THE CURRENT REIGN OF JESUS THE PURPOSE OF GOD WAS BEING FULFILLED Although Christ's death was accomplished through the "wicked hands" of men, the will of God was being done. Jesus was "delivered over to death for our sins" Rom 4:25, NIV), something that men could not accomplish! That was God's determination, not that of mankind. Therefore, Peter declares, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God . . ." Acts 2:23a). The NIV translates the verse, "This Man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge . . . " (Acts 2:23). THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST Peter's words are the direct result of him being filled with the Holy Spirit. They provide a Divine analysis of the situation. He is declaring what happened behind the scenes. Although the people judged Jesus unworthy to live, God raised Him from the dead, confirming that He was, indeed, His Son (Acts 2:24; Rom 1:4). He did not present an enfleshed risen Christ to them, but declared an exalted Lord who was seated in heavenly places. ENTHRONEMENT RELATED TO HIS RESURRRECTION "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell (hades), neither His flesh did see corruption" (Acts 2:29-31). -- Tomorrow:
" For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet."
(1 Corinthians 15:25)
Devotion 22 of 25
PETER'S POWERFUL PROCLAMATION
A heavenly agenda was being accomplished! Wicked people were involved upon earth. The devil and all of his wicked hierarchy were also employed in this great drama. However, it was the will of God that they were accomplishing, not the will of men or Satan!
Do not miss the point in reference. It is God raising up a promised Seed to sit upon David's throne. David received this commitment from the Lord, and believed it! "And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever" (1 Chron 17:11-12). "The LORD hath sworn [in] truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne" (Psa 132:11). Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Who "searches all things, yea the deep things of God" (1 Cor 2:10), relates this prophecy to the resurrection of Christ. He does not associate the prophecy with a coming kingdom, a future golden age, or the removal of the church from the earth. Those are all human interpretations. They are all to be abandoned in favor of the commentary of the Holy Spirit. Neither, indeed, does He point to Solomon and the building of the temple as a fulfillment of the promise. He declared One that was "greater than Solomon.
Jesus is called "the Seed of David." "Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" (John 7:42). "Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Rom 1:3). "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel" (2 Tim 2:8).
Isaiah also prophesied of the coming Seed who would be exalted to David's throne. He related it to the birth of a Child, not the coming of a glorified Christ. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His
government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isa 9:7).
This is associated with Christ's incarnation, not when He appears "the second time," as some suppose. Scripture presents the enfleshment of Jesus as commencing with Him volunteering to "come" to do God's redemptive will (Heb 10:5-10). His exaltation to heaven effectualizes our salvation: we are being saved "by His life" (Rom 5:9-10). Peter relates this exaltation with the Davidic promise. Elsewhere, the Spirit relates this to the current intercession of Christ in heaven. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25).
The throne to which Jesus has been exalted is not upon earth. Thrones here cannot be forever, and that is the kind of throne God promised David. The Word of God is clear on this subject: Jesus is currently glorified, or exalted, and that exaltation is related to the promised Seed for David's throne! "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne . . . spake of the resurrection of Christ" (Acts 2:30-31). The promise given to David by the Holy Spirit was claimed by Jesus when He sat down on the right hand of God. "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit . . . " (Acts 2:33).
Peter boldly announces that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promised King and Seed of David. He, and He alone, is the exalted Ruler, and One appointed to execute the salvational purpose of God. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
This declaration revealed that a reign had commenced in heaven that fulfilled God's commitment to David. It is incumbent that we do not think of that reign like the Jews of old did. They were wrong in their assessment of the type of King promised, and the manner of His kingdom. It is inexcusable for people living this side of the cross to embrace the same error.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for a Reigning King who is devoted to my salvation.