Worship

GREATEST RULER IN THE UNIVERSE

by GLENN PEASE
02/04/22
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We are ahead of our time when we bow to Jesus, for one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Back in 1917 at the Annual Exhibition of the Royal Academy in London, Charles Butler exhibited a painting he had worked on for three years. It is called the King of Kings. Jesus is the central figure standing at the foot of his cross and is receiving the homage of the royalty of the world. 158 portraits are there of great rulers including George Washington. So luminous is the halo around the head of Christ that many thought there must be a light behind it, but not so. It was due to much prayer as the artist mixed his paint to capture the superiority of Jesus over all other rulers.

Jesus is, without a doubt, the greatest ruler there ever was, or ever will be. The question in verse 12 is, “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’” This is to make it clear that Jesus is superior to any and every angelic power ever created, but it equally applies to all other beings in the universe. There has never been, and there will never be anyone who receives such an invitation to that exalted place at God’s right hand, for Jesus alone has taken that position, which makes Him the greatest ruler in the universe. The book of Hebrews is not alone in its emphasis on Jesus being exalted to the highest place of power and prestige at God’s right hand. Here are all the texts that do the same.

Ephesians 4:8 - "ascended up an high"
Ephesians 4:10 - "ascended up far above all heavens"
Acts 2:33 - "by the right hand of God exalted"
Acts 2:34 - "into the heavens"
Acts 7:55-56 - "standing on the right hand of God"
Romans 8:34 - "at the right hand of God"
Ephesians 1:20 - "at his own right hand in the heavenly places"
Colossians 3:1 - "where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God"
Hebrews 1:3 - "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"
Hebrews 8:1 - "set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty In the heavens"
Hebrews 18:12 - "sat down on the right hand of God"
Hebrews 12:2 - "set down at the right hand of the throne of God"
I Peter 3:22 - "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God"

This is an impressive amount of evidence that supports the conviction that Jesus is the greatest ruler in the universe. He governs the universe from this position of equality with God the Father. Paul in Eph. 1:19-21 sums up the point beautifully. “That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” This is conclusive, and it settles it once and for all for those who accept the Bible as God’s revelation.

Jesus is above all other rulers and powers in the universe, and He is the greatest ruler that will ever be. All other rulers will come and go, but His throne will endure forever. In Christ we are under a government that will never pass away. What Jesus did for us on Calvary to atone for our sin is completed and will remain in effect for all eternity. His pardon is not one that can be overturned by a new administration. Verses 10 through 12 stress that everything in heaven and on earth can change and pass away, but Jesus will remain the same forever. In 13:8 it is stated, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We have a friend in high places, or, rather, the highest place, and it will never change. No revolution can alter the government of the universe. The throne of power is securely held by our Lord and Savior, and this is the basis for our assurance. The whole universe can collapse, but His throne will endure for eternity. Our text stresses two positions that Jesus has as the greatest ruler in the universe, and we want to look at the significance of each of them.

POSITION ONE-HE SAT DOWN

When you sit down you are usually finished with something and are ready for a time of resting. God rested after Creation, and we see Jesus resting after Crucifixion. He said on the cross, “It is finished,” and after he had completed the atonement for our sin he sat down at God’s right hand to indicate that the plan of salvation he came to achieve was completed. There were no chairs in the temple for the priest to sit on, for they were never done with their activity. There was no place to rest after they were finished offering sacrifice, for they were never finished. The only completed salvation in the universe is that which Jesus accomplished on the Cross. His being seated in this highest of all positions in an indication of at least three major things: His Authority, His Approval, and His Achievement. His authority is equal with God the Father. He has the highest approval rating possible for His labor of love in dying for man’s sin. He has achieved the ultimate goal of making it possible for man to live forever in fellowship with God.

No one had ever sat down along side God before, because no one but Jesus had ever finished a work making them worthy of such a glorious honor. He is being rewarded for a job well done. He humbled himself even to the point of the cross, and God exalted him to the point of the highest honor possible. Eventually every tongue that ever existed will join in praise of Jesus, for His name is the name above all names. By His life and acts of obedience He became the Savior, not only of mankind, but of the entire creation. A new heaven and new earth our in the future, and they will be free from all sin and darkness, and it is all because of the universal redemption based on the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus earned the right to sit at the right hand of God. Unlike Lucifer who tried to take that place of honor and power by force, Jesus takes it as a deserved reward, for He paid the price a Savior must pay to redeem a lost world.

In Chapter 10:10-12 of Hebrews this difference between Jesus and the priest of the Old Testament is spelled out. “10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus could sit down because His one sacrifice was superior to all the sacrifices of history, and His one time act of sacrifice finished the job that trillions of others could never achieve. His work is done, and He is seated in a position of highest power. Because He is there, we can have perfect peace about the forgiveness of our sin. We can be fully assured of salvation in Christ, for He is seated where He could only be if He had done all that is necessary for us to be reconciled with God.

