This is from A Sunday Morning Message delivered on 05/06/2018. It is broken down into sections so that it can be read in three days. This is day #3 and is the final part of this message.
This King-Priest will not forever be One who rules inivisibly seated on His throne forever. He is also conqueror. He will rule openly and visibly to the ends of the Earth.
Jesus is Conqueror
“5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.”—Psalm 110:5-7 ESV
We now go back to the picture of this King seated at the right hand of the Father. And now we discuss what happens on the day of His wrath.
“He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.”—Psalm 110:6 ESV
So far Psalm 110 has described to us the King and His priesthood that we read much about in the gospel accounts and the letters to the different churches. Now, we are in the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation we see visions of the Great King on a white horse who “will tread the winepress of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:15 ESV).
There will come a time when the warfare will have gone on long enough and Jesus will return a second time “to judge the living and the dead”. And everyone opposed to Christ will hide in great fear, even hiding in caves and calling out to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17 ESV)
Jesus came the first time to accomplish the salvation for His people. When He returns again it will be as the conquering King who will reign to the ends of the Earth. And when He comes, His conquering will be complete.
I was listening to a biography of Lincoln as a war time president. Interestingly, his entire presidency was war time so I wonder why it took so long for someone to do this. But in it we find his constant anger toward his generals for not pursuing and finishing off the Confederate armies after a battle. There was always an excuse. They had too much equipment to move. They needed to stop for food. Their men were tired.
We saw something similar in the Revolutionary War. On a few occasions General George Washington was confused because the British Military did not pursue the Colonial Army. The British didn’t want to absolutely crush Americans because they wanted to be able to have a good relationship after the war was over. That and they underestimated the strength of the Colonial Army fighting a prolonged war on their own turf.
It will not be this way when Christ returns. “He will drink from the brook by the way”. When Jesus returns He will not stop early. He will continue until He reigns to the ends of the Earth.
Jesus will not always sit and rule while His enemies exist. When He returns things will be different. He will execute judgment upon the Earth. His time of patience will be over and He will stop only to refresh Himself on the way.
If you are an unbeliever here today you need to know that Christ will not always allow those who are in rebellion against Him to live on this Earth. He will one day return to “judge the living and the dead”. He came the first time to save. When He comes again He will conquer and everyone will bow down before Him. Some will bow willingly and others will bow because they have been made to do so and will face the fierceness of His wrath and justice on the Day of Judgment.
On that day His reign will be complete. He will set all things right. For now His message of salvation is spread to the ends of the Earth by the Church and the power of the Holy Spirit, but when He returns His judgement will be swift and decisive.
For the Christian, the burdens of this life will all be over. The shepherd who is and will be so gentle with us will be fierce to bring about the peace of His Eternal Kingdom. There will be no more rebelling against His rule.
We live in a time with pain and suffering surround us. We look forward to a day when this will be no more. When Jesus returns He will set up His rule and reign. Where are you in this group?
Are you those serving the Lord seated on His throne dressed in “holy garments”?
Or
Are you one of those facing Christ when He comes to judge the living and the dead?
Christ is Lord over you. Have you trusted in Him, or are you still in rebellion? He has offered you life in Him. Have you trusted in Him?
Christian, this King Priest is your Savior. Let this great news wash over you and bring joy and assurance to your heart.
R. Dwain Minor
