The Crown Rights of Christ

Messiah's Divine Rights - Part 4

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Dominion and Reconstruction

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2005-02-06

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on Psalm 110, focusing on verse 2: 'The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.' He argues that Christ has the right to rule the heathen, demonstrating that the 'rod of thy strength' symbolizes His power, authority, and dominion as a scepter. Weaver explains that 'Zion' here refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, from which Christ now reigns. He addresses objections that Christ's rule is not visible, emphasizing that theology is based on Scripture, not appearances, and that God rules over the heathen whether acknowledged or not. He outlines three ways God manifests His rule: by destroying enemies, subduing them, or converting them. The sermon concludes with the assurance that Christ is reigning and will ultimately conquer all enemies.

[John Weaver] Psalm 110, and let's go ahead and read all seven verses. Psalm 110, verse 1. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the due of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

[John Weaver] He shall judge among the heathen. He shall fill the places with the dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way. Therefore, shall he lift up the head."

[John Weaver] Now, we've been dealing with this psalm under the general heading, Messiah's Divine Rites. We have looked at verse 1. And I pointed out in this verse how our Lord deserves royal honor, and he certainly deserves that because, number one, of his person, the Lord said unto my Lord, and then because of his position, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. So we've examined very carefully the expression, the Lord said unto my Lord. We also examine the expression, sit thou at my right hand We noted what the right hand of God implied and then what sitting implied. And then until I make thine enemies thy footstool. And of course, the word footstool means literally to trample upon or to have something under your feet. And today we're going to come to verse two. That is, the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion, rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Now, not only does our Lord have the right to royal honor, Here's the second point today.

[John Weaver] He has the right to rule the heathen. He has the right to rule the heathen. Look at verse two. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, you remember, I quoted in the past three messages J.A. Alexander, where he said that Psalm 110 is the counterpart to Psalm 2. So I want you to go back to Psalm 2 just for a moment and look there at verse 7. Psalm 2 and verse 7. Look what the Bible says. Psalm 2, verse 7, God the Father speaking to God the Son says this, I will declare the decree the Lord had said unto me that my son this day have I begotten thee. Now look what God says. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. Now, notice if you would, please, back in Psalm 110, verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Now, before I get started, look in your Bibles to Psalm 46 and verse 10. Here's another passage that deals with God ruling in the midst of his enemies.

[John Weaver] Notice Psalm 46 and verse 10. In this passage, the Word of God simply says this, Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. So God then is going to be exalted even among the heathen. Now verse 2 says the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. The very first question we need to ask and answer is what is the rod of thy strength? The Bible says the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. So what in the world is the rod of thy strength? Now, the Hebrew word for rod is the word matav, which literally means a rod, a staff or a shaft. It is one of the Hebrew words that is most frequently used in scripture for the word rod. I very quickly looked through my Bible and I found several very pertinent and very easily very easy illustrations concerning the use of the word rod.

[John Weaver] For instance, you remember it designated the rod that Moses and Aaron used before Pharaoh. You remember that rod that they carried? It also was the same word that was used to designate Aaron's rod that budded It was also exactly the same word that was used to designate when Moses held the rod of God upward, and there where Joshua was down on the plain fighting the Amalekites, when the rod was up, then Joshua prevailed. If Moses' arms drooped, then the Amalekites prevailed. And so they put some rocks there and sat there and held Moses' arms up. And so the Bible says the Amalekites were discomfited then with the edge of the sword. But it's exactly the same word rod. So very obviously, if the word Mata is used then in reference to the rod that Moses and Aaron took into Egypt, if it's used in concerning the rod of Aaron that blossomed, showing that he was God's chosen, if it's used in concerning the rod that Moses held up, the rod then clearly implies authority, power, and dominion.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 2 again at Psalm 110. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. So very clearly then, the word rod here not only refers to power and authority and dominion, but it also refers to a scepter. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 45, verse 6. Psalm 45, verse 6. Here is a passage concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and it says simply this, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter. The scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter. Now, when a king has a scepter, what in the world does that scepter imply? It implies power, authority, and dominion. Some of you have seen the scepter that belongs to the Queen of England. It's a very interesting scepter. If you've never seen it up close, if you ever get the opportunity, you should do so because it's not only a rod, But on the top there is an orb, and on top of the orb there is a cross.

[John Weaver] You know why? Because that cross on top of the orb, the orb symbolizes the world, and the cross on top is teaching the ruler that Christ is really the true ruler of the world. But even the Queen of England, usually when you see her, she has her scepter. Every king or every person of regal power always had a scepter. Do you remember back in the book of Esther? When Esther had to go in to see the king.

[John Weaver] And she was telling Mordecai that no one could go in without being sent for. And if someone approached the king without being sent for, then the penalty was death with one exception. Whomever the king held out his scepter to than that individual lived. Well, of course, the scepter indicates power, authority, and dominion.

[John Weaver] Now, to show you that this word rod does indeed imply a scepter or a right to rule, look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14, because here is the same Hebrew word. Notice in the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14, Here's what God says concerning Israel, the nation. Notice. Ezekiel 19, verse 14, and fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit. Now look what God says concerning the nation so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule.

[John Weaver] This is a lamentation and shall be for lamentation. Now the word rod there in verse 14 is exactly the same word for rod that is used in Psalm 110 in verse 2. So God says Israel no longer has a strong rod to be a scepter to rule. In other words, her power, her might, her dominion had been broken. So the word rod that is used in Psalm 110 verse 2 can indeed imply to a scepter. So God says that He's going to send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. So the rod of His strength then is His power, His might, His authority, and His dominion. Now, look back in Psalm 110 verse 2. Because God says He's going to send that rod of His strength out of Zion. Now in order to understand the impact and the implications of verse 2, we must understand the location of Zion. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Did you know that the word Zion occurs 152 times in the Bible?

[John Weaver] Now that does not count the New Testament rendition of it spelling S-I-O-N. But Zion itself occurs 152 times in the Bible. Did you know that that word basically is used four different ways? First and foremost, it refers to Jerusalem, the city of David. If you look in your Bibles, 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 7. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. Note if you would, and you will see it used here in reference to Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. The Bible says, nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David. So Jerusalem then is known as Zion, which is indeed the city of David. Now, if you look in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 1. 1 Kings 8 and verse 1. You'll see these words, 1 Kings 8 verse 1. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.

[John Weaver] So once again, Jerusalem. or the city of David, is known as Zion. So sometimes when you read the word Zion in the Bible, it's just simply another word for Jerusalem. Secondly, sometimes it refers to the entire mount or the hill surrounding Jerusalem. Look in your Bible to Psalm 48 and verse 2. This is a very difficult passage for me to read, Without singing, but I certainly will restrain myself today because Years ago. I learned a song based upon Psalm 48 and it's a very Catchy tune I might add and so I But you will see here it refers to the entire mountain. Let's read verse one. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God and the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great king. So it can also refer to the hill. Look in verse 11. Let Mount Zion rejoice.

