Jesus Enthroned (Hebrews 1:3)

Sometimes we get an invitation to an important event and are surprised to discover when we get there that we have been given a prominent seat in full view of the audience. However, the audience don’t usually show much interest because they know that such things happen all the time. So the prominence is marked by ignorance, both in the person given it and in those watching it. What would change if the person and the audience knew it was going to happen? Or what would change if the person and the audience did not want it to happen? Or what would change if the person and only some of the audience wanted it to happen?

The event described here by the author of Hebrews, when he says that Jesus sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, is called theologically the enthronement of Christ and is part of his exaltation. This enthronement is the third stage in his exaltation. The two that happened previously were his resurrection and his ascension. We know that there was a time gap between stage one and stage two, between his resurrection and his ascension, of forty days. Whether there was a short gap between his ascension and enthronement cannot be known by us. A description of his enthronement is found in Revelation 5.

In the future, stage 4 will occur at the Day of Judgement when all people will appear before him, and he will judge the eternal destiny of every individual who ever lived. Stage 5 will occur in the new heavens and new earth when he will reign over the eternal kingdom of God.

Jesus was destined for this exaltation

It was predicted in the Old Testament that the Messiah would be exalted. For example, Isaiah foretold that the suffering Messiah would attain great heights: ‘Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted’ (Isa. 52:13).  The astonishing aspect of this prediction is that it is mentioned as the consequence of his sufferings.

 

The Old Testament also predicted how it would happen: ‘I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the  Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all  peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed’ (Dan. 7:13-14).

 

The psalmist in Psalm 110 rejoiced that it would happen when he wrote. ‘The Lord says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Not only does the psalmist rejoice in the exaltation of Jesus, but he also tells how long he will sit there for, that it will last until the time appointed for stage four to occur.

Jesus desired this exaltation

An obvious Bible passage that reveals this desire is the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17. In that prayer he asks for his exaltation to God’s presence to happen: ‘And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed’ (John 17:5). There are other verses in that chapter that mention his request for this exaltation.

It is notable that Jesus asked for this glory. He would have known what Psalm 2 predicted of the Messiah and he lived according to what it says. In that psalm, the Father says to his Son, ‘Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’ That verse informs us that the enthronement occurred because it was both a request of the Son and a gift of the Father.

Jesus deserves this exaltation

We know that people receive honours because they have done something to deserve it. The same is true of Jesus, but in a much greater way. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:6-11 why the Father exalted Jesus and gave him the name that is above every name. The reasons are connected to how Jesus humbled himself, and in that passage the apostle mentions two aspects of the humiliation of the Son of God.

First, there is the humility the Son of God displayed when he became human. Although he was the eternal Son with all the privileges connected to that high status, he did not cling to them and refuse to become something else. In addition to having that exalted position, he humbled himself and became a man (without ceasing to be fully God). This humbling commenced with his conception and covered his entire earthly journey. Of course, we should remember that while his earthly life was part of his descent it was the greatest human life that has ever been lived. It is the only sinless, totally holy life that was ever seen on earth. And because he had lived such a human life as a consequence of the first act of self-humbling, he was able then to engage in the second act of self-humbling when he submitted himself to the death of the cross.

How did Jesus regard his time on the cross? Remember that he is functioning as the servant of the Father. As the servant of the Father, he regarded his experience on the cross as service in which he worked at achieving something that the Father desired. We see that he achieved it when he cried out, ‘It is finished,’ a cry that reveals that task ensigned to him was completed. That task was for him to pay the penalty of the sins of his people, and he completed it, and having done so he deserves the reward that was promised to him if he did so. That reward was his enthronement.

Jesus delights in his exaltation

In Hebrews 1:8-9, the author cites verses from Psalm 45 which are prophecies of the response of Jesus to his exaltation: ‘But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’ Later in this letter, the author says about the enthronement of Jesus: ‘…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God’ (Heb. 13:2).

 

Another passage that describes the joy of Jesus in heaven is the account of Peter’s sermon in the Book of Acts in which he quotes from Psalm 2: ‘You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’ Those words describe his sense of anticipation before he died on the cross.

 

What sources can be identified that would contribute to the joy of Jesus at the Father’s right hand? One will be the arrival of his people in heaven, and we know that billions of souls have reached there and joined him. Another will be the occasions when sinners on earth are converted because Jesus also said that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. How often that happens! How many were converted during the hours of last night when we were asleep!

 

As one preacher, Samuel Davies, put it: ‘How does His benevolent heart rejoice to look over the immense plains of heaven—and see them all peopled with His seed! When He takes a view of this numerous offspring, sprung from His blood, and when He looks down to our world—and sees so many infants in grace, gradually advancing to their adult age; when He sees some, perhaps every hour since He died upon Calvary, entering the gates of heaven, having finished their course of education upon earth; I say, when this prospect appears to Him on every hand—how does He rejoice!’

 

Jesus is diligent in his exaltation

Although Jesus has ascended to heaven having finished his work on the cross, he has not ceased working. There is still much for him to do. His activity focuses on him building his church, which he has been doing for over twenty centuries. While we have no idea of how time is recognised in heaven, from an earthly point-of-view this Messianic activity is constant.

The building of his church does not only include saving people in the sense of them being pardoned. They also need to be sanctified and this requirement occurs because Jesus functions as their prophet, priest, and king. Eventually, because of his diligent, constant working, he will present to himself a glorious church with no defects whatsoever.

There is a sense in which the image of sitting fits those three offices. Jesus sat when he was teaching his disciples as when he delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Sitting was a sign of his authority – often the position of lecturers in a college is called a chair in a seat of learning. Jesus the prophet teaches with all authority.

As a priest, he does what no priest in Israel ever did – he sat down after offering his sacrifice. There is no need for him to rise and make another offering. We should remember that when we think of his intercession. He has paid the price for our redemption and because he did so, he can ask for and obtain for us all the blessings that belong to our spiritual liberty.

And as king, he sits on the ultimate throne, the throne of the Majesty on high. Who can be on this throne but God, and Jesus fulfils that requirement? But his divine person also has a human nature and he rules through both his natures. A king is usually the most glorious and famous person in his country. And that is certainly true in the country called heaven. As Samuel Rutherford told us long ago, the Lamb is all the glory in Immanuel’s land. And as he wrote elsewhere, Jesus, the red Rose of Sharon, fills the air of heaven with ravishing perfume.

Our response

The fact of the matter is that we will respond to the reality that Jesus has been enthroned. One response could be defiance and if that is how we react then we will not serve him even although he remains our Lord, because that reality cannot be changed because his reign is eternal. Or our response could be disinterestedness in what has taken place in heaven. The crowning ceremony of Jesus may not excite us. Heaven may sing about it, but we will remain silent. Or our response can be one of devotion and delight. We can celebrate his coronation and his crown.

At the start of our service, I mentioned several ways an event can be appreciated. We are audience observing the exalted Jesus. Are we like those who shrug their shoulders? Are we like those who resent that he has been exalted? Or are we of those who marvel at his greatness and who are more than satisfied by his grace?

Delight

John Owen, after reflecting on the theme of the exaltation of Jesus and then writing about it in a wonderful manner, wrote: ‘Blessed Jesus! We can add nothing to thee, nothing to thy glory; but it is a joy of heart unto us that thou art what thou art; that thou art so gloriously exalted at the right hand of God; and do long more fully and clearly to behold that glory according to thy prayer and promise.’ His prayer was answered for him both in this life and in what he now experiences in heaven.