Psalm 110:1 is the most-often-quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. No doubt because it conveys God’s invitation to the Risen Messiah to be seated at His “right hand” — the ultimate position of acceptance, power and authority.
“All authority is given to me,” said Jesus to his disciples after he had conquered death — “both in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18) During the Lord’s ministry, people had marveled that God had given a man the authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:8). But “all” authority, not only on earth but in heaven as well? They thought that too much?!
The question is often asked: Why do we not see Jesus exercise his earthly authority today?” The answer is that we do not perceive his authority as being so great that it overrules every other kind — not only celestial but also terrestrial.
King David prophesied: “The LORD (Adonai: Supreme Lord) said to my Lord (Adoni: David’s descendant Jesus), Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” In ancient times, a conquered enemy would be humiliated by being used as a human footstool.
David, being a prophet as well as a king (Acts 2:30) was speaking the very words that God would say to Jesus after His Son had risen from the tomb and ascended into heaven. The term “footstool” is used here to illustrate, graphically, the Risen Lord’s ability to subdue everyone and everything. Another reason why we do not see it is that many have wrongly taught that Jesus will not exercise it as he did during his earthly ministry — other than in some obscure, mystical way — and will do so only after returning to earth.
But Jesus works with us to confirm the message we preach (Mark 16:20). So, if we preach that Jesus healed the sick while on earth but will do so again only after his return to earth, then what do we present in our preaching that he can “work with” and “confirm”?
The answer is little nor nothing. So, let’s not preach a quarter Gospel, or a half-Gospel, or a three-quarter-Gospel, but a Full Gospel — the one the apostles preached!