This series has focused on the different aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ—that is, the good news that he has accomplished redemption on behalf of his elect. Thus far, we have considered the incarnation of the Son of God, his perfect life (his active and passive obedience), his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into heaven.
Having considered Christ’s accomplished work of redemption, we turn now to his present work. The session of the enthroned Christ as he sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high is unique because it is this aspect of the gospel that we presently experience. Whereas the ministry of Christ on earth occurred nearly two millennia ago, the session of Christ is ongoing, even though we perhaps sometimes forget that he is indeed sitting enthroned in heaven right now. This is a reality that we confess in all our ancient creeds, such as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (AD 381):
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of the Father Almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe this and confess it weekly in our churches, but do we comprehend it in its biblical fullness and understand its benefits?
To see the importance of the session of the enthroned Christ and what makes it good news for Christians, first, we will consider the enthronement of Christ from the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Second, we will examine his session in the Reformed theology of the Westminster Standards.
The Old Testament
The promises and prophecies of the Old Testament set the stage for their eventual fulfillment by the Son of God as recorded in the New Testament. Without the Old Testament, we would not have the right frame of reference for the both the kingship and enthronement of Christ. For example, in Genesis 3:15, God promised to send a skull-crushing offspring of the woman who would be victorious over that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan. This is the starting point of the covenant of grace, by which, and through faith, all the elect are redeemed. As the Lord continued to reveal himself to his people in history, he said this to Abraham in Genesis 17:6–7:
I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. (emphasis added)
The promise that “kings shall come from you” is significant. This royal promise theme is repeated in additional Old Testament prophecies. For instance, later in Genesis one of Abraham’s offspring, his grandson Jacob (Israel), places a blessing on his offspring Judah:
Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Gen 49:8, 10; emphasis added)
Here the royal promise is elaborated on. Jacob’s prophecy is full language relating to kingship: praise, victory in battle, worship, a scepter, a ruler’s staff, and receiving tribute and obedience. These are all things that kings either do or receive as part of their kingship. Thus, the royal offspring will come from Judah, he will rule over his enemies, and his own people will worship him.
The kingly offspring promise becomes even clearer through one of Judah’s offspring, King David. To this shepherd turned warrior and king, the Lord says this:
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. (2 Sam 7:12–14; emphasis added)
Thus, the promise is further elaborated on. The royal offspring who will crush the head of the serpent will come from David, he will have a kingdom and a throne that lasts forever, and he will have a special relationship with God—that is, he will be God’s son, and God will be a father to him.
There are several mentions of this king throughout the Psalms. For example, the Lord speaks thus in Psalm 2:
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
And Psalm 110:
The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head. (1–2, 5–7)
These two prophecies are of the Lord (YHWH) speaking to the Lord, or the Father promising his Son that he will be enthroned on holy Mount Zion, victorious over his enemies, the nations, and rule over his own people in power. Psalm 2 concludes with a promise of blessing for those who seek refuge in the Lord, who is the Son of God. In Psalm 110, the Lord (YHWH) promised to make the enemies of the Lord as a footstool under his feet. Thus, the one figure who is the Messiah (Christ), the Lord (Adonai), and the Son of God will be seated victorious on the throne ruling, judging, and being a refuge and the object of worship for his people. When connected with previous royal offspring promises, we see the full development of this kingly figure in prophetic form. Let us turn now to the New Testament to see the fulfillment of these promises and prophecies.
The New Testament
In the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of the Old Testament kingly offspring promises. For example, when Matthew begins his gospel, he says this: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt 1:1). Similarly, Luke includes these names in his genealogy: Jesus . . . the son of David . . . the son of Judah . . . the son of Jacob . . . the son of Abraham . . . the son of Adam, the son of God” (Luke 3:23, 31, 33, 34, 38).
As the evangelists wrote concerning the line of Christ, they are proving that Jesus Christ is the royal offspring promised in Genesis 3:15 as well as to Abraham, to Judah, and to David. Thus, he is the anointed Son of God and the offspring who has rightly inherited the eternal throne of God as a reward for his redemptive work accomplished as detailed in the Gospels.
Seeing Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of these Old Testament kingly offspring promises, the apostle Peter preached this inspired gospel presentation in his Pentecost sermon:
Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.’” (Acts 2:29–35; emphasis added)
Thus, Peter cited both Psalm 16, another messianic psalm, and Psalm 110 to explain the resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Likewise, the apostle Paul identified Jesus as the royal offspring of David as he greeted the church in Rome in the opening of his epistle:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 1:1–4; emphasis added)
The evangelists and apostles did not make these connections out of their own creativity, for it was Christ himself who first taught them that he was indeed the fulfillment of the kingly promises in the Old Testament.
