Scripture: Psalm 2
We come this morning to the treatment of the kingly aspect of that office to which our glorious Mediator has been ordained by God. And although the three aspects of Christ's office are inseparable with the office itself as the Anointed of God, nevertheless, we might say that the ultimate focus of that one office with its threefold aspect is on Christ's kingship. I don't mean to say at all that the prophetic or priestly aspects of His office are any less important. All belong to Him Who is the Messiah. He is ordained by God the Father and anointed with the Holy Spirit to all three official functions in His office as our Mediator. All three are certainly necessary for our salvation.
But when I say that the focus is ultimately drawn to the kingly aspect of Christ's office, I am taking into account two things. In the first place, Scripture focuses our attention upon that royal aspect of Christ's servanthood, when it is revealed to us that God has exalted Him by placing Him at His own right hand and naming Him King of the universe. So we read in Hebrews 2, e.g., as the writer quotes Psalm 8 with reference to Christ: "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of his hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet" (Heb 2:7,8a).
But there is something else which focuses our attention upon Christ as the One anointed God's King. You and I are viewed in Scripture and must view ourselves as subjects, or citizens, in the kingdom of God. We are to acknowledge Christ as Lord, as Lord of the whole universe, but especially as our Lord. More is to be said about that in connection with Lord's Day 13 of our Heidelberg Catechism, so I will refrain from expanding on that concept now. But it is clear that the Lordship of Christ stands most closely related to His Kingship. So that although the relationship of the 3 aspects of Christ's office are intertwined, all come to focus in the kingly aspect of that office.
Let's consider, briefly, still by way of introduction, the relationship between the 3 aspects of Christ's ordination as it effects us. In the first place, had He not revealed the way of life and salvation to us as our Prophet, we could never have known it. But even knowing it, it is ours only by Christ's priestly work. For our knowledge would not be effective unto salvation, had not Christ obtained that salvation for us by His perfect sacrifice once offered on the cross. And no matter if there is knowledge given and if there has been a sacrifice made, it means nothing to me personally if Christ is not also my eternal King, Who applies His salvation to me by His rule of grace, governing me by His Word and Spirit, and preserving me in that salvation He has purchased for me. So, what Christ revealed as God's Prophet, He purchased as Priest; and what He so revealed and purchased as Prophet and Priest, He applies as King: bringing the souls of His elect into subjection to His spiritual government. Precious, then, to us is:
CHRIST OUR ETERNAL KING
We notice this morning:
I. HIS KINGLY OFFICE
II. THE EXERCISE OF HIS DOMINION
III. THE BENEFIT TO US HIS SUBJECTS
I. THE KINGLY DOMINION OF CHRIST IS HIS FROM ETERNITY, AS IS CLEAR FROM THE WORDS OF PSALM 2.
IT IS TRUE, AS WE HAVE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH THE IDEAS OF PROPHET AND PRIEST, THAT ADAM, THE FIRST MAN, WAS CREATED KING UNDER GOD.
In the image of God, with true knowledge, righteousness and holiness, Adam was created prophet, priest and king. That we find in the very first chapter of the Bible. To Adam God gave dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. To man was given the anointing to serve God as king in the creation. He was to rule in the name of God over all things.
But in the light of what we just read in Psalm 2, it becomes evident that Adam's royal office was only a reflection of that which belonged to God's only begotten Son, the Messiah, our Lord Christ. I say, it is evident that Adam's office was only a reflection because his dominion was a limited dominion. It was limited to the earth. He had a complete dominion, but an earthly dominion. For Adam himself was earthly. He was not the Lord from heaven. And Adam fell. We have considered the devastating effects of the fall with respect to the other aspects of his office. The same devastation came upon his royal office. Not only was the royal power of man diminished when God cursed the creation; but man was no longer king under God. He remains king. The dominion of man over the creation is still seen today, though that dominion is even limited over the earthly creation. Man generates so much garbage, e.g., he cannot even maintain dominion enough to take care of that garbage. Man conquers one disease, while three more arise.
But the real problem for man is that he wants to rule now without God. And when I refer to man in such a way, you understand that I am referring to you and to me. By nature we spend our lives trying to rule God out. We serve as kings for self. That is true in the marriage relationship, to mention but one example. Apart from Christ, the husband rules in the marriage as a tyrant, instead of ruling over his wife and family in love and for God. And the wife often rules, while ignoring her calling to rule only through her husband and for God's sake. So it is in every sphere and relationship of life. And the consequence is that there develops in this world a kingdom of Satan, a kingdom that continues to develop and will culminate in that which Scripture exposes as the world-power of AntiChrist. Apart from the new birth in Christ Jesus and His dominion in our lives, we are all prophets, priests and kings of Satan. And the expression of that truth comes out in our old man day after day after day.
