Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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Christ Is God
Chapter 29 – The Preliminary Nature of the Resurrection Order
Just as the New Testament often refers to the Old Testament prophecy about Messiah’s resurrection to God’s right hand, I have also referred to it frequently in this book. But I now want you to notice one word in it to which I have not yet called your attention.
Psalm 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
The word “until” indicates that the resurrection order indicated by this messianic prophecy was not permanent. Rather, it was temporary…because it was preliminary to something greater.
To what event or time was the word “until” pointing? Jesus Himself answered this question at His trial the night before He died.
Matthew 26:62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”
Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
Matthew 26:66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
The show trial was making no progress in achieving its intended result, which was to get a “guilty” verdict so they could have Him executed. The pre-arranged false testimonies kept falling flat. Finally, the presiding officer asked Jesus a question.
Jesus answered the question, and then affirmed His answer by applying two Old Testament messianic prophecies to Himself. The first was from Psalm 110, and the second was from Daniel 7.
Daniel 7:13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
Daniel 7:14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
With these two prophecies, Jesus set down the two markers that would forever frame his life after death: His resurrection and His return.
The first was preliminary to the second. The first was transitional; the second was eternal.
If Jesus had remained dead, or if he had only been resurrected to earth, he would not have been in a position to receive the eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days.
The prophecy of Psalm 110:1 put Jesus at the right hand of God – which, of course, was “in the clouds.” This was the very location that Daniel 7:13-14 would take place. Thus Jesus’ resurrection paved the way for the coming of the kingdom of God. The only question was: “How long between these two spiritual events?
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