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne". And lest there be any confusion, he states, "This Jesus, God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this (the Pentecost event) which you now see and hear, for David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The LORD said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool". And with the Apostolic commission and the history of the book of Acts, we see the warfare segment of the Kingdom commence. "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock (Peter's confession that Jesus is the Son of the Living God), I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus here states that He is on the offense! He is storming the gates of hell and taking out whomsoever He wills through the Power of God which is the Gospel. (Romans 1:16) Remember, the weapons of this "warfare are not carnal, but mighty THROUGH GOD to the pulling down of strongholds." II Corinthians 10:4 The Kingdom has come and it shall not pass away!!!
Acts 7:55-56 "But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the Right Hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the SON OF MAN standing at the Right Hand of God." Stephen is the eyewitness to the fact that the Son of Man of Daniel 7 is standing with all authority, dominion, and power at the Right Hand of the Most High God. The Kingdom has come and it shall not pass away!!!
Much more scriptural evidence could be put forth, but this is sufficient to stir our faith in our Victorious Priest/King Who ever lives to make intercession for the people of God and to rule and reign in their hearts, and Who works in the present time to call out a people for His Name.