[John Weaver] Let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgments. And then if you look in Psalm 125, beginning there with verse 1, Psalm 125 verse 1, here's a very plain passage showing you it refers to the entire hill around Jerusalem. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever. So sometimes the word Zion then refers to Jerusalem, the city. Sometimes it refers to the mountain surrounding the city. Thirdly, sometimes in your Bible, the word Zion refers to the true believers.

[John Weaver] That is, as opposed to those who are not the children of God by faith. So let's look in Psalm 149 just to show you very quickly. Psalm 149, verse 2. The Bible says this. Psalm 149, verse 2. Let Israel rejoice in Him that made Him. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Well, who in the world are the children of Zion? Well, they are the true believers. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. And notice, if you would please, verse 10, we'll look at several passages right here very quickly. Isaiah 35, verse 10. Isaiah 35, verse 10. And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.

[John Weaver] They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion. The ransom of the Lord? Yes, they're the children. They're the ones who were saved by the grace of God, and they're returning to Zion. And of course, they're known as Zion. Then if you look in Chapter 51 and verse 11 Isaiah 51 verse 11. Isaiah 51 verse 11.

[John Weaver] Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head, and they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. One last passage. Look in Isaiah 60 and verse 14. Isaiah 60 and verse 14. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee."

[John Weaver] Now note, he's talking about true believers. "...and all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee," that is the redeemer of the Lord,"...they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel." So sometimes the word Zion refers to the literal city Jerusalem. Sometimes it refers to the mountains surrounding it. Sometimes it refers to true ransom redeemed believers. And fourthly, and finally, sometimes it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly Zion, the abode of God himself.

[John Weaver] Let me just show you three passages. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 2. And look at verse 6, Psalm 2, verse 6. In Psalm 2, verse 6. Look what God says, Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Well, where did God enthrone the Lord Jesus Christ? Not in the physical Jerusalem, not on the mountain around Jerusalem. He enthroned Him in His heavenly abode in the heavenly Jerusalem. Look in Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 verse 3. And many people shall go and say, come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion. That is the place where God dwells shall go forth. The Lord shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. So it refers to the place where God dwells. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22.

[John Weaver] Now I'm showing you this for a specific reason. Because I want you to think something through with me and it should be very easily done. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22. But you are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. Note, but you are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God.

[John Weaver] Now, what in the world did Psalm 110 and verse 2 say? Psalm 110 and verse 2 just simply said this. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion.

[John Weaver] Now, clearly then, it does not refer to the physical city of Jerusalem. It does not refer here to the mountains surrounding Jerusalem. It does not refer to the redeemed of the Lord, but it does refer to the heavenly Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] Now, if Zion is the abode of God Himself, and if Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, it should be obvious then that Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Zion, not the physical one. But the heavenlies I am. What did our Lord say in Matthew 28 and verse 18? Here's what he said. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Do you realize it is not necessary for Christ to be on earth physically to be ruling? He has all power in heaven and in earth. That's why the Bible says that God will send forth the rod of His strength out of Zion. From where He is now, seated at the right hand of the Father, He is ruling.

[John Weaver] Rule thou, He said, in the midst of thine enemies. Now very quickly, let me give you five things that Psalm 110 and verse 2 teach us. Very quickly, I'm just going to give them to you. First, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ has all power and all authority and that is symbolically shown to us in the phrase, the rod of thy strength. Secondly, that Christ has enemies, which is obvious.

[John Weaver] All you have to do is read the Bible or all you have to do is look around. So it does teach us that Christ has enemies.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ's kingdom is set up in the midst of his enemies. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Fourthly, it teaches us that his enemies are unable to thwart him, overthrow him, defeat him, or dethrone him.

[John Weaver] Now, it does not mean that they will not try to do some of those things, but it does teach us that they are unable to do those things. And fifthly. Psalm 110 in verse two teaches us that Christ will most certainly and definitely conquer all his enemies. And then they shall be put under his feet for God said rule battle. In the midst of nine enemies now.

[John Weaver] Let me Cover an objection. I get this objection. 40 times a week, I think. You try to tell people and explain to people that Jesus Christ now has all power and authority. That he is seated at the right hand of God, the Father, he is in sovereign control. And he is working everything out after the counsel of his own will. And inevitably, someone comes up and says, well, preacher, it surely doesn't look like it. And then they say, well, I don't see Christ conquering. I don't see Christ winning. I don't see Christians getting stronger and stronger. Why, man, it looks to me like the whole world is falling apart, that Christians are getting weaker and weaker, and that the enemies of Christ are winning. I mean, look at the one world government, look at the one world power, look at all the chips they have they want to implant everybody with, look at the one number they want to give everybody. Man, it looks to me like everybody is losing ground. that the enemy is gaining ground.

[John Weaver] That's the way it appears to me. Well, that's usually the objection you get.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you something that is so absolutely simple it should boggle your mind. Here it is. Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions and what we think and what others think. Our theology is based upon the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Secondly, you need to remember this. What does Scripture teach us? We walk by faith and not by sight. We don't look at appearances. We don't look at circumstances. We don't look at situations. We look at the Word of God. It is by faith that we believe. It is by faith that we know. And it is by faith that we conquer. All you have to do is read Hebrews 11 once again. That is very simple.

[John Weaver] Everything was against Abraham, but he conquered. Everything was against Jacob, but he conquered. Everything was against Joseph, but he conquered. go down the line. What happened when God came to Abraham and said, I know you're 100 years old and Sarah's 90, but y'all are going to have a baby. What? Can you imagine Abraham saying, God, look at me, look at my wife. What? She's past the age of childbearing. What? There's no way. Did Abraham say that? What's the Bible say? He staggered, nodded the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He didn't look at the circumstances. He didn't look at the situation. He didn't look at appearances. He believed the Word of God.

[John Weaver] The problem that we have today is this. We want to judge everything by appearances rather than by Scripture. We want to look around and say, oh, how disheartening it is because my soul, they're winning. No, they are not winning. I don't care what appearances give us. I don't care what circumstances look like. The scripture says that Christ is sending the rod of his strength out of Zion and that he is ruling in the midst of his enemies.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, Just simply because you and I cannot discern God's work just because we cannot see God working does not mean that he is not working. I get so tickled at people. Because God has been gracious to Alice and I and he's allowed us to travel around and preach to a lot of people. And usually everywhere I go. Someone comes up and says this to me, Brother Weaver, I just wish there were so many more of us. We're just so few.

