LASTING RULERSHIP JUST AHEAD!

"I kept on beholding in the visions of the night and, see there!" Exclaimed Daniel. "With the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man happened to be coming; and to the Ancient of Days he gained access, and they brought him up close even before that One." (Daniel 7:13) When on earth, Jesus Christ called himself "the Son of man," indicating his kinship to mankind.  (Matthew 16:13; 25:31)  To the Sanhedrin, or Jewish high court, Jesus said:  "You will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven."  (Matthew 26:64) So in Daniel's vision, the one coming, invisible to human eyes, and gaining access to Jehovah God was the resurrected, glorified Jesus Christ.  When did this occur?

With Jesus Christ, God has made a covenant for a Kingdom, just as he had made one with King David. (2 Samuel 7:11-16; Luke 22:28-30)  When "the appointed times of the nations" ended in 1914 C.E., Jesus Christ, as David's royal heir, could rightfully  receive Kingdom rule.  Daniel's prophetic record reads:  "To him there was given rulership, and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages  should all serve even  him.  His rulership is an indefinitely lasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be brought to ruin." (Daniel 7:14) Thus the Messianic Kingdom was established in heaven in 1914.  However, the rulership is given to others also. 

"The holy ones of the "Supreme One will receive the kingdom," said the angel. (Daniel 7:18, 22, 27) Jesus Christ is the chief holy one. (Acts 3:14; 4:27, 30 The other "holy ones" having a share in the rulership are the 144,000 faithful spirit-anointed Christians, who are Kingdom heirs with Christ.  (Romans 1:7; 8:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 2:9)  They are resurrected from death as immortal spirits to reign with Christ on heavenly Mount Zion.  (Revelation 2:10; 14:1; 20:6) Hence, Christ Jesus and the resurrected anointed Christian will rule the world of mankind. 

Concerning the rulership of the Son of man and the other resurrected  "holy ones," God's angel said: "The kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of  the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people are re the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their  kingdom is an indefinitely lasting kingdom, and all the rulerships  will serve and obey even them." (Daniel 7:27) What blessings obedient mankind will experience under that Kingdom!

Daniel was unaware of all the marvelous fulfillments of his God-given visions. He said:  "Up to this point is the end of the matter. as for me< Daniel, my own thoughts kept frightening me a great deal, so that my very complexion changed in me; but the matter itself I kept in my own heart." (Daniel 7:28)  We, though, live at the time when we can understand the fulfillment of what  Daniel saw. Paying attention to this prophecy will strengthen our faith and bolster our conviction that Jehovah's Messianic King will rule the world. 

Next time: A TOLERANT MONARCH

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999