DUNCAN/The Messiah’s reign

As we continue to look at the book of Psalms, today we come to Psalm 110. One of the most quoted Psalms in the New Testament. It is referenced at least fourteen times in the New Testament and when it is referenced it is always applied to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we look at this great 110th psalm, I want you to be on the lookout for three great themes. This Psalm speaks of the kingship of Christ in verses 1 to 3, the priesthood of Christ in verse 4, and that He is a warrior on behalf of His people in verses 5 to 7. 

Christ the King  

It begins with the declaration that it is a psalm of David and then he proceeds to say, “The LORD says to my Lord.” In most of your English translations, when you see the word LORD in all capitals or in an initial capital and then small capitals, typically that means that that word LORD has behind it the Hebrew word for the God is Israel, Yahweh, or Jehovah. And so, in this first sentence we are being told that “The LORD – the God of Israel, Jehovah, Yahweh – says to my Lord.” Though he himself was king, David is speaking about the Messiah, his descendant as being greater than him. The Messiah is more than human. He is in fact David’s Lord. 

Verses 1 through 3 meditate on the Messiah reigning at the right-hand of God. Notice what is said. “Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool.” When Jesus sits at the right-hand, He is exercising rule over the universe. That sitting on the right-hand is called the heavenly session. The New Testament pictures Jesus’ heavenly activity as sitting at the right-hand of His Father, not to rest, but to rule. The picture is not of inactivity but of authority. The reign of Jesus as King at the right-hand has two aspects. Notice those aspects in verses 2 and 3. First, “The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!” In other words, even Jesus’ enemies are going to be conquered. They will have to acknowledge His rule. But then look at the second part of it in verse 3. His people will willingly embrace His kingship. They love His reign. His reign is their freedom; His reign is their joy; His reign is their hope, and He will reign in this way. And so, when we hear Paul say the words, “Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,” he is acknowledging that there will be a universal recognition of the kingship of Jesus by His enemies and by His disciples.

What encouragement do we draw from the heavenly session and the kingship of God? A great deal. Right now, at the right-hand of God the Father Almighty, there is a human being. He is fully divine, but He is also fully human forever. The redemption of Jesus Christ has caused Him in the incarnation to take our flesh upon Himself and even now, in glory the dust of the earth sits at the right-hand of God the Father Almighty. In all our weaknesses, in all our infirmities, with all our diseases and our bodily travails, it should be an encouragement to know that as part of the redemption in our glorified flesh, we shall see God because His flesh is there at the right-hand. 

Christ the Priest 

But we see here also that Jesus is Priest. In this brief oracle in verse 4 we read, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” God is not only announcing His word, but He is also swearing an oath, and He is swearing the oath to the Messiah. The only other place in the Old Testament where Melchizedek is mentioned is in Genesis. And then here in Psalm 110 he is referenced once more. Melchizedek appears repeatedly in the book of Hebrews as the author applies this psalm and the story of Abraham offering tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now a couple of things about this. First, the king in Israel could not be priest. Those lines of authority and rule, of kingship and priesthood were, by the Law of Moses, explicitly to be kept separate. Saul lost his kingship because he attempted to exercise the priesthood. That is why it is so essential that this King and Messiah is said not to be a priest according to the order of Aaron, not to be a priest according to the order of Levi, but He is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. And so, because His priesthood is like that of Melchizedek, He is able to be both King and Priest.

He is a priest like no other priest who ever existed. He did not have to make offerings for His own sin. He is a perfect Priest and His prayers are effectual. Remember what the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 5:7? “With loud cries He interceded for us and He was heard because of His piety.” That has never been said of any preacher, nor priest, nor Christian, that God had to hear those prayers because of his piety. But of our Priest, it not only can be said, but it has been said and it is irrefutably and unassailably true. 

Christ the Warrior 

But the story’s not over yet, is it? He’s not just a King, ruling in administrative, bureaucratic government in the halls of glory; He’s not just a Priest ever living to intercede; He is a Warrior. Look at the language that’s used in verses 5 to 7. The picture here is that of the Messiah. A picture of Jesus as a Warrior for His people. It’s a picture of Jesus and His kingdom on the march and even the gates of hell cannot hold them back. He is on the march, and He will track His enemies down until they can no longer escape His wrath.

The evil one is no match for the Warrior who fights for you. And even the picture at the end of the psalm is glorious. He is pursuing his foes until they are all vanquished. That’s your Savior. He will vanquish the ancient evil one. All his might will not keep him out of the lake of fire and the gates of hell will not be an offensive assault upon the people of God. They will not be able to keep out this mighty Warrior as He brings His vengeance upon all His enemies. Jesus is that Warrior who comes from Eden stained with the blood of His enemies. He is the Priest who ever lives to intercede, and He is the King who is reigning now and will come to reign again and rescue us from all our foes.