BUT IT WAS GOD'S PURPOSE FROM ETERNITY TO RAISE MAN TO SUCH AN EXALTED POSITION THAT ALL THINGS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO HIM.
That purpose never changed, never could change. All things stand strictly in the service of God and of His eternal good pleasure. And in the passage that we read this morning, God was pleased to reveal to us that good pleasure. Christ shall have dominion! God has set His Son upon His holy hill of Zion. All pointed to Christ, eternally set in God's counsel. Only in Christ would all things on earth and in heaven be united and belong to His one dominion. Yes, I am fully aware of the fact that Psalm 2 has an historical setting and that its historical fulfillment is seen in David, first of all. David writes this Psalm from his own experience. He himself was the object of the raging of the heathen. In II Samuel 10:6ff you have just one example of the heathen rising up against David with all the fury of their hatred. But we ought not forget that this Psalm is very specifically prophetic. David stands very clearly as a type of Christ. Proof for that is found in Acts 13:32,33, where Paul preaches, "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." The same proof is found in the epistle to the Hebrews, chapters 1 and 5.
Christ Himself is the root of David. He is the Messiah, anointed to rule in Jehovah's name. He rules according to the will and law of Jehovah God. There is no wrong found in Him. And against Him the heathen rage. They say of God and of His Christ, "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." There seems to be no conceivable reason. It is not that He is an inept governor, who rules wickedly. He is a righteous King. But against Him men rage, simply because He is God's anointed, and they hate God and His precepts, His truth and His righteousness. They imagine a vain thing. Jehovah speaks, the Almighty. "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." The language is very strong. "I have set fast my King. All the raging of the heathen is vain. My Christ reigns!," says God. And the response of His Anointed is this: "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Ps 2:7-9).
Before the foundation of the world God had ordained His Son to be King over all the works of His hands. Even though it remains true that the first man plunged himself and us all into abyss of guilt and misery and death by his act of willful disobedience, and for that rebellion is responsible before God; nevertheless, that fall was no accident from God's viewpoint. For it pleased God that in Christ, not Adam, should all fulness dwell. Though the powers of darkness set themselves against the Lord and against His Anointed—as far as their own motivation is concerned—and would gather together in their attempts to kick God and His Christ off the throne, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." The very Son of God, the only begotten, Jesus the Messiah, is eternally ordained to be the Firstborn of every creature, King over all things. And as the Lord of His elect brethren and with them, He shall forever reign over all the works of God's hands. So He reigns as God's Christ, the Anointed.
II. THE EXERCISE OF HIS DOMINION IS UNTO GOD'S GLORY AND TO THE SALVATION OF US WHO BELIEVE.
IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHEN WE CONSIDER THE EXERCISE OF CHRIST'S DOMINION, WE OUGHT TO NOTICE FROM SCRIPTURE THAT TRUTH EXPRESSED IN OUR CATECHISM WHEN IT SAYS THAT OUR ETERNAL KING GOVERNS US BY HIS WORD AND SPIRIT.
Jesus Christ exercises a kingly authority and power of grace over the souls of all whom He makes subject to Himself by the Gospel. Though the souls of the elect belong to Christ from eternity in the counsel of God; though the Father gave them to Christ, and they are His, and He died for them; yet Satan has possession until Christ sends forth His Spirit into their hearts. He establishes His kingdom in our hearts by sending forth His regenerating Spirit, Who is as it were Christ's governor, making our hearts subject to the rule of Christ, and ruling in our hearts according to the purpose of our Lord. Not only so, but He sends forth His armies of prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers, who are under the leadership of the Spirit, armed with the Word of God which is sharp and powerful, going forth conquering and to conquer. He shakes the hearts of His people right to the foundations, overturning every vain hope and high thought that exalts itself against the Lord. By that rule of His grace, Christ calls us out of darkness into the light of His glory and grace, into the kingdom of heaven.
Do you live in that consciousness? Even though we live here in the world of corruption, yet even now we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. We ought to live as such then, too. Our great King establishes in the hearts of His people a spiritual rule, even writing His law on our inmost hearts, so that it become our delight to do His will. That is the reign of Christ in the hearts of His people. It is important, therefore, that you can say by faith, that He reigns in your heart personally. The whole point of this confession of Christ as King and the whole point of the proclamation of Psalm 2 this morning, is that you might kiss the Son, serving the Lord with fear and rejoicing with trembling as a citizen of the kingdom.