We need to recognize, however, that this is only symbolic of his finished work and His triumph over the kingdom of darkness. Jesus is still busy interceding for us. Paul says in Rom. 8:34 “Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” You can get a lot done while seated on a throne, and Jesus does, for he ever lives to intercede for us says Heb. 7:25. He is also busy beyond our comprehension as the sustainer of the universe. He is not a lazy Lord sitting around doing nothing, but is actively engaged in all of life to assure the successful outcome of the total plan of God for an eternal kingdom wherein dwells righteousness forever.

There is not other being worthy of being seated at God’s right hand. All creatures in the presence of God are standing in obedience to carry out His will, or they are bowed before Him in Adoration. Only Jesus has the right to be so relaxed in the presence of Majesty. A man named Lear was once hired to give Queen Victoria art lessons. It was in the palace so often that he began to feel too much at home and was too relaxed in the presence of the Queen. One of her servants recognized this and urged him to move about the room more. He got the point that it was not good etiquette to be too relaxed in the presence of royalty. It was being too familiar with one on a superior level and was not acceptable. This rule applies to all beings in the presence of God, except Jesus, for He can sit at the right hand of God and be very comfortable, for He is on the same level with God, and is fully acceptable to God, for He is God.

All other beings are subjects, but He is Sovereign. When you are an employee you do not remain relaxed in the presence of the boss or owner of the business. You act busy even if you are not, for you do not have a relationship with him that gives you the right to relax in his presence. So you make sure you have something to do when he is coming by your area. If you are to the son of the owner, however, you can relax, and look like you have nothing to do if you choose, for you have a relationship with the owner that allows you to feel comfortable and free of any pressure or condemnation. Jesus has this comfort level with God, as no other being can ever have. Next consider-

POSITION TWO-RIGHT HAND

Jesus is God’s right hand man. He governs at God’s side with the full authority of God himself. The right hand of God is His hand of power. In Ex. 15:6 we read, “Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.” If you can put it on your resume that you are seated at the right hand of God, you do not need to apply for any other position, for you are already at the top. There is no place to go from the right hand of God, for this is the place of ultimate power and authority. Jesus is the final authority. When someone tries to give you guidance in life that goes contrary to that which we have in Jesus, it is like this experience I read that was shared by another pastor:

“The story is told of a famous actress back in the early 40’s. Her name was Billie Burke, and she was quite impressed with herself. Once, when she was on a transatlantic ocean trip, she noticed a man getting some sun on the deck who seemed to be suffering from a very bad head cold. “Are you uncomfortable?” she asked him. The man nodded his head. “I’ll tell you just what to do,” she said. “Go to your room and drink lots of orange juice. Take two aspirins. Cover yourself with all the blankets you can find. Sweat the cold out. I know just I’m talking about. I’m Billie Burke from Holly wood.” “Thank you,” the man said. “I’m glad to meet you. I’m Dr. Mayo from the Mayo Clinic.”

Jesus has the highest qualifications for giving instructions on how to have a healthy soul, for He is the Great Physician, and He is on the throne at God’s right hand. The world is filled with religious leaders and teachers who have dozens of different ways to deal with sin, and with living a spiritual life pleasing to God. Much of it is consistent with the teachings of Jesus, but much is not, and when it is not, it is to be put aside, for Jesus is the final authority on what pleases God. When He says, “No man comes to the Father but by me,” we had better listen, for when He speaks it is God speaking. The highest authority in the Catholic Church is the Pope when he speaks ex-cathedra, that is from the throne. All through history kings and rulers have made decrees from their thrones which become the highest law of the land. But everything Jesus speaks is from the throne of the universe, and it is the highest and most powerful and final word of authority. By His Word He made the universe, and by His Word He sustains the universe, and it is by His Word that He give us wisdom and guidance. He is the greatest ruler ever, and His Word from His throne at God’s right hand is the greatest authority in the universe. Paul says in Col. 2:10, “and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”

The significance of this highest position in the universe is that Jesus has now become the ultimate man. God created man to have dominion over the world of His creation. Man fell and lost that dominion. Jesus became a man and won the right to again reign over all creation. He is now what God intended man to be. He is not just Lord of man, but He is Lord of all, and that means absolutely all. It was all made for Him, but man lost control. He regained that control, and is now the greatest ruler that can ever be, for He rules over all the universe, and this includes the invisible realm as well as the visible. ( for more on this see the message The Greatest Sustainer.)

In conclusion let me share some comments from others that make it clear that this verse does teach that the greatest ruler in the universe is Jesus.

Calvin comments, “Hence to sit at the right hand of the Father is no other thing than to govern in the place of the Father, as deputies of princes are wont to do to whom a full power over all things is granted. And the word "majesty" is added, and also "on high", and for this purpose, to intimate that Christ is seated on the supreme throne whence the majesty of God shines forth. As, then, he ought to be loved on account of his redemption, so he ought to be adored on account of his royal magnificence.”

