“You Are The Christ, The Son Of The Living God.”

Simon Peter answered,
“You Are The Christ, The Son Of The Living God.”
Matthew 16:16

(The definition of the word Christ is simply the Anointed One. So when Peter　made his famous statement in Matt. 16:16; “You are the Christ, the Son of the　Living God.” He　was actually saying You are the Anointed One, the Messiah　that Israel has been waiting for. Messiah is the Hebrew for Anointed, with　Christos being the Greek from which the name Christ is derived).

In 1 Samuel 2:10, we find Hanna, Samuel’s mother using the word anointed　for the first time in the Bible. She had prophetic revelation that her young　son Samuel would be used by the Lord to anoint God’s king for Israel. We　know of course later Samuel anointed both Saul and David. As you read　some of the Messianic cross references to this verse you’ll find many in the　Psalms that look ahead not only to King David, a type of the Messiah, but　they also have future fulfillment in Jesus The Christ, the Anointed One.

What I want us to see is that this ‘Anointed One’ Hanna speaks of means　’Anointed to be King’ and is looking far ahead past King David and Solomon　to Jesus. Look with me in Ps. 2:1-9; which is a Messianic Psalm looking　ahead to Jesus our Lord and Christ. The second time the word anointed is　used in Scripture is found here in verse 2.　“The kings of the earth set　themselves, And the rulers take council together, Against the Lord and　against His Anointed.” This is exactly what was happening in Jesus’　earthly ministry. Both the Jews and the Romans conspiring together to kill　God’s Anointed. In fact if we take this Psalm in sequence we can actually　see when the Father set the Son, as King, on His Holy Hill of Zion (verse 6). If　this Psalm is in sequence and I believe it is verse seven holds the answer.　Paul interprets this verse for us in Acts 13:33.

In Acts 13 Paul is talking to unconverted Jews giving a history of the events　that lead up to the Christ. In verse 22 Paul tells his listeners that after God　removed Saul from being king over the nation, He then raised up David a　man after His own heart. That from the descendants of David, according to　promise, God brought forth a Savior, Jesus. In verse 27 Paul goes on to say　that those in Jerusalem, and their rulers neither recognized their Savior nor　the words spoken of concerning by the prophets of old, actually fulfilled　those prophetic words by condemning Him. That even when they could find　no grounds for putting Him to death they asked Pilate that He be executed; then Paul continues by saying in verse 30, “But God raised Him from the　dead.”

Paul’s message to the unconverted Jews was, “The Good News of the　promise made to the Fathers” (verse 32). “That God has fulfilled this promise　to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is written in the Second　Psalm, “You are My Son TODAY I have begotten You” (verse 33)

Let’s take a moment an look at Psalms 2, at least up through verse seven.　I want to share with you what I Believe Scripture says concerning this　starting from a very prophetic portion of Scripture Psalm 2:1-7:

1. Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? (Because the　god of this world system has blinded their minds).

2-3. This is exactly what happened when the Jews and the Romans plotted　against Jesus and killed/murdered Him. The early apostles used this　Scripture in Acts 4:25 after they had faced persecution from the Jewish　leaders.

4-5. God quite literally laughs at them. Had they know what they were doing　Scripture says they would not have done so, but again their minds were　blinded. God spoke to the nation of Israel through His Son, Heb. 1:2; “Has in　the last days (literally the last days of the Old Covenant Age, or Age of　Moses) spoken to us by His Son. Whom He appointed heir of all things.　Through whom He made the world.” God throughout the Gospels warned　the apostate nation of the judgment that was to come on that generation, the　generation that rejected the Promise, and missed the Kingdom. Matt. 12:39;　41-42; 45; 23:34-36; 24:2-34 are only some of the verses Jesus Himself
targeted toward the ‘terminal generation’ that crucified Him. Also Matt. 21:43,　would clearly show that the Kingdom was taken from natural Israel and　given to the Church, the Israel of God, where neither circumcision nor　uncircumcision avails much but a new creation (Gal. 6:15-16).

6. In verse 2 we see the word Anointed/Messiah used I believe for actually the 2nd time in Scripture, and again we see the same thought continued in verse 6, but　instead of Anointed here he uses King. The Amp. Bible says, “I have　anointed [installed and placed] My King [firmly] on My Holy Hill of Zion.” We　have to understand as we read these passage that they are written in order,　there is a sequence used here, from the nations revolting against God and His Anointed and the enthronement of the King. As we go on to read verse 7 we see more of the time frame these things happened in.

7. “I will declare the decree; The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son’ Today I have begotten You.” Speaking to us of Christ the first born from among the dead ones. In verses 6 & 7 the Psalmist makes Jesus’ birth and enthronement one event, if He is fathered by God He reigns. But in Acts 13:33; Paul tells us that verse 7 speaks of His resurrection and enthronement. In Acts 13, Paul again lays out for us a sequence of events starting with Israel’s enslavement in Egypt, their coming into the land, their desire for a king, on up to God sending them a Savior, Jesus, who they then condemned fulfilling all that had been written about Him by hanging Him on a tree. So Paul goes on to say in verse 32-33, That in Christ’s the Anointed Ones resurrection from the dead God fulfilled that which was made to the Fathers. He by the Spirit interpreted Psalm 7 for us by showing us that it was at His resurrection that Jesus was set in as King. In Romans 1:4; Paul’s tells us that Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection. Wow! The Church doesn’t have to turn the Kingdom over to the King, it’s already His. How can you give something to someone they already possess?