Those who are citizens in His kingdom are willing subjects to His rule of grace, and bow in worship before Him. The wicked are unwilling subjects of Christ. The wicked do not desire to worship Him, find it a pain to have to carry citizenship papers marked by a godly walk of life. The righteous love their great King Who has redeemed them. And when I consider my life, beloved, and I know my sins at least in part and see how great they are, I love that great King Who has redeemed me, and who rules in my heart by His grace, giving me the desire to repent and to bow in willing and humble obedience to him. That is all from the rule of Christ, my eternal King. And although we hold off for a few minutes our consideration of the benefits to us, the result of such a spiritual reign of Christ in your life, is that you also join me in repenting of your sin and our sins, and that hearing His Word you also follow Him wheresoever He leads us. And we join His hosts fighting the good fight of faith, that no one take our kingdom citizenship from us.
You understand that that spiritual reign of grace is rooted in Christ's work on the cross for us. On the one hand, it was on the cross that Satan's dominion was obliterated. The head of the serpent was crushed. The promise of Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled. Jesus, speaking of that moment of the cross, said in John 12:31: "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." At Calvary Christ secured for us who are in Him all things. "All is yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." When Christ finished His work, the power of Satan was forever broken. But on that same cross, our eternal King also accomplished all that salvation of which we have spoken. By destroying forever the strongholds of Satan, and defeating the powers of darkness also in our own hearts, He accomplished salvation for all His own. In our place He died, paying the price for our guilt. And He earned for us salvation, and an everlasting place as citizens in His kingdom.
BUT IN THE SECOND PLACE, THE EXERCISE OF CHRIST'S DOMINION IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING TO THE DEFENSE AND PRESERVATION OF HIS PEOPLE.
Not only is that all-encompassing dominion set forth in the words of Psalm 2, but Daniel saw this in one of his inspired visions, and recorded it for us in Daniel 7:13,14: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." All is under the dominion of Christ, and serves Him. Absolutely nothing is outside His rule. He is Lord of lords and King of kings.
But having considered His rule of grace over us His people, we find that His rule over the wicked is different. It is a rule that is not for them, but for us, to serve our defense and preservation. That rule of Christ over the wicked is different than His rule over His own spiritual citizens in the very attitude which He takes toward them. There is much talk today about God being a God of love. And that God is love is clearly taught in Scripture. But there is no contradiction between God's love and His holiness and justice, as men want seemingly to make today when they say that God loves everybody and that Christ loves all men. We must understand that the love of God is love for Himself, first of all. God loves Himself, His own perfect Being. He seeks Himself; He desires all things to serve His own glory, of the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. But that love of God for Himself and for His own holy Being, means that He cannot love anything or anyone that is contrary to Him. That is exactly why Scripture teaches that God hates the wicked. We sing in Psalm 5, and that is the teaching of the whole Bible: "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity." We don't need to expand on that profound truth any more in this connection; but let us receive it in humility as God Himself reveals it to us in His Word. That also means, though, that Christ hates the wicked and loves His people. For Christ is the perfect image of the Father. Also in His sovereign rule as King, He reflects the attitude of His heavenly Father whom He serves.
For that reason also our eternal King establishes between us and the ungodly a life of opposition—what we call the life of the antithesis. We who live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, out of the principle of the new life of Christ within us, are called to live in enmity over against the world. "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James gives us clear indication as to where we stand, in that text in James 4. If you are walking with the world, it is because you are not walking with God, nor as a subject of Christ the king. How shall the subjects of Christ be among the slaves of Satan? I know that the subjects of both kingdoms are mingled here upon earth, and we cannot avoid entirely the company of the ungodly except we go out of the world, I Cor. 5:7. But the citizens of Christ's kingdom find their fellowship with the saints, and, to use the language of Psalm 16:3, their delights are in the excellent of the earth.
If you are walking with the world, and in the ways of the world, I call you this day to come out from among them and be ye separate. Today is the day of salvation. If your life is with the world, don't kid yourself into thinking you are a citizen of the kingdom. Christ sets a sharp distinction between the citizens of the kingdom and those of the world. And not only over His people does He rule, but over the world also. But He does so with an attitude of hatred and by His power to execute judgment and to use the ungodly for the purpose of His own kingdom. While the ungodly do all that they can to destroy the kingdom of Christ and to lead astray you the citizens of Christ's kingdom, Christ maintains His rule. He rules in such a way that those who walk in rebellion against Him and against His rule remain accountable for their sin and become ripe for judgment, yet serving the purpose which Christ Himself has determined. That is the clear statement of Psalm 2.