[John Weaver] And I think, Lord, have mercy. You have been preaching to the people I've been preaching to. Do you realize there are people who believe exactly like we do in every state and every community and every area of this country? You might not conceive them, and you might think you're the only one who believes what you believe, but that's not so, folks. They're everywhere. Just because you can't see and discern does not mean that they're not there. And just because you cannot discern God's working does not mean that God is not working.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Matthew 13, verse 33. You'll also find this in Luke 13 and verse 31, Let's read it from Matthew 13, verse 33. Look what our Lord says. Matthew 13, verse 33. Here are the words of Jesus Christ. Another parable spake yet of them. The kingdom of heaven is like an eleven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was eleven.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. Can you see Leaven working? Can you? No. You can't see it. You might later on see the effects of it, but you cannot see it when it's working. You can't look at that bread and say. Well, it's risen another centimeter since the last time. No, no, no, no, you can't see it, but the truth is that Leaven works. It works silently. It works secretly, but it does work.

[John Weaver] God said the kingdom of heaven is like that. You are not necessarily able to see it, but it is still true.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you what our problem is. Are you listening? Here's our problem. What we want. It's for God to work openly, immediately, and supernaturally. We want to see God do something! Condemn the Jews, all you want to, who were alive when our Lord was alive. But we're just like they are. You know what they wanted Christ to do? They wanted Christ to come on a white charger and overthrow the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. And that's what we want. We want him to come and just wipe everybody out instantaneously, supernaturally. Let me put it to you like this. You know why they would not believe that Jesus Christ is Messiah?

[John Weaver] Back then, because he did not fit their expectations. He did not fit their own personal interpretation of Scripture besides being wicked and depraved. And what we do is we sit back and say, well, it can't be God working because we don't see anything. Nothing's happening. Folks, let me tell you something. It's not. That God is not working. What we want is for God to work according to our will and our desires and in the way that we want to. And if he does not conquer the way we think he ought to conquer, then we sit back and say, well, he's not conquering. He is. Because Scripture says so. I can assure you. The truth is, listen carefully, that God rules over the heathen.

[John Weaver] whether they like it or not. And God rules over the heathen, whether they acknowledge it or not. You say, how can you say that? Well, look in your Bibles to Psalm 47 and verse 10. I'll show you several places as to why I can say that. Psalm 47, look in verse 10. I can multiply these passages. But Psalm 47 verse 10. Verse. That's a bad. Let me see Psalm 48. What? 47 verse 8, thank you. 47 verse 8, God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness. Did you hear that? God reigneth where? over the heathen. Who is on the throne over the heathen? God is, whether they like it or not. He sits upon the throne of His holiness. Look in Psalm 96 and verse 10. Psalm 96 and verse 10. Say among the What are we supposed to tell the heathen? The Lord reigneth.

[John Weaver] The world also shall be established and it shall not be moved. He shall judge the people righteously. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth. What is God doing over the heathen right now? He's ruling over them. He's ruling over them. They may not like it. They may not acknowledge it. It may not appear to be so to you or to me, but He is ruling over them. Now, let me show you three ways that you may be able to discern the rule of God over the heathen. Please remember this, that God does not have to rule over them the way that we think He ought to or the way that He should. But his rule may be manifested in at least three ways. I'm going to say this is an irreducible minimum. There may be more ways, but here are at least the minimum three.

[John Weaver] First of all, are you listening? He may exercise his rule over them in destroying them. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Numbers 24 and verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion. Of course that's Christ. And shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion. And he shall destroy now turning your Bibles to Psalm 59 and verse 5. Psalm 59 verse 5 and once again, I could multiply the scriptures, but these few should prove the point Psalm 59 verse 5.

[John Weaver] Thou therefore, O Lord God of the host and you remember what the word host refers to in reverse to armies. So literally it says, Thou therefore, O Lord God of the armies, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen. Be not merciful to any wicked transgressor. God can, if he so chooses, destroy all of his enemies or any part of his enemies. Without me asking you to turn back to Psalm 110 verse 7, let me just read it to you. He shall judge among the heathen.

[John Weaver] He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries. How does God manifest his rule over the heathen? Well, one of the ways is by destroying them. Are you listening to me? This is very important. God may either destroy his enemies supernaturally or naturally. Or by a combination. You and I both know it was a supernatural act of God that destroyed Pharaoh and his armies. It was a supernatural act of God combined with a natural act that destroyed King Herod in Acts chapter 12 when God smote him with worms so that he died. It was a supernatural act of God when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was a natural act that God used to finish off Haman.

[John Weaver] He was hanged on his own gallows. God is not confined to a supernatural act. God may use what you and I would call natural acts, or God may use a combination of natural acts. Do you remember what happened in Mark chapter four? Because the disciples were in the boat and here was the wind boisters and the waves were up. And our Lord was asleep. Can you imagine that, sleeping through a storm? Storms don't bother the Son of God.

[John Weaver] And when they finally got to Him, they said, Master, awake, lest we perish. And He woke up and He said, O ye of little faith. And then He said, When, be still, and waves be calm. And what did they say? What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey his voice? Are you listening? Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Wind. Sleep. Hail. Snow. Ice. flood, plagues, drought, disease, and a host of other natural phenomena are in his arsenal.

[John Weaver] He doesn't have to send fire from heaven to destroy everyone. Many times in the Bible, God just brought an east wind, and the east wind took care of everything. The point I'm trying to make is this, do not limit God to supernatural acts. Yes, God may act supernaturally. He is a supernatural being, but he's in control of all of the natural occurrences that happen in this world. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles. Follow me very quickly. Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32. Look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 34, Deuteronomy 32, verse 34. Deuteronomy 32, verse 34, is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures? Now, what is it that's sealed up among God's treasures? Verse 35, to me belong vengeance and recompense.

[John Weaver] Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them may taste." That's what's sealed up in God's treasures, His divine vengeance. And that divine vengeance may be exercised in several ways. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Job 38. Look in Job 38. Job 38, beginning there with verse 22. Job 38, verse 22.

[John Weaver] Look what God asked Job. Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?

[John Weaver] Now look, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war. Listen, folks. God can just send a hailstorm and crush all of our crops. He can send snow. He can send an avalanche. He may do whatever he pleases. Look in your Bibles to the book of Amos, chapter four, let me just show you a series of things that God has used in times past. This is a very important chapter, the book of Amos, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Amos, chapter four.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there in verse six. Look what God says. Amos 4 verse 6. God says, I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and one of bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to me, saith the Lord. Now, what did God use in verse 6? Famine. A lack of food. Verse 7. I also have withholden the rain from you, when there was yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered into the one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet have you not returned to me?" said the Lord. What did the Lord use there? Trout. Verse 9.

[John Weaver] I have smitten you with blasting and milled you. When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees were increased, the palmer worm devoured them. Yet have you not returned unto me, saith the Lord." What did God use there? Worms, mold, mildew. Verse 10, I have sent among you the pestilence after the manor of Egypt. Your young men have I slain with a sword, and have taken away your horses, and I have made the sting of your camps to come up into your nostrils. Yet you have not returned to me, saith the Lord. What did the Lord use? He used war. He used pestilence, plague, disease. Then verse 11, I've overthrown some of you as God did overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet have you not returned to me, saith the Lord. God said, I've even used supernatural acts, and it still didn't get your attention.

[John Weaver] Now, he goes on to say, therefore, will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Watch. For lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name." God did all of that.

[John Weaver] Old Ralph Barnard, he's been dead many, many years. He was an evangelist, and boy, he was a tough one. But Ralph Barnard has a sermon, and the title of it is, The God of Scripture Kills People. Now. I want to ask you a question. Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did. Who sends the tornadoes through the land? God does.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Amos 3 and verse 6. Answer this question. Look what God asked. Amos 3 verse 6. Watch. Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it? God said, I'm the one that brings those catastrophes. It's not Mother Nature. It's Father God. It's not Gaea, the goddess of the earth who is mad at us. It's the sovereign god of heaven and earth who rules among the heathen. And one thing he does is he destroys them.

[John Weaver] You see, the problem is this. As long as we can attribute these acts of nature to Mother Nature, Then there's no need for us to repent. We can just keep on going the way we're going because everything happens by love, chance, fate or fortune. But if you ever understand that God does this, then you understand you better repent because God is angry with the wicked. How does God rule over the heathen?

[John Weaver] Number one, he can, if he so chooses, destroy them. All of them. or any part of it. And I got news for you folks, half a million folks, there's a lot of people to be wiped out at one time. I get so tickled at people, they say, well, when is God going to do something? Do you realize there's a flesh eating virus that if you just get a paper cut on your finger, you're basically a dead man. If that virus gets in you. God does not have to sin supernatural acts to wipe out his enemies.

[John Weaver] He's an Emirati is the Philistines. Or hemorrhoids. And they were begging. To have that art gone.

[John Weaver] Secondly, number two, God can subdue his enemies without destroying them. God does not necessarily have to destroy his enemies, he may if he pleases, but he can also subdue his enemies. What did he do to the Canaanites that were not destroyed? Well, the answer is he subdued them. He subdued them to the extent that they were not a threat to his kingdom, his people, or his work.

[John Weaver] They had absolutely no power to resist. Look at Psalm 47 and verse 3. Psalm 47 and verse 3. Look what the psalmist says. Psalm 47 verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 2 just so you can see the context. For the Lord Most High is terrible. He is the Great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet. Let me just read to you Philippians 3 verse 21. I like this verse. It is a powerful verse. Listen carefully. The Bible says concerning God who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself. God is able to subdue His enemies. God is quite capable of making His enemies be at peace with Him and with His people.

[John Weaver] He can fix it where they will not want to rebel Fuss or fight. In fact, when God says in Psalm 110 in verse 2, Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. The word rule is the Hebrew word radah, which means to rule, to have dominion over, to dominate, to tread down, to crumble off. So literally it says tread down your enemies. Now let me just show you the power of God in subduing his enemies. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 34. Exodus 34. And let's look. Beginning there with verse 23 in just a moment. Exodus 34. As you turn there, let me remind you that God demanded that all the males in Israel appear before him three times a year for those seven annual feasts.

[John Weaver] Now, the women and children went many times. And they were encouraged to go, but the men had to go. It was mandatory. Let me ask you. Here, the Israelites have gone into the land of the Canaanites, they killed a lot of them, just murdered them, quote unquote, according to their eyes. It was not murder. It was really an execution because God sent them in there, but they killed them.

[John Weaver] The ones they did not kill, they enslaved. Now, here's my question. If all the Hebrew males are up in Jerusalem worshiping God, What is to keep those Canaanites that have been enslaved from rising up in rebellion and killing the women and children and reclaiming the land? What would stop them from doing that? Let me show you. Exodus 34, verse 23. God says thrice, that is three times in the year, shall all your men, children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. Three times a year, you've got to come there.

[John Weaver] For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." God said, let me tell you something. There will not be any rebellions. There will not be any uprisings. There will not be any reprisals. God said they will not even desire to have their land back.

[John Weaver] has such control over the heathen. Heathen only controls their acts. Heathen controls their desires. You know a verse that we need to quote more often? Proverbs 21 in verse 1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and as rivers of water, he turneth it wheresoever he willeth. Listen, if God can turn the king's heart wherever he wants to, he can turn the average man's heart anywhere he wants to. God can subdue his enemies without destroying them, if he so chooses.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, very quickly, there's another way, and that is he may save them or convert them. And then they're no longer his enemies, but they're his friends. We've got to remember, folks, that at one time we were enemies as well. If you and I were to take a poll in the first century, if you and I were to take a poll, and we were Christians back then, but if we were to take a poll as the man most likely, to use good South Georgia language, the man most likely to bust hell wide open Who would have won that poll hands down? Saul of Tarsus. I mean, here's a man that hated Christ. He took Christians, men, women, and children, threw them into dungeons in the prisons, did everything he could against Christ, consented to the death of Stephen.

[John Weaver] And yet, what did God do in Acts chapter 9? He knocked him to his feet, or to his face, and saved him. Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest apostles in the New Testament. God has no problem converting sinners. In fact, do you realize that most of the commentators will say that verse 2 refers mainly to the power of the gospel. Let me just read you one. It's just a little paragraph. But I want to read you what Matthew Henry says concerning Psalm 110, verse 2. Just listen carefully.

[John Weaver] The Messiah, when he sits on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens, will have a church on earth and will have an eye to it. For he is king upon the holy hill of Zion, in opposition of Mount Zion, that frightful mountain on which the law was given. The kingdom of Christ took rise from Zion, the city of David, for he was the son of David, and was to have the throne of his father David. By the rod of his strength, or his strong rod, is meant his everlasting gospel and the power of the Holy Ghost going along with it.

[John Weaver] The report of the word and the arm of the Lord accompanying it. The gospel coming in word and power and in the Holy Ghost. By the Word and Spirit of God, souls were to be reduced first and brought into obedience to God, and then ruled and governed according to the will of God. This strong rod God sent forth. He poured out the Spirit and gave both commissions and qualifications to those that preached the Word and ministered the Spirit. It was sent out of Zion, for there the Spirit was given, and there the preaching of the gospel among all nations must begin. Out of Zion must go forth the law of faith. Note, the gospel of Christ being sin of God is mighty through God to do wonders. It is the rod of Christ's strength.

[John Weaver] Some make it to allude not only to the scepter of a prince, denoting the glory of Christ shining in the gospel, but to a shepherd's crook, his rod and staff, denoting the tender care Christ takes over his church, for he is both the great and the good shepherd. So here Matthew Henry. I don't care if you read John Gill, John Calvin, Adam Clarke, whoever you read, practically all of them say that this refers to the power of Christ in the gospel as well.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 9. You'll see what I'm talking about. Isaiah 40, verse 9. And we'll read through verse 11. Isaiah 40, verse 9. Isaiah 40, verse 9, O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his work before him. Note what this strong arm, this strong hand shall do. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young. Then if you look at Isaiah 52 verses seven through 10, Isaiah 52 verses seven through 10. Isaiah 52, verse seven, how beautiful upon the mountains or the feet of him that bring good tidings that publish it, peace that bringeth good tidings of good, that publish salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.

