Ephesians 1-21 Christ is ruling right now as King

[Limey_Bob]

²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

 

At Ephesians 1:20, we read that God the Father seated Christ at his own right hand in the heavenly realms, which implies that in some sense Christ was made or appointed as King at the time of his ascension, in a spiritual (not literal sense), over his deceased saints (in heaven). Notice the use of the word “rule” at verse 21, Christ was ruling as King, in some sense according to Paul at the time of his writing this book of Ephesians. Now I am not denying that as Yahweh God himself, Christ is eternally King and has eternally been so due to his innate divinity. Also, at the time of the second coming, Christ’s kingdom will then be extended from heaven, unto to this earth, with the entire universe being under his Kingdom rule, which then becomes both a universal rule (i.e. without any challenge or opposition), and also an eternal rule.

 

So please don’t misquote me, as I am not claiming that Christ’s rule is currently physical or upon this earth, I believe that his kingly rule is currently a spiritual rule over the “souls” of his deceased saints in the intermediate state and is from (or in) heaven. However, Revelation 11:15 states that one day (possibly in the very near future), we shall hear voices in heaven proclaiming that the kingdom of this present world has become the kingdom of Christ, and that He (Christ) will then reign forever and ever, in a greatly expanded kingdom rule which will now be physical, and earthly. I would believe that this expansion from spiritual to physical rule happens at the second coming of Christ, others will disagree, and claim that it will happen one thousand years later, at the conclusion of the ‘millennium.’ However, it will happen, at some time in the future. The title “King of Kings” is used of Christ twice at Revelation 17:14 and 19:16, to convey the fact that at some time in the future, his rule shall be both universal and completely unopposed, as his enemies will be this time be defeated.