Peter on the Day of Pentecost also quoted David in Acts 2:29-36. Here we see David a prophet not looking ahead to the 2nd coming and an earthly Jewish throne, but seeing ahead to the resurrection as the fulfillment of the promise God made to him in 2 Sam. 7:13-14. And went on to say, “that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”

Peter also stated that what was happening on the Day of Pentecost was that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel. That it was the fulfillment of what Joel had prophesied so many years earlier. (Contrary to what the Scofield Reference Bible teaches, “That it was like that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel). Not only did Joel speak to us of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, literally the whole earth being immersed in the Holy Spirit, Joel also spoke to us of the regathering of the nation. This actually begin with the ministry of John the Baptist as God, through John’s ministry, allured her/Israel into the wilderness, where all Judah went to hear John, as God spoke comfort to her through John’s ministry of reconciliation, as his message turned the hearts of the children back to the God of their fathers (References: Joel 3:1-2; Isaiah 40 The Comforting of Zion,” Mal. 4:5-6; and Matt. 3:1-2; Lk. 1: 15-17).

We can see that on the Day of Pentecost that God was gathering, as a new and holy nation was birthed as Peter opened the doors of the Kingdom first to the Jews who heard his first apostolic message and received their Messiah. Acts 2:5 tells us that on that day, “There were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.” This was the remnant along with the 120 who had been in the ‘upper room’ prayer meeting that God used to bring the “True Israel of God” into New Covenant reality. This is the True Israel of God that Paul speaks of in Gal. 6:15-16, “Where neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails much but a new creation.” (This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the earth realm today bring forth the new creation).

Jesus had told the apostate religious leaders of the nation that the Kingdom was taken from them and given to a nation bearing the fruit (Matt. 21:43), and on the Day of Pentecost a nation was birthed in one day, a new and holy nation comprised of both Jew and Gentile believers. This is the “one new man” Paul spoke of in Eph. 2:11-22. (Please note in those verses this is a done deal “Who MADE both groups one.)”

Paul also told us in Eph. 4:10 a verse not often taught on, “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” (Notice He ascends not descends to fill the earth). So at least according to Peter and Paul, Jesus is the now reigning King, and He won’t come back to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory, that’s our job, His Church His Body the fullness of His who fills all things everywhere with Himself. Our job is to fill the earth with righteousness, peace, and joy
which is the evidence in the believers life of our being in the Kingdom, the Kingdom is in the Spirit (Rom. 14:17). Jesus Himself won’t return till every enemy has been made His footstool according to Ps. 110, He must reign in the midst of His enemies till every enemy is defeated, then he will return and turn the Kingdom over to the Father. Notice it’s not us turning the Kingdom over to Him, but He to the Father (1 Cor. 15:20-28). In Ps. 110 we see Jesus as the “Warrior King” of Ps. 45, Who rules in the midst of His enemies, not in some great time of world peace!

I know people will ask, “But what about the 1000 year reign spoken of in Revelation 20?” My reply to that would be is the 1000 years spoken of in Revelation 20 to be taken figuratively or literally? If you say it must be taken as literal, then how do we deal with the verse that says, “God owns the cattle on a 1000 hills?” If we interpret one verse as literal must we not also do the same with the other verse as well? We know the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, so 1000 hills speaks of an indefinite number of hills. Also how do we deal with Deut. 7:9; that tells us that for God’s people who love Him and keep His commandments that He’ll keep covenant with them for 1000 generations? If a Biblical generation is 40 years then we’re talking 40,000 years, which speaks to us of a good long time. What the writer of Revelation is showing us is the complete, fullness of the reign of Christ the King. The reign that begin with His ascension (Dan. 7:13-14) and will finally be consummated after every enemy has been made His footstool (1 Cor. 15:20-28; Ps. 110: 1-3). From the very first chapter and the very first verse of the Revelation we find it is a signified book, or a book of signs and symbols, a book that can not be taken or understood literally.

To fully understand, especially about some future 1000 year reign, the saints ruling with Christ, we must also look at the first chapter of Revelation verse 6, “And He HAS MADE US to be a Kingdom, priests to His God and Father.” Done deal HAS MADE past tense. Peter called us a “CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION,” let’s stop putting of the New Covenant reality and fully embrace what the Father has so freely given us IN His Son.

Therefore I will agree with Peter and make the decree that God has made Jesus “BOTH LORD AND CHRIST!” (Ps. 2:6-7; Acts 2:36).

“It would be easy to show that at our present rate of progress the kingdoms of this world could never become he Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Indeed, many in the Church are giving up the idea of it except on the occasion of the advent of Christ, which, as it chimes in with our own idleness, is likely to become a popular doctrine. I myself believe that King Jesus will reign, and the idols be utterly abolished; but I expect the same power which turned the world upside down will still continue to do it. The Holy Ghost would never suffer the imputation to rest upon His Holy Name that He was not able to convert the world.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon