The Sonship of Christ

THUS the Father says: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree, the Lord hath said unto me, thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Ps. 2:6-9. The Father sets Christ as king in Zion; then he asks of the Father, who gives him all the nations of the earth for his possession. This same truth is illustrated in Christ's parable of the nobleman. "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return." "And it came to pass that when he was returned having received the kingdom," etc., Luke 19:12, 15. Jesus then went into heaven to receive for himself a kingdom. This kingdom he receives before he returns. Then he comes to take possession of it.

Speaking of this same event, the prophet Daniel says, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Dan. 7:13, 14. The extent of this kingdom is stated in verse 27. It is a kingdom "under the whole heaven." It is an everlasting kingdom, which shall never pass away.

The nature, extent, and glory of this kingdom of Christ are stated in the language of Gabriel to Mary. "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:31-33. This glorious personage is to sit on the throne of David, and reign over the house of Jacob, and of his reign there is to be no end. Notice how prominent and emphatic the truth is made, that it is a son, Jesus, who is conceived by the virgin Mary, and born of her, and yet he is the Son of the Highest, who is to have this honor. When thus the Son of man shall be honored and glorified, all his saints and faithful servants will be exalted and honored with him. How anxiously and yet tenderly Jesus refers to this in his pathetic prayer to his Father. "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." John 17:24.

Dear reader, what a Saviour we have! mighty, glorious and divine! Who would not love him? Who would not serve him? Who would not trust in him? He is worthy of the best affection of our hearts, of the entire service of our lives, and of all the honor we can possibly give him. May it be ours to follow him here, and to reign with him hereafter.