The stage is set. Over the past few weeks, we have reviewed both the necessity and the reality of the Sword of the
Word of God having two edges. In order to ultimately be effective, the Sword must swing both ways—1.) as the LAW, cutting us open to expose our sin, and 2.) as the GOSPEL, cutting out that sin to free us of it!
Do you remember my “Ship of the Kingdom” diagram? You may, as “a picture is worth a thousand words,” Or you may not. As I wrote this posting, I saw spiritual truth I hadn’t seen before myself. Either way, these biblical, foundational ideas are finding good soil in our hearts and starting to take root.
Here it is—this “Ship of the Kingdom.” I call the diagram a”ship” because it looks like a sailboat. It is a.diagram of Abraham Kuyper’s “sphere sovereignty,” his contribution to Reformed Theology. It pictures the forest of God’s overall plan for mankind, in which the individual trees of our daily lives are planted. Our jobs, education, relationships, activities, recreation and all other associations we may have are immensely, and often unknowingly, influenced by the reality of this forest—why we were created! Let’s explore this overarching context, the forest in which we individual trees all live.
As you can see, the Sovereign, Father God is at the very top of the ship, the First Cause. At some point God decided to create heaven and earth, including man in His very image to rule over His creation for Him (Genesis 1:26-28).
The Bible story tells us of God’s creative activity. This includes man, his creation, falling into sin in the Garden, the calling out of the nation Israel, and then eventually their rebellion against God Himself. Throughout the centuries, God’s Eternal Purpose never wavered—to have a man in His image who ruled His creation for Him, just as if He were doing it Himself!
His divine p[an included sending His Son Jesus to earth as a man who showed us HOW A MAN RULES on the earth. This plan culminates in His death on a cross to SET US FREE TO ACTUALLY RULE OURSELVES in the same way!
The first action in the diagram is represented by the vertical line from God the Father to Jesus Christ. The action represented by this line occurred 40 days after Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 1:3) at His ascent into Heaven, prophesied 600 years earlier by Daniel: “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13, 14).
Some think this passage refers to Jersus’ second coming, because of the “Coming with the clouds of heaven” wording, which is similar to the angels’ description of Jesus’ return to earth in Acts 1:9-11. However, here in Daniel 7:13, Jesus “came to the Ancient of Days,” God Himself, not to the earth; He came UP to the Ancient of Days, not DOWN to the earth.
Daniel prophesied Jesus returning to Heaven, entering the throne room, figuratively snapping off a salute, and reporting, “Mission Accomplished! Humanity is redeemed!””
In God’s Court of Divine Justice, Satan had legally tricked Adam into surrendering to Satan the authority to rule over the earth (to be the “god of this world”) at the Tree in the Garden of Eden, but at the cross that all changed. There, Satan killed an innocent Man and legally lost his stolen authority. Forty days later, at the Ascension, God, the ultimate Divine Judge, officially gave that authority to Jesus and legally made Him King of all kings and Lord of all lords! Thus, God’s Eternal Purpose was fulfilled—a Man was ruling over the Earth, as man was created to do (Genesis 1:26-28)!
But there’s more. Jesus receiving the Kingdom of God is just the beginning! Four verses later Daniel tells us what Jesus does with His new kingdom: “The SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever’” (Daniel 7:18). Jesus passes His newly-received Kingdom on to us!
400 years before Daniel, David also foretold this very event, with a little more detail: “The LORD (God the Father) said to my Lord (Jesus), “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The LORD (God the Father) shall send the rod of Your (Jesus’) strength out of Zion (the church). Rule in the midst of Your enemies!” (Psalm 110:1, 2)
Notice, as Jesus is, right now, sitting at God’s right hand in Heaven, He is simultaneously sending His church out into the world every day, to rule over it—WHILE LIVING IN IT, IN THE VERY MIDST OF GOD”S ENEMIES!
The significance of this idea is absolutely mind-blowing and life-changing. How that occurs is pictured in the diagram by the next set of vertical lines flowing down from Jesus. Next week.
