Revelations from the Word

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Jesus and the royal authority

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"Then He said: A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. So he called ten of his servants [doulos], delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, Do business till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading" (Luke 19:12-15).

Here Jesus makes the point about the establishment of the Kingdom of God at the very same time as revealing Himself. He is this man of noble birth who must leave the earth to receive royal authority, then return. He therefore entrusted a mina or several talent (Matthew 25:15) to each one of His servants doulos. In this passage Jesus prophesies about Himself and reveals clearly that He was going to have to leave this earth to receive authority over a kingdom that Satan had wanted to exchange for worship of himself, "the devil having raised Him up, showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the earth, and said to Him: I will give you all this power, and the glory of these kingdoms; for it was given to me, and I give to whomever I wish. If you worship me, it will all be yours" (Luke 4:5-7). But according to God's plans, only Jesus will receive the earth as an inheritance after having been glorified on the cross.

On His return, Jesus will make the assessment:

• with those who have been faithful to the end, He will share His reign and His glory (Luke 19:17),

• to those who "have neglected" or "put aside" the mina which has been entrusted to them, He will take away even the little that they had received and He will exclude them from His reign (Luke 19:24-26 and Matthew 25:30),

• and those who have hated Him and refused His reign, will see themselves condemned to eternal death (Luke 19:27).

When the angel sounds the seventh trumpet of the Revelation, "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah" (Revelation 11:15). Jesus Christ will receive a great power and reign forever on earth (Revelation 11:17). The day will then come to reward doulos servants, the prophets and those who fear God, and banish from the earth those who have corrupted it (Revelation 11:18). Indeed, when Jesus Christ will establish God's Kingdom on earth, the righteous will reign with Him and the wicked will be removed from the earth (Matthew 13:49-50). In that Day, "Jesus Christ will be King over all the earth... and his name will be the only name" (Zechariah 14:9). So everyone remaining from all the nations will go up every year to worship the King of kings and to keep the festival of booths [sukkot] (Zechariah 14:16).