Daniel 7:13-14; Philippians 2:5-11, "Christ the King"

If Jesus is the king in the kingdom of God, what kind of people should we be as citizens of His kingdom?

Let’s begin by answering this question: What kind of a king is Jesus? We begin in the Hebrew prophet Daniel.

In Daniel’s seventh chapter, he records a vision. He sees all the great nations and empires of the world appear as animals, one after another. There is a significance to this. Humans were created in the image of God, to rule with God on earth over His creation, including the animals. When humans rule under the kingdom of God, they cultivate fruitfulness in creation. When humans will not live under the kingdom of God, they are cursed to become animals themselves. Animals do whatever feels good. Animals to do others what has been done to them. (This is how most people live their lives apart from Christ.)

And animals do not cultivate, they consume. When animals rule, creation does not flourish. When humans rule like animals, consuming more than they cultivate, they curse all creation and diminish the humanity of everyone in their kingdom, and their own humanity. By the end of Daniel’s vision, the final ruler is pictured as a little horn on the animal. He is speaking great things, but he is very small. And then this happens,

Daniel 7:9–12 (ESV)

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.

And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.

As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

A little interpretation might help here. The Ancient of Days I take to mean the LORD God, the Creator of the universe. He is pure and powerful, and He sits in judgment over the nations, surrounded by his court. All the nations must come before Him. And He will destroy the ruler who rules like an animal.

Daniel 7:13–14 (ESV)

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

The one “like a son of man” is a human. He will not rule as an animal. And he has come with the clouds of heaven. This is Hebrew biblical imagery that depicts this human coming in divine power and authority. He descends from heaven with the power of God.

What do you notice about his kingdom?

He has an eternal dominion. And a universal kingdom, over all peoples, nations, and languages. He is a king for all people, for all time. Why? Because He is coronated by the Creator Himself. God, who has all authority in heaven and earth, has exalted the Son of Man.

When Jesus came to earth, He never really calls himself “Messiah”. He allows others to say it. But when He refers to Himself, He chooses “Son of Man”. He is the one who will be exalted, not by men, but by God himself. And one way Jesus demonstrates His divine authority is His power to heal. He uses His power to cultivate human flourishing.

This gets people’s attention. And in John chapter 3, a Jewish rabbi is trying to understand Jesus. The rabbis thought they had all the authority of God. Jesus obviously has the power of God. But he is not teaching as the other rabbis. So, when Jesus tries to explain this to him, He says,

John 3:13–15 (ESV)

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

He affirms that He is the Son of Man who descends from heaven in the power of God. So, our rabbi friend would immediately be taken back to Daniel 7, and would expect Jesus to describe his coronation, an exaltation by God to a throne. What does Jesus say instead?

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Jesus was exalted through humiliation. He was lifted up as a symbol of the curse of sin, like a serpent on a cross. But because He was doing this in obedience to God the Father, He overcame the curse of sin through obedience. He restored the kingdom of God to humans by submitting to the kingdom of God Himself in all things. And in so doing, He was making a mockery of the symbols of power and death in the animalistic kingdoms of this world. He used them to bring eternal life to all who would believe in Him.

The rest of the New Testament is commentary, helping us understand what Jesus has done.

In Acts 1:1-11, After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus

Acts 1:3 (ESV)

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Jesus puts His crucifixion and resurrection in the context of the kingdom of God. So, His disciples ask if He will restore the kingdom to Israel.

Acts 1:6 (ESV)

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

But Jesus’ plans are bigger. He is not establishing an earthly kingdom for Israel only. He is ascending the throne of heaven, from which He will send the Holy Spirit to direct the church into bringing the gospel of eternal life through faith in Jesus into the whole earth.

Acts 1:7–8 (ESV)

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

And then He is lifted up into the clouds of heaven, just as we saw in Daniel 7.

So, what kind of a king is Jesus? He is the king exalted by God himself with an everlasting dominion and a universal kingdom.

Philippians 2:10–11 (ESV)

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

But He is the kind of a king who is exalted through humility. His glory is His surrender to God and His sacrifice for others. He uses His power to give life to others and seek their flourishing. And He is the only one who can overcome the curse of sin that works in each of us and in the kingdoms of this world. He will breathe the Holy Spirit into you and you will no longer live like an animal. You can now seek the kingdom of God and flourish in His righteousness.

This brings it to us. Are you a believer in Jesus? If Jesus is your king, your citizenship is in heaven, and you have a new world that has opened to you.

Ephesians 1:15-23, I pray you would know the hope and the treasure you are to Jesus,

Ephesians 1:19–23 (ESV)

and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ

when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Do we believe that God has exalted Jesus? Do you believe that Jesus is running the show, that He has all things under control, and that He is working all things together for the good of the church?

What impact does that have on our lives?

Do we understand what it means to be His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all? We have so much more power than we either realize or let on. Don’t let anyone tell you our problem is not that Christians have lost influence in our society. Our problem is that too many Christians don’t understand the heart of Jesus. We don’t know how to use the power we have.

Philippians 2, Do we have the mind of Christ Jesus, who was exalted through His humility and obedience to God?

Philippians 2:5 (ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Are we willing to obey God, even if it means giving up our rights as citizens of this country to fulfill the ministry of the gospel God has given us? What is one example of this? Paul gives us one application in verse 3.

Philippians 2:3–4 (ESV)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Do you know what I’m looking for in leaders right now? People who will do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count other more significant than themselves, who look to the interest of others. Please do not attach the name of Jesus to a leader that does not demonstrate this attitude. But then I have to ask, am I that kind of person?

Jesus had all the power in the world. But He did not exalt himself through political influence or popularity on social media. He did not exercise power the way the animals that run the kingdoms of this world do.

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Just think about this one demonstration of the power of Jesus. He did not use His power to condemn, shout down His enemies, and demand His rights. He used His power for self-restraint and forgiveness.

1 Peter 2:22–25 (ESV)

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return;

when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Communion

Questions for Discussion

Who are some good leaders that have made your life better? What character did they demonstrate? What did they do well?

When you read Daniel 7:9-14, what kind of picture do we get of God? What do we learn about the Messiah? What does this mean for the way we live our lives?

In what way was Jesus exalted, and how does that compare with what we see in human leaders? What is the lesson for us?

In what ways does (or should) the church demonstrate the leadership of Jesus?

What priorities for Christians and for the church emerge from Philippians 2:1-11?

What is the encouragement of Ephesians 1:15-23?

If we trust Jesus is running the show on God’s behalf, and He still uses His power for self-restraint and forgiveness, how should that impact the way we talk and act with others?

What are the conversations you are having right now that could be informed by these passages about Jesus’ leadership as King?

Where is God opening to you an opportunity for the gospel we have been seeing in these passages?

How will you respond to these passages this week?