Trending
We know from Psalm 110:1 and the New Testament passages that refer to this verse, that David's Lord and descendent was Jesus, God's right hand man. This is a major theme of the New Testament beginning with the book of Acts after God raised Jesus out from among the dead and exalted him to his right hand. The right hand of God, second only to God in power and authority over heaven and earth.
One of the clearest passages regarding the future fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 is found in 1 Corinthians:
"But Christ has truly been raised from the dead--the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised. Death has come because of what one man did, but the rising from death also comes because of one man. In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again. But everyone will be raised to life in the right order. Christ was first to be raised. When Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life, and then the end will come. At that time Christ will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers, and he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. Christ must rule until he puts all enemies under his control. The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. The Scripture says that God put all things under his control. When it says "all things" are under him, it is clear this does not include God himself. God is the One who put everything under his control. After everything has been put under the Son, then he will put himself under God, who had put all things under him. Then God will be the complete ruler over everything." 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 NCV
Did you know that there are over 760 distinctions between God the Father (who Jesus said is the only true God) and the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament? For example, each of the 13 epistles written by Paul begins with God and (in addition to) Jesus. Please read for yourself Romans 1:7, I Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, and Philemon 1:3.
These opening greetings are not isolated examples. Throughout the New Testament, God and Jesus are consistently distinguished from one another. God is presented as the Father, the source of all things, the One who raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to His right hand. Jesus is presented as the Messiah, the Son of God, the one sent by God, empowered by God, and ultimately subject to God.
This is exactly what we would expect if Psalm 110:1 is understood according to its plain meaning: "The LORD said to my Lord." David spoke of two distinct persons--God and the Messiah. The Messiah is David’s Lord, but he is not the LORD. God grants authority to His Messiah, and the Messiah faithfully carries out God’s purposes.
The future described in 1 Corinthians 15 brings this truth into even sharper focus. Jesus will reign until every enemy has been defeated, including death itself. Then, having completed the mission entrusted to him by God, he will hand the Kingdom back to the Father and subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, “so that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).
God has made Jesus both Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:36), seated him at His right hand, and given him power and authority over all creation. Throughout Scripture, Jesus remains the faithful servant of God, the obedient Son who honors the Father, and the Father remains the one true God whom Jesus himself worshiped, served, and revealed. When we allow Scripture to speak for itself, we see a beautiful harmony: one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ.
"yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." 1 Corinthians 8:6
"There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6
Mark Rohde can be reached at marklrohde@icloud.com.