Harbinger's Daily
The claim that Jesus is already reigning over the nations is extremely popular in churches today. Its pastors preach that Jesus is fulfilling the words of Psalms such as 2, 46, 96, and 110 at this moment.
In light of the prevalence of such beliefs, we must ask several questions. Does what we see in our world reflect the character of what we would expect from Jesus’ reign upon the earth? Is our current experience of a kingdom the one to which the New Testament says we are heirs? Does Scripture support the widespread belief that Jesus has already received the nations as His inheritance from the Father as Psalm 2:8 says will happen?
Please don’t dismiss this as a theological discussion with no significance for you. The nature of Jesus’ rule over the nations has profound implications for us. Is our current experience the promised kingdom that the New Testament says we will inherit? Or, does Jesus’ reign over the nations of the earth await a future fulfillment?
I believe we can refute the claim that Jesus now reigns over the nations on the basis of the answer to one critical question:
Does what we see in our world at this moment match what Scripture tells us about the character of the Messiah’s rule?
No, it most certainly does not.
For us as believers, this is wonderful and joyous news; it signifies that our inheritance will be spectacular and amazing.
But first, let’s examine what the Bible tells us will characterize Jesus’ future reign in fulfillment of the Messianic Psalms (i.e. 2 and many others).
Jesus Will End All Wars When He Reigns
Those who claim that Jesus now reigns over the nations by implication tell us that He now rules over a world filled with wars, violence, and unending ethnic strife. Such a belief not only contradicts what the Bible says about the character of the Savior’s realm, but also dishonors His glorious Name to no small extent.
Psalm 46 tells us that when Jesus rules over the nations, wars will no longer exist on the earth. Psalm 46:9-10 reveals that although the nations will “rage” against the Lord (v. 6), warfare will not exist in His realm: “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Isaiah 2:4 emphasizes that Jesus’ reign over the nations will be one of absolute peace. Jesus is indeed the “Prince of Peace” and that will characterize His coming kingdom.
Be very sure that when the government rests upon the “shoulder” of the child born in Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6), wars and ethnic violence will most certainly cease to exist upon the earth.
Jesus Will Rule In Righteousness
During the past fifty years, the worldwide total number of children murdered via abortion exceeds one billion. Sex trafficking has a yearly income of $32 billion and is promoted by pedophiles ruling in governments around the world, including that of the U.S. The explosion of worldwide support for the vile LGBQT+ agenda is far beyond anything I could ever have imagined just a decade ago. Those demanding a Palestine state fill the streets of our world with demonstrations of murderous and demonic hatred toward the Jews.
How, by any stretch of the imagination, can one say that we are now living under the righteous rule of our Savior? Such a suggestion is absurd at best.
How is it possible that Jesus is ruling over such vile wickedness with a “rod of iron” as Psalm 2:9 tells us He will do when He inherits the nations? Does not the suggestion of this sully Jesus’ character? How could a wholly righteous King such as Jesus permit such vile wickedness and rampant bloodshed to flourish within his domain? He would not, and He will not do so when He truly reigns over the nations!
Here are a couple of verses that define Jesus’ rule as righteous:
Isaiah 32:1 KJV – “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.”
Isaiah 11:3-5 KJV – “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” (emphasis added)
The current condition of our world does not in any way align with the biblical descriptions of Jesus’ righteous rule. The claim that Jesus is now fulfilling the full extent of Psalm 2 is preposterous, contradicts the words of Scripture, and most certainly dishonors our Savior.
Justice Will Prevail In The World When Jesus Reigns
When Jesus rules over the nations, justice will prevail throughout the entire planet. In Isaiah 32:1, the prophet states that “princes will rule in justice” during the time that Jesus is King.
Isaiah 11:1-8 tells us that when our Lord rules over the nations of the earth, He will act as a righteous judge deciding all cases truthfully and with “equity.” The words of Jeremiah 33:15 emphasize the Savior’s just rule: “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.”
The cries of our world for justice are heard in the screams of pain from the unborn, the suicidal grief of trafficked children, and the horrors of genocide taking place in many places in our world. Be very sure that our Lord hears these cries for justice and will someday soon administer justice through His outpouring of wrath upon this wicked (see Revelation chapters 6-18).
During Jesus’ one-thousand-year rule upon the earth, justice will surely prevail…
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