[John Weaver] The watchman shall lift up a voice, and the voice together shall they sing. For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth in the joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem. For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. So God, if he so chooses, may convert his enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you. Usually the rule of Christ is made manifest in one of these three ways. Or in a combination of these three ways. He doesn't have to destroy everybody. He doesn't have to save everybody. He doesn't have to subdue everybody. He can do anything that He pleases. He is the Sovereign. He is in control. He rules. He reigns. Are you listening? And He is exercising authority, power, and dominion whether we see it or not. Whether we acknowledge it or not.

[John Weaver] He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time. And not in our way, but in his way. So the question is, is Christ now ruling? Yes. Is he ruling over the heathen? Yes. Does he have everything under control? Yes. Does it necessarily have to appear that way to us? No. Scripture teaches it. And we bow to Scripture. Let me tell you.

[John Weaver] His kingdom is of God the Father. Therefore His kingdom stands and the crown sits solidly upon His head. And there is no one that can remove it. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let me read to you what one commentator said by way of application. He shall rule in the midst of his enemies. He sits in heaven in the midst of his friends. His throne of glory there is surrounded with none but faithful worshipers. He rules on earth in the midst of his enemies. And his throne of government here is surrounded with those that hate and fight against him.

[John Weaver] Christ's church is a lily among thorns. And His disciples are sent forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Yet, He reigns. And He shall bring everything out for our good and for His glory. He will send the rod of His strength out of Zion. He will either destroy, subdue, or save his enemies. But he is reigning. And he is on the throne. We are not the losers. We're the victors.

[John Weaver] We need to learn to emulate our Father. What happened in Psalm 2 when all the kings of the earth gathered together against Him and said, Let us break His bands asunder. Let us burst His courts from us. What did God do? then he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh." Why? Because of the uselessness of their rebellion. Let men be proud, arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, and say whatever they want to say, and proclaim that they're going to do whatever they want to do. But we know this, they can only go as far as God will allow them to go. and only do what God will allow them to do.

[John Weaver] For He sits on the throne. Let's pray. Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, Lord, to live for Thee. Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. And Father, we ask that You would teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. Give us grace, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Messiah's Divine Rights - Part 4

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	21305145746
Subject	Dominion and Reconstruction
Course	The Crown Rights of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-02-06
Dictation Name
Book	Book 188: Messiah's Divine Rights — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	80

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Psalm 110, and let's go ahead and read all seven verses. Psalm 110, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 110:1-7

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath."

"He shall judge among the heathen. He shall fill the places with the dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way. Therefore, shall he lift up the head."

Introduction and Review of Psalm 110:1

Weaver reviews the series on Messiah's Divine Rights, summarizing verse 1's teaching on Christ's royal honor due to His person and position.

Now, we've been dealing with this psalm under the general heading, "Messiah's Divine Rights." We have looked at verse 1. And I pointed out in this verse how our Lord deserves royal honor, and he certainly deserves that because, number one, of his person—"the Lord said unto my Lord"—and then because of his position—"sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." So we've examined very carefully the expression "the Lord said unto my Lord." We also examined the expression "sit thou at my right hand." We noted what the right hand of God implied and then what sitting implied. And then "until I make thine enemies thy footstool." And of course, the word "footstool" means literally to trample upon or to have something under your feet. And today we're going to come to verse 2. That is, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion, rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Now, not only does our Lord have the right to royal honor, here's the second point today.

Christ's Right to Rule the Heathen

Weaver introduces the second point: Christ has the right to rule the heathen, based on Psalm 110:2.

He has the right to rule the heathen. He has the right to rule the heathen. Look at verse 2: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

The Rod of Thy Strength

Weaver explains that the 'rod' (matteh) symbolizes power, authority, and dominion, like a scepter, using examples from Moses and Aaron.

Notice Psalm 46 and verse 10. In this passage, the Word of God simply says this:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth."

So God then is going to be exalted even among the heathen. Now verse 2 says, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." The very first question we need to ask and answer is, what is the rod of thy strength? The Bible says, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." So what in the world is the rod of thy strength? Now, the Hebrew word for rod is the word "matteh," which literally means a rod, a staff, or a shaft. It is one of the Hebrew words that is most frequently used in scripture for the word "rod." I very quickly looked through my Bible and I found several very pertinent and very easy illustrations concerning the use of the word "rod."

For instance, you remember it designated the rod that Moses and Aaron used before Pharaoh. You remember that rod that they carried? It also was the same word that was used to designate Aaron's rod that budded. It was also exactly the same word that was used to designate when Moses held the rod of God upward, and there where Joshua was down on the plain fighting the Amalekites, when the rod was up, then Joshua prevailed. If Moses' arms drooped, then the Amalekites prevailed. And so they put some rocks there and sat there and held Moses' arms up. And so the Bible says the Amalekites were discomfited then with the edge of the sword. But it's exactly the same word "rod." So very obviously, if the word "matteh" is used then in reference to the rod that Moses and Aaron took into Egypt, if it's used concerning the rod of Aaron that blossomed, showing that he was God's chosen, if it's used concerning the rod that Moses held up, the rod then clearly implies authority, power, and dominion.

Now look in verse 2 again at Psalm 110: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." So very clearly then, the word "rod" here not only refers to power and authority and dominion, but it also refers to a scepter. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 45, verse 6. Psalm 45, verse 6. Here is a passage concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and it says simply this: "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 45:6

" The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Now, when a king has a scepter, what in the world does that scepter imply? It implies power, authority, and dominion. Some of you have seen the scepter that belongs to the Queen of England. It's a very interesting scepter. If you've never seen it up close, if you ever get the opportunity, you should do so because it's not only a rod, but on the top there is an orb, and on top of the orb there is a cross.

You know why? Because that cross on top of the orb—the orb symbolizes the world, and the cross on top is teaching the ruler that Christ is really the true ruler of the world. But even the Queen of England, usually when you see her, she has her scepter. Every king or every person of regal power always had a scepter. Do you remember back in the book of Esther? When Esther had to go in to see the king. And she was telling Mordecai that no one could go in without being sent for. And if someone approached the king without being sent for, then the penalty was death with one exception: whomever the king held out his scepter to, then that individual lived. Well, of course, the scepter indicates power, authority, and dominion.

Now, to show you that this word "rod" does indeed imply a scepter or a right to rule, look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14, because here is the same Hebrew word. Notice in the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14. Here's what God says concerning Israel, the nation. Notice. Ezekiel 19, verse 14: "And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit." Now look what God says concerning the nation: "so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule."

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 19:14

"This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation."