For example, testing the apostles to see if they could apply what they had learned through witnessing his ministry and hearing his teachings, the Lord Jesus asked,
“Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 16:15–17)
Shortly thereafter, as Jesus taught in the temple and was questioned by the leaders of Israel, he cited Psalm 110 and turned the questioning on them:
How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son? (Luke 20:41–44)
The only answer is that the Christ would be more than a mere earthly king from the line of David; he also had to be the Son of God. Since the scribes could not comprehend the Messiah as both earthly and divine, this challenge left them with nothing to say. The answer, of course, lies in the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises and prophecies. He is all these things: the Christ, the Lord, the son of David, and the Son of God.
Additionally, after the Lord Jesus’s resurrection, the first stage of his exaltation, Luke records him saying this to his disciples:
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:44–45)
By giving them the proper method for interpreting the Old Testament, Jesus made it clear that he was indeed the fulfillment of all God’s promises and prophecies regarding the royal offspring and his redemptive work.
Finally, the Lord Jesus left the apostles with this concerning his kingship before he ascended into heaven:
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt 28:18–20; emphasis added)
So, it was not that only the apostles saw Jesus as the king who had been promised long ago and now has all authority over everyone and everything; Jesus himself said this. His authority is evident in the opening of the epistle-sermon to the Hebrews:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Heb 1:1–4; emphasis added)
Once we understand the enthronement of the kingly offspring who was promised throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, we should ask, What makes this good news for us? For this we turn to Reformed theology as summarized in the Westminster Standards.
Reformed Theology: The Westminster Standards
As noted previously, many of our ancient catholic creeds contain brief statements on the session of the enthroned Christ. These short statements are part of the larger rule of faith, or the apostolic gospel creed that one must believe to be a Christian. In like manner, our Reformed forefathers provided a creed not unlike those received from the apostles through the ancient church:
The Lord Jesus…was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which he also ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world. (Westminster Confession of Faith 8.4; emphasis added)
The Westminster divines not only affirmed the session of the enthroned Christ as an essential part of the gospel but sought to get beyond the mere creedal statement and understand the meaning and benefit of this wonderful and essential aspect of the good news of Christ. For example, this question and answer from the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC) unpacks the significance as well as the advantages of the session of Christ for his church:
Q. 53. How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?
A .Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God,
in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favor with God the Father,
with all fullness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth;
and doth gather and defend his Church, and subdue their enemies;
furnisheth his ministers and people with gifts and graces,
and maketh intercession for them.
To better understand the session of the enthronement of Christ and its consequence for Christians, let us consider these statements in depth:
“As God-man he is advanced to the highest favor with God the Father”
“Having assumed our nature” in his incarnation (WLC 52), Jesus ascended into heaven, where he now sits on the throne as the mediator between God and his people. This means the eternal Son of God—who took on human flesh and lived for us, died for us, and was raised for us—is still the same person (the second person of the Trinity), and as such, he is truly God and truly man, just as he was before ascending into heaven. His reward for suffering and dying in the flesh is being raised and glorified by ascending into heaven and now sitting bodily at his Father’s right hand—the place of prominence and power over his kingdom. And since he is both natures existing in one person, he can now mediate between God and man and intercede for his people.
“With all fullness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth”
In fulfillment of Psalm 16:11, “At your right hand are pleasures forevermore,” King Jesus enjoys his reward of being exalted at the right hand of God, from where he gloriously rules over his flock. Peter even calls the enthroned Lord Jesus our “chief Shepherd” in heaven (1 Pet 5:4). This is his rightful place, as Jesus prayed to his Father in his High Priestly Prayer, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:4–5).
“And doth gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies”
His shepherding from heaven includes gathering all his elect into one flock, the church, and in defending us from our enemies. He subdues the enemies of his church because he is the one who has crushed the greatest enemy, that ancient serpent, and being united to him, he will soon crush Satan under our feet as well (Rom 16:20).
“Furnisheth his ministers and people with gifts and graces”
Since the day of Pentecost, the enthroned Christ has been pouring out gifts to his people by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As Paul writes in Ephesians 4:10–12, “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. . . . And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Thus, Jesus supplies every need of the church from his throne in heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father.
“And maketh intercession for them”
How does he do this? The divines explain in their next catechism question and answer: “Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers; answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services” (WLC 54). From his throne, he brings us as sons into the presence of our Father, granting access to the throne of grace; and as our mediator, he lives always to intercede on behalf of those who draw near.
