CHRIST'S INCREASING KINGDOM What Daniel saw briefly in a vision of the night, the Apostles expounded extensively, confirming Jesus has been exalted and invested with all power. The conferment of this power, authority, or dominion, is the consequence of Him FINISHING the work God gave Him to do upon the earth. That work was laying His life down, and taking it up again. -- Tomorrow:
"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, Counselor, 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!" (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Devotion 16 of 36
There is no further work on the present earth that requires Jesus to come down from heaven. The heavens have now received Him, and will retain Him until all things spoken by the holy prophets has been fulfilled. Thus Peter said of the Lord, "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21). That "restoration" is also referred to as "the regeneration" (Matt 19:28), when the purpose of God will be fulfilled, and all things will be made new. As it is written, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him" (Eph 1:10). And again, "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful" (Rev 21:5). Isaiah said it this way, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isa 65:17).
In other words, Jesus has received power and dominion for what He is doing NOW – bringing many sons to glory. The next time He comes, the heavens and the earth will pass away – there will be no further need for them as they presently exist. Therefore Peter wrote, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; IN THE WHICH the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Pet 3:10).
The announcement of the exaltation the Son of man, therefore, is for the encouragement and comfort of the saints. In His present capacity, He is fully capable of bringing them to glory, subduing all opponents, and equipping His people with everything required for them to keep the faith, fight the good fight of faith, and finish their course.
Here are some of the Apostolic declarations of the Savior's exaltation – the thing that Daniel saw in a night vision.
1. SEATED AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND. "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19).
2. AUTHORITIES AND POWERS MADE SUBJECT TO HIM. "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Pet 3:22).
3. FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER. "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph 1:19-21).
4. HIGHLY EXALTED. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:9-11).
5. HE HAS THE PREEMINENCE. "And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell" (Col 1:19).
6. EXALTED TO GIVE REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS. "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31).
7. MADE SO MUCH BETTER. "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" (Heb 1:3-4).
8. BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. "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).
9. MADE HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENS. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb 7:26).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for honoring the Son in whom I trust, and giving all power and authority to Him, and Him alone.