As we have seen, the wicked are described as raging and imagining vain things. They proudly boast, if not with words then certainly with their actions, that they will break the bands of Christ and throw away His cords. They cast off His scriptural precepts like water, opening the land to all forms of fornication, violation of Sabbath, etcetera, etcetera. And in doing so they tempt the people of God to walk in the same sins. They seek self and the things of this earth, again tempting us to do the same. And many times it appears that they are successful in their attempts to cast off Christ and to run the show themselves. Think of how true that appeared at the cross. Certainly it seemed that Christ the King anointed of God had gone down to defeat. How the wicked rejoiced!—until darkness covered the land and the earth quaked and the veil of the temple tore in two from top to bottom. Then there was no more rejoicing. For those who stood at Calvary rejoicing suddenly realized that God was in heaven laughing at them! And today, there are so many who want to walk their own way, who want to cast off Christ, and who appear to have accomplished their desire.
But let us stand reminded, there awaits another great day of the Lord, a day of final judgment. And that laughter of God will again be heard, a terrible laughter to all who stand outside of Christ the Savior. For that laughter of God is not a laughter that expresses joy, nor an unholy delight in the torment or pain of another. But that laughter of Jehovah is a laughter of mockery, of derision, and hence of fierce anger and hot displeasure. And it is a laughter of mockery because those ungodly, in all their raging and proud boasting, simply serve Christ's purpose and do His will. Our eternal King rules over all! The whole world of ungodly men and all the events that happen in this creation and in our own lives are just so many chess pieces on the chess board of history. Nothing can go against us; but by the rule of Christ all things are for us. He defends and preserves us in the salvation He has purchased for us.
III. FINALLY THE BENEFITS TO US OF CHRIST'S RULE ARE INNUMERABLE.
I SPEAK NOW TO YOU WHO BELIEVE, YOU UNDERSTAND.
It is clear from what we just considered about Christ's rule over the wicked, that it is a fearful thing to be outside of Christ, to live in rejection of His Lordship. But for you who believe, and who are members of Christ by faith, it is His rule that sets you and me free from the curse of the law. That is what the Catechism refers to when it says that with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and Satan in this life. What a blessed benefit to know that I am justified before God and under the rule of Christ. For the fact that He rules over me means also that He is responsible for me before God.
When we stand in Christ, beloved, we are no more under the curse of the law. Jesus says in John 8:36: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." That freedom, you must understand, is not a freedom from the law as a rule of life. It is exactly in the freedom of Christ that we hear the law every Lord's Day and that we preach the law and live according to the law of God, though in small beginning. The man who rejects the law and the precepts of God shows that he is not under the freedom of Christ at all, but under the bondage of sin. To be free is to be free from the terrible curse of the law, to be free from that which says, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." That law cannot curse us who stand in Christ, because He is responsible for us and has redeemed us before God from that curse.
Another privilege we have as subjects of Christ the King is freedom from the dominion of sin. Not only are we free from the curse of the law, and therefore righteous citizens by declaration of God, but we are free from the bondage of sin unto death. According to Romans 6:14: "Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Yes indeed, sin is still in us, and the old man remains under its bondage. But the new man in Christ now has dominion. And though the defiling and troubling power of sin still remains, its dominion is abolished. So that we now delight in the law of God after the inward man, even though we see that other law in our members, that is, in our sinful flesh. No longer under the dominion of sin, we now serve the law of God, fighting against sin and Satan day after day. Yes, I know it is in much weakness of flesh and with but little faith. We need to pray daily that God increase our faith and strengthen us. But when Christ rules in our hearts by His Word and Spirit, don't forget, His is all power to see you through any particular battle you face. For that reason, too, peace and tranquility of soul is the privilege of you who belong to Jesus. Until we come under His sceptre, there is no peace; for there is no harmony with God and His holy will. But being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And although we often disturb that peace by our own sin, yet we belong to the kingdom of peace.
AND FINALLY, EVERLASTING SALVATION IS THE PRIVILEGE OF ALL OVER WHOM CHRIST REIGNS.
We are called Christians because we are members of Christ by faith, and partakers of His anointing, and therefore as kings in Him, we shall after this life reign with Him eternally, over all creatures. Because our Savior sang from the heart Psalm 73:24, so may we who are in Him: "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." How great is the sin and misery of those who continue in bondage to sin and Satan, and refuse the rule of Christ! How blessed are we who have been brought by grace under His dominion! For with the eyes of faith we can see, even through the trials of this life, our eternal King leading us to heaven. His mercies are new every morning. His infinite wisdom and unchangeable love, which rules the universe for the sake of His Church and Kingdom, manages everything that relates to you personally too. Consider His sovereignty and dominion, His salvation of you. Study His tenderness and compassions, His meekness and pity as our eternal King. Not a tyrant, but merciful is He to us His people. At His appointed time He shall lead us home, where we shall reign with Him forevermore. Amen.
Preached: Randolph PRC 11/17/96 (am)
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