Now the word "rod" there in verse 14 is exactly the same word for "rod

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 19:14

" that is used in Psalm 110 in verse 2. So God says Israel no longer has a strong rod to be a scepter to rule. In other words, her power, her might, her dominion had been broken. So the word "

rod" that is used in Psalm 110 verse 2 can indeed imply a scepter. So God says that He's going to send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. So the rod of His strength then is His power, His might, His authority, and His dominion. Now, look back in Psalm 110 verse 2. Because God says He's going to send that rod of His strength out of Zion. Now in order to understand the impact and the implications of verse 2, we must understand the location of Zion. "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." Did you know that the word "Zion" occurs 152 times in the Bible?

The Meaning of Zion

Weaver outlines four biblical uses of 'Zion' and concludes that in Psalm 110:2 it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, Christ's current abode.

Now that does not count the New Testament rendition of it spelling S-I-O-N. But "Zion

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:7

" itself occurs 152 times in the Bible. Did you know that that word basically is used four different ways? First and foremost, it refers to Jerusalem, the city of David. If you look in your Bibles, 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 7. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. Note if you would, and you will see it used here in reference to Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. The Bible says, "

Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:7

" So Jerusalem then is known as Zion, which is indeed the city of David. Now, if you look in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 1. 1 Kings 8 and verse 1. You'll see these words, 1 Kings 8 verse 1: "

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion."

So once again, Jerusalem, or the city of David, is known as Zion. So sometimes when you read the word "Zion" in the Bible, it's just simply another word for Jerusalem. Secondly, sometimes it refers to the entire mount or the hill surrounding Jerusalem. Look in your Bible to Psalm 48 and verse 2. This is a very difficult passage for me to read without singing, but I certainly will restrain myself today because years ago I learned a song based upon Psalm 48 and it's a very catchy tune, I might add. But you will see here it refers to the entire mountain. Let's read verse 1: "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God and the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great king." So it can also refer to the hill. Look in verse 11: "Let Mount Zion rejoice."

"Let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgments." And then if you look in Psalm 125, beginning there with verse 1, Psalm 125 verse 1, here's a very plain passage showing you it refers to the entire hill around Jerusalem: "They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever." So sometimes the word "Zion" then refers to Jerusalem, the city. Sometimes it refers to the mountain surrounding the city. Thirdly, sometimes in your Bible, the word "Zion" refers to the true believers. That is, as opposed to those who are not the children of God by faith. So let's look in Psalm 149 just to show you very quickly. Psalm 149, verse 2. The Bible says this. Psalm 149, verse 2: "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 149:2

" Well, who in the world are the children of Zion? Well, they are the true believers. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. And notice, if you would please, verse 10, we'll look at several passages right here very quickly. Isaiah 35, verse 10. Isaiah 35, verse 10: "

And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 35:10

"They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion. The ransom of the Lord? Yes, they're the children. They're the ones who were saved by the grace of God, and they're returning to Zion. And of course, they're known as Zion. Then if you look in chapter 51 and verse 11, Isaiah 51 verse 11. Isaiah 51 verse 11.

"Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head, and they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." One last passage. Look in Isaiah 60 and verse 14. Isaiah 60 and verse 14:

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee."

Now note, he's talking about true believers.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"...and all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee,"

that is the redeemed of the Lord,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"...they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel."

So sometimes the word "Zion" refers to the literal city Jerusalem. Sometimes it refers to the mountains surrounding it. Sometimes it refers to true ransom redeemed believers. And fourthly, and finally, sometimes it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly Zion, the abode of God himself.

Let me just show you three passages. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 2. And look at verse 6, Psalm 2, verse 6. In Psalm 2, verse 6. Look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:6

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."

Well, where did God enthrone the Lord Jesus Christ? Not in the physical Jerusalem, not on the mountain around Jerusalem. He enthroned Him in His heavenly abode in the heavenly Jerusalem. Look in Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 verse 3: "And many people shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion." That is the place where God dwells. "...shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." So it refers to the place where God dwells. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22.

Now I'm showing you this for a specific reason. Because I want you to think something through with me and it should be very easily done. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"But ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"but ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God."

Now, what in the world did Psalm 110 and verse 2 say? Psalm 110 and verse 2 just simply said this: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." Now, clearly then, it does not refer to the physical city of Jerusalem. It does not refer here to the mountains surrounding Jerusalem. It does not refer to the redeemed of the Lord, but it does refer to the heavenly Jerusalem.

Five Teachings of Psalm 110:2

Weaver lists five doctrines: Christ's all power, His enemies, His kingdom amidst enemies, their inability to thwart Him, and His certain conquest.

"Rule thou," He said, "in the midst of thine enemies." Now very quickly, let me give you five things that Psalm 110 and verse 2 teach us. Very quickly, I'm just going to give them to you. First, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ has all power and all authority and that is symbolically shown to us in the phrase "the rod of thy strength." Secondly, that Christ has enemies, which is obvious. All you have to do is read the Bible or all you have to do is look around. So it does teach us that Christ has enemies. Thirdly, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ's kingdom is set up in the midst of his enemies. "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Fourthly, it teaches us that his enemies are unable to thwart him, overthrow him, defeat him, or dethrone him.

Now, it does not mean that they will not try to do some of those things, but it does teach us that they are unable to do those things. And fifthly, Psalm 110 in verse 2 teaches us that Christ will most certainly and definitely conquer all his enemies. And then they shall be put under his feet, for God said, "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

Answering the Objection of Appearances

Weaver addresses the objection that Christ's rule is not visible, stressing that theology is based on Scripture, not sight, and that God works secretly like leaven.

Now, let me cover an objection. I get this objection 40 times a week, I think. You try to tell people and explain to people that Jesus Christ now has all power and authority. That he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, he is in sovereign control. And he is working everything out after the counsel of his own will. And inevitably, someone comes up and says, "Well, preacher, it surely doesn't look like it." And then they say, "Well, I don't see Christ conquering. I don't see Christ winning. I don't see Christians getting stronger and stronger. Why, man, it looks to me like the whole world is falling apart, that Christians are getting weaker and weaker, and that the enemies of Christ are winning. I mean, look at the one world government, look at the one world power, look at all the chips they have they want to implant everybody with, look at the one number they want to give everybody. Man, it looks to me like everybody is losing ground. That the enemy is gaining ground."

"That's the way it appears to me." Well, that's usually the objection you get. Now, let me just tell you something that is so absolutely simple it should boggle your mind. Here it is. Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions and what we think and what others think. Our theology is based upon the Word of God. Secondly, you need to remember this. What does Scripture teach us? We walk by faith and not by sight. We don't look at appearances. We don't look at circumstances. We don't look at situations. We look at the Word of God. It is by faith that we believe. It is by faith that we know. And it is by faith that we conquer. All you have to do is read Hebrews 11 once again. That is very simple.

Everything was against Abraham, but he conquered. Everything was against Jacob, but he conquered. Everything was against Joseph, but he conquered. Go down the line. What happened when God came to Abraham and said, "I know you're 100 years old and Sarah's 90, but y'all are going to have a baby"? What? Can you imagine Abraham saying, "God, look at me, look at my wife. What? She's past the age of childbearing. What? There's no way." Did Abraham say that? What's the Bible say? He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He didn't look at the circumstances. He didn't look at the situation. He didn't look at appearances. He believed the Word of God.

The problem that we have today is this. We want to judge everything by appearances rather than by Scripture. We want to look around and say, "Oh, how disheartening it is because my soul, they're winning." No, they are not winning. I don't care what appearances give us. I don't care what circumstances look like. The scripture says that Christ is sending the rod of his strength out of Zion and that he is ruling in the midst of his enemies. Thirdly, just simply because you and I cannot discern God's work, just because we cannot see God working does not mean that he is not working. I get so tickled at people. Because God has been gracious to Alice and I and he's allowed us to travel around and preach to a lot of people. And usually everywhere I go, someone comes up and says this to me, "Brother Weaver, I just wish there were so many more of us. We're just so few."

And I think, "Lord, have mercy. You have been preaching to the people I've been preaching to. Do you realize there are people who believe exactly like we do in every state and every community and every area of this country? You might not conceive them, and you might think you're the only one who believes what you believe, but that's not so, folks. They're everywhere. Just because you can't see and discern does not mean that they're not there. And just because you cannot discern God's working does not mean that God is not working."

Look in your Bibles to Matthew 13, verse 33. You'll also find this in Luke 13 and verse 31. Let's read it from Matthew 13, verse 33. Look what our Lord says. Matthew 13, verse 33. Here are the words of Jesus Christ:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:33

"Another parable spake he unto them. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

Now let me ask you a question. Can you see leaven working? Can you? No. You can't see it. You might later on see the effects of it, but you cannot see it when it's working. You can't look at that bread and say, "Well, it's risen another centimeter since the last time." No, no, no, no, you can't see it, but the truth is that leaven works. It works silently. It works secretly, but it does work.

God said the kingdom of heaven is like that. You are not necessarily able to see it, but it is still true. Now, let me tell you what our problem is. Are you listening? Here's our problem. What we want is for God to work openly, immediately, and supernaturally. We want to see God do something! Condemn the Jews, all you want to, who were alive when our Lord was alive. But we're just like they are. You know what they wanted Christ to do? They wanted Christ to come on a white charger and overthrow the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. And that's what we want. We want him to come and just wipe everybody out instantaneously, supernaturally. Let me put it to you like this. You know why they would not believe that Jesus Christ is Messiah?

Three Ways God Rules Over the Heathen

Weaver explains that God manifests His rule by destroying enemies, subduing them, or converting them, using natural and supernatural means.

First of all, are you listening? He may exercise his rule over them in destroying them. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Numbers 24 and verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19: "Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion." Of course that's Christ. "And shall destroy him that remaineth of the city." Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion. And he shall destroy. Now turning your Bibles to Psalm 59 and verse 5. Psalm 59 verse 5 and once again, I could multiply the scriptures, but these few should prove the point. Psalm 59 verse 5.

"Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts"—and you remember what the word "hosts" refers to, it refers to armies. So literally it says, "Thou therefore, O Lord God of the armies, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen. Be not merciful to any wicked transgressor." God can, if he so chooses, destroy all of his enemies or any part of his enemies. Without me asking you to turn back to Psalm 110 verse 7, let me just read it to you: "He shall judge among the heathen." "He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries." How does God manifest his rule over the heathen? Well, one of the ways is by destroying them. Are you listening to me? This is very important. God may either destroy his enemies supernaturally or naturally. Or by a combination. You and I both know it was a supernatural act of God that destroyed Pharaoh and his armies. It was a supernatural act of God combined with a natural act that destroyed King Herod in Acts chapter 12 when God smote him with worms so that he died. It was a supernatural act of God when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was a natural act that God used to finish off Haman.

He was hanged on his own gallows. God is not confined to a supernatural act. God may use what you and I would call natural acts, or God may use a combination of natural acts. Do you remember what happened in Mark chapter 4? Because the disciples were in the boat and here was the wind boisterous and the waves were up. And our Lord was asleep. Can you imagine that, sleeping through a storm? Storms don't bother the Son of God.

And when they finally got to Him, they said, "Master, awake, lest we perish." And He woke up and He said, "O ye of little faith." And then He said, "Wind, be still, and waves be calm." And what did they say? "What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey his voice?" Are you listening? Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Wind. Sleet. Hail. Snow. Ice. Flood. Plagues. Drought. Disease. And a host of other natural phenomena are in his arsenal.

He doesn't have to send fire from heaven to destroy everyone. Many times in the Bible, God just brought an east wind, and the east wind took care of everything. The point I'm trying to make is this: do not limit God to supernatural acts. Yes, God may act supernaturally. He is a supernatural being, but he's in control of all of the natural occurrences that happen in this world. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles. Follow me very quickly. Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32. Look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 34, Deuteronomy 32, verse 34. Deuteronomy 32, verse 34: "Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures?" Now, what is it that's sealed up among God's treasures? Verse 35: "To me belongeth vengeance and recompense."

"Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." That's what's sealed up in God's treasures, His divine vengeance. And that divine vengeance may be exercised in several ways. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Job 38. Look in Job 38. Job 38, beginning there with verse 22. Job 38, verse 22.

Look what God asked Job: "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?" Now look: "Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war." Listen, folks. God can just send a hailstorm and crush all of our crops. He can send snow. He can send an avalanche. He may do whatever he pleases. Look in your Bibles to the book of Amos, chapter 4, let me just show you a series of things that God has used in times past. This is a very important chapter, the book of Amos, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Amos, chapter 4.

And let's begin reading there in verse 6. Look what God says. Amos 4 verse 6. God says: "I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and want of bread in all your places. Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Now, what did God use in verse 6? Famine. A lack of food. Verse 7: "I also have withholden the rain from you, when there was yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered into the one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet have ye not returned to me," saith the Lord. What did the Lord use there? Drought. Verse 9.

"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew. When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees were increased, the palmerworm devoured them. Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." What did God use there? Worms, mold, mildew. Verse 10: "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt. Your young men have I slain with a sword, and have taken away your horses, and I have made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils. Yet have ye not returned to me, saith the Lord." What did the Lord use? He used war. He used pestilence, plague, disease. Then verse 11: "I've overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet have ye not returned to me, saith the Lord." God said, "I've even used supernatural acts, and it still didn't get your attention."

Now, he goes on to say, "Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." Watch. "For lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name." God did all of that. Old Ralph Barnard, he's been dead many, many years. He was an evangelist, and boy, he was a tough one. But Ralph Barnard has a sermon, and the title of it is, "The God of Scripture Kills People." Now, I want to ask you a question. Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did. Who sends the tornadoes through the land? God does.