As we conclude our study of the session of the enthroned Christ, we can say that it is an essential aspect of the good news of Jesus Christ for our salvation. We have seen that this doctrine holds a prominent place in the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament. From the promise of the woman’s offspring who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15), to the prophecy concerning the kingly offspring of Abraham and Judah (Gen 17:6–7; 49:8, 10), to the royal promise concerning David’s offspring (2 Sam 7:12–14), the Old Testament clearly anticipates the coming of a king who would reign over God’s kingdom people. Furthermore, the Psalms reveal the glorious rule of the same promised offspring, who is God’s anointed Son (Psalm 2) and the Lord who sits at the right hand of God until all his enemies are made his footstool (Psalm 110). The New Testament clearly identifies our Lord Jesus as the promised kingly son of Abraham, Judah, and David, who is also the Son of God. He is also declared to be the risen and enthroned Christ who, on completing his work of redemption, sits at the right hand of his Father, where he now has all authority in heaven and earth. We have also seen how the Westminster Standards teach his session as his kingly rule, his intercession for his people, and the wonderful benefits that we receive from the enthroned Christ.
What does this mean for us as Christians? Is there any comfort and encouragement from our Lord Jesus sitting high and exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high? Much in every way. First, his session reminds us that the One who appeared defeated on the cross and in the tomb is now seated victoriously as the sovereign Lord who upholds and directs all things for his glory and our good. His enthronement declares to us that his redemptive work has been accomplished, and our salvation is secure in his triumphant sitting. As Hebrews reminds us, “He is the radiance of the glory of God . . . and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3) This is worth meditating on. Our circumstances may change from day to day, our faith may go from strong to weak, trials and tribulations may come, but one thing remains the same: Christ’s work is finished, and the session of the enthroned Christ testifies to this incredible and unchanging reality.
Second, Christ’s session assures us that we are never without a mediator, an advocate before the Father, who sits in his presence in our nature. The One who sits at the right hand of the Father is not only our King but also our Great High Priest who continually intercedes on our behalf (Heb 7:25; 9:24). Whether it is sin that makes us feel far off or the suffering of the Christian life in this present evil age, he remains seated always to hear our prayers and grant us access to the throne of grace. When we are burdened by guilt, weakened by the flesh, or do not know how to pray, Christ sympathizes with every weakness and remains seated on the throne for us so that we would draw near through him with confidence (Heb 4:14–16).
Third, the enthroned Christ reminds us that he is the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). Thus, he is sovereign over every historical event and every circumstance in our lives. There is no more practical and comforting truth than this. There are times when it feels like evil is taking over the world and that his and our enemies are reigning over the nations. His session testifies that he is still in control and all things work according to his decree and for his glory. There are times when we suffer the consequences of the fall, such as disappointment, sickness, pain, persecution, death, and prayers that seem to go unanswered. Yet he remains seated at his Father’s right hand, ruling over his church for the good of his people and knowing every last detail of our lives. Nothing is outside of his sovereign rule. Even when it seems as if we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, he is nevertheless with us, leading us, protecting us, and working all things out according to his sovereign design and purposes for his kingdom people (Ps 23; Eph 1:9–11). As Paul reminds us,
Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, . . . nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:34–39)
Finally, his session gives us courage and confidence that even though he is seated in the high heavenly places and we are here on earth, we still live as his people and he is still with us. The risen and enthroned Christ has not left his church to carry out our calling in the Great Commission on our own power and ability. Rather, we are seated with him (Eph 2:6), can cling to him (John 20:17), and run the race with endurance in his strength (Heb 12:1–2). As we live here and now, what we do still matters. Whether it is pursuing holy lives, raising our families, serving his church, worshiping him, loving our neighbors, or sharing the gospel, our King has promised that he is with us. We live our lives not wondering whether or not he will be victorious but in the reality of his victory. As we live lives that seem ordinary, as we experience suffering, as we endure hardship, and even though we do not see all things in subjection to him, we know that they are and there will be a day when every enemy will be defeated and his kingship will be acknowledged by all (Ps 110; Phil 2:9–11).
Therefore, we can say with confidence, “Thanks be to God for the good news that King Jesus sits on his throne in heaven where he rules over all things!” May this primer help you better understand the session of your enthroned King and encourage you to study his kingship more deeply in the Holy Scriptures with the aim of increasing knowledge of his rule and a more comprehensive appreciation of the benefits of his session. Let us then draw near to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16).
©Scott McDermand II. All Rights Reserved.
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Scott McDermand II
Scott McDermand II is pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Bad Axe, Michigan. He graduated from San Diego State University (BA, History) and earned masters degrees at Westminster Seminary California (MA, Historical Theology; MDiv). He serves on the board of directors of the Heidelberg Reformation Association as secretary. He has a passion for preaching and teaching the Word of God, Biblical theology, Church History, and enjoys fellowshipping with the saints. In his free time, he also enjoys baseball, reading, classical music, eating whatever his wife cooks for him, and walking their two dogs.
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