Pink has a comment that makes it clear that the heavenly position of Jesus assures us that His reign is universal. He writes, “The first time that Christ is referred to in this Epistle it is as seated at "the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3), for it is with a heavenly Christ that Christianity has to ‘do: note the other reference in this Epistle to the same fact—Hebrews 1:13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2. In perfect accord with Hebrews 1:3, which strikes the keynote of the Epistle, in addition to the heavenly Christ, reference is made to "the heavenly calling" (Heb. 3:1), to "the heavenly gift" (Heb. 6:4), to "heavenly things" (Heb. 8:5), to "the heavenly Country" (Heb. 11:16), to the "heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb. 12:22), and to "the church of the First-born, whose names are written in Heaven" (Heb. 12:23). This emphasis is easily understood when we remember that our Epistle is addressed to those whose inheritance, religious relationships, and hopes, had been all earthly.”

Ann Graham Lotz lists the 6 ways Jesus is King

King of the Jews=a racial king
King of Israel=a national king
King of Righteousness=a moral king
King of Ages=an eternal king
King of Heaven= a universal king
King of Glory=a celestial king

Pastor Don Fortner has done an excellent job of thinking through all of the implications of Jesus being seated at God’s right hand. I have found no one who has done as much thinking as he has, and so let me share with you the fullness of what he has put together.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he had finished all the work which his Father gave him to do upon the earth as our Substitute, Surety, and Mediator, "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high!" Let me show you something about what that means. Here are seven reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, our Mediator and Substitute, sat down upon the throne of grace, on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

1. He sat down because his work was finished (John 19:30; Rom. 8:33-34; Heb. 10:10-14).

2. He sat down because God the Father accepted his sacrifice as our sin-atoning Substitute (Isa. 53:10-11).

The Lord God sees of the travail of his soul and is satisfied. The law and justice of God, the righteousness and truth of God, the holiness and purity of God cannot demand more than Christ paid for the sins of his people! Now, God can be and is, both just and the Justifier of all who believe on his dear Son. He is both "a just God and a Savior".

3. The Lord Jesus Christ sat down in heaven as our great High Priest upon the throne of grace, because he is now, as the God-man our Mediator, the sovereign Monarch of all the universe (John 17:2; Rom. 14:9).

4. The Lord Jesus took his place in glory at the right hand of the Majesty on high, because this Man is himself God. The throne of God is his throne! He was given this place as a man; but it was always his as God; and he took it. He "sat down" as the God-man, our Savior!

5. The Lord Jesus Christ sat down upon the right hand of God as the Representative and Forerunner of his people (Heb. 6:20; 1 John 2:1-3). Yonder, in Glory Land, upon the very throne of God, is a Man, a Man who is himself God, who incessantly pleads our cause with the Father. Because our Forerunner is there, we soon shall be.

6. The Lord Jesus Christ sat down in heaven, because he has now opened the way for sinners to come to God (Heb. 10:19-22).

7. The Lord Jesus sat down in heaven as a mighty Victor, a Conqueror whose enemies shall never rise again, whose enemies must and shall be put under his feet (Phil. 2:8-11).
Because Christ sat down in glory, as the mighty Captain of our salvation, our salvation is a matter of certainty. We are now more than conquerors in him (Rom. 8:28-39).”

Pastor Steve Zeisler has one of the best illustrations I have ever read of the significance of Jesus being seated at God’s right hand. He writes, “The Boston Celtics used to have a coach named Red Auerhach. One of the best basketball coaches of all time, he put together the Celtic dynasty that won championship after championship. He had a habit that always psychologically destroyed opposing coaches ante players. He would conclude at some point in a game that the Celtics were far enough ahead that the opposition could no longer catch up. Until then Auerhach would coach energetically pacing and waving his arms. Then, at that point, he would sit on the bench, light his cigar and watch the rest of the game. When Red sat down, the game was over. Nobody came back against the Celtics. Once he perceived that the team had won, he would sit down. This was psychologically devastating to the opposition because they knew that nobody beat the Celtics once Red sat down and lit his cigar.

Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. All opposition is conquered, all questions answered, all needs met. There are no doubts about what will be the end of history. We only wait to see in time the heavenly reality of the reign of Christ.”

When Jesus walked this earth He had an opportunity to become a ruler, for Satan tempted Him by offering Him the rule over the kingdoms of the earth if He would bow in loyalty to him. Jesus refused that offer and remained loyal to His Father in heaven. He lived in perfect obedience, which took Him to the cross, but the pay off was that God exalted Him to the place of ruler over all the universe. It was a long way down from the glory of heaven to the gory cross, but in the end it was no loss, for because He humbled himself God exalted Him above all others, and made Him the greatest ruler in the universe. How can we help but sing-

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
And ye who tread where He hath trod, crown Him the Son of Man;
Who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
And takes and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest.
Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends His burning eye at mysteries so bright.
Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.