Look in your Bibles to Amos 3 and verse 6. Answer this question. Look what God asked. Amos 3 verse 6. Watch. "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it?" God said, "I'm the one that brings those catastrophes. It's not Mother Nature. It's Father God. It's not Gaia, the goddess of the earth who is mad at us. It's the sovereign God of heaven and earth who rules among the heathen. And one thing he does is he destroys them."

You see, the problem is this. As long as we can attribute these acts of nature to Mother Nature, then there's no need for us to repent. We can just keep on going the way we're going because everything happens by luck, chance, fate, or fortune. But if you ever understand that God does this, then you understand you better repent because God is angry with the wicked. How does God rule over the heathen? Number one, he can, if he so chooses, destroy them. All of them. Or any part of it. And I got news for you folks, half a million folks, there's a lot of people to be wiped out at one time. I get so tickled at people, they say, "Well, when is God going to do something?" Do you realize there's a flesh-eating virus that if you just get a paper cut on your finger, you're basically a dead man. If that virus gets in you. God does not have to send supernatural acts to wipe out his enemies.

He sent emerods to the Philistines. Or hemorrhoids. And they were begging to have that ark gone. Secondly, number two, God can subdue his enemies without destroying them. God does not necessarily have to destroy his enemies, he may if he pleases, but he can also subdue his enemies. What did he do to the Canaanites that were not destroyed? Well, the answer is he subdued them. He subdued them to the extent that they were not a threat to his kingdom, his people, or his work.

They had absolutely no power to resist. Look at Psalm 47 and verse 3. Psalm 47 and verse 3. Look what the psalmist says. Psalm 47 verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 2 just so you can see the context: "For the Lord Most High is terrible. He is the Great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet." He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet. Let me just read to you Philippians 3 verse 21. I like this verse. It is a powerful verse. Listen carefully. The Bible says concerning God: "Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself." God is able to subdue His enemies. God is quite capable of making His enemies be at peace with Him and with His people.

He can fix it where they will not want to rebel, fuss, or fight. In fact, when God says in Psalm 110 in verse 2, "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies," the word "rule" is the Hebrew word "radah," which means to rule, to have dominion over, to dominate, to tread down, to crumble off. So literally it says tread down your enemies. Now let me just show you the power of God in subduing his enemies. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 34. Exodus 34. And let's look beginning there with verse 23 in just a moment. Exodus 34. As you turn there, let me remind you that God demanded that all the males in Israel appear before him three times a year for those seven annual feasts.

Now, the women and children went many times. And they were encouraged to go, but the men had to go. It was mandatory. Let me ask you. Here, the Israelites have gone into the land of the Canaanites, they killed a lot of them, just murdered them, quote unquote, according to their eyes. It was not murder. It was really an execution because God sent them in there, but they killed them.

The ones they did not kill, they enslaved. Now, here's my question. If all the Hebrew males are up in Jerusalem worshiping God, what is to keep those Canaanites that have been enslaved from rising up in rebellion and killing the women and children and reclaiming the land? What would stop them from doing that? Let me show you. Exodus 34, verse 23. God says: "Thrice," that is three times in the year, "shall all your men children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel." Three times a year, you've got to come there.

"For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." God said, "Let me tell you something. There will not be any rebellions. There will not be any uprisings. There will not be any reprisals." God said they will not even desire to have their land back. He has such control over the heathen. He not only controls their acts. He controls their desires. You know a verse that we need to quote more often? Proverbs 21 in verse 1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and as rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he willeth." Listen, if God can turn the king's heart wherever he wants to, he can turn the average man's heart anywhere he wants to. God can subdue his enemies without destroying them, if he so chooses.

Thirdly, very quickly, there's another way, and that is he may save them or convert them. And then they're no longer his enemies, but they're his friends. We've got to remember, folks, that at one time we were enemies as well. If you and I were to take a poll in the first century, if you and I were to take a poll, and we were Christians back then, but if we were to take a poll as the man most likely, to use good South Georgia language, the man most likely to bust hell wide open, who would have won that poll hands down? Saul of Tarsus. I mean, here's a man that hated Christ. He took Christians, men, women, and children, threw them into dungeons in the prisons, did everything he could against Christ, consented to the death of Stephen.

And yet, what did God do in Acts chapter 9? He knocked him to his feet, or to his face, and saved him. Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest apostles in the New Testament. God has no problem converting sinners. In fact, do you realize that most of the commentators will say that verse 2 refers mainly to the power of the gospel. Let me just read you one. It's just a little paragraph. But I want to read you what Matthew Henry says concerning Psalm 110, verse 2. Just listen carefully.

"The Messiah, when he sits on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens, will have a church on earth and will have an eye to it. For he is king upon the holy hill of Zion, in opposition of Mount Zion, that frightful mountain on which the law was given. The kingdom of Christ took rise from Zion, the city of David, for he was the son of David, and was to have the throne of his father David. By the rod of his strength, or his strong rod, is meant his everlasting gospel and the power of the Holy Ghost going along with it." "The report of the word and the arm of the Lord accompanying it. The gospel coming in word and power and in the Holy Ghost. By the Word and Spirit of God, souls were to be reduced first and brought into obedience to God, and then ruled and governed according to the will of God. This strong rod God sent forth. He poured out the Spirit and gave both commissions and qualifications to those that preached the Word and ministered the Spirit. It was sent out of Zion, for there the Spirit was given, and there the preaching of the gospel among all nations must begin. Out of Zion must go forth the law of faith. Note, the gospel of Christ being sent of God is mighty through God to do wonders. It is the rod of Christ's strength."

"Some make it to allude not only to the scepter of a prince, denoting the glory of Christ shining in the gospel, but to a shepherd's crook, his rod and staff, denoting the tender care Christ takes over his church, for he is both the great and the good shepherd." So here Matthew Henry. I don't care if you read John Gill, John Calvin, Adam Clarke, whoever you read, practically all of them say that this refers to the power of Christ in the gospel as well. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 9. You'll see what I'm talking about. Isaiah 40, verse 9. And we'll read through verse 11. Isaiah 40, verse 9. Isaiah 40, verse 9: "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his work before him." Note what this strong arm, this strong hand shall do: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young." Then if you look at Isaiah 52 verses 7 through 10, Isaiah 52 verses 7 through 10. Isaiah 52, verse 7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth."

"The watchmen shall lift up a voice, and the voice together shall they sing. For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth in the joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem. For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." So God, if he so chooses, may convert his enemies.

Now, let me just tell you. Usually the rule of Christ is made manifest in one of these three ways. Or in a combination of these three ways. He doesn't have to destroy everybody. He doesn't have to save everybody. He doesn't have to subdue everybody. He can do anything that He pleases. He is the Sovereign. He is in control. He rules. He reigns. Are you listening? And He is exercising authority, power, and dominion whether we see it or not. Whether we acknowledge it or not.

Conclusion and Application

Weaver concludes that Christ is reigning, we are victors, and we should walk by faith, not sight, emulating God's laughter at rebellion.

He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time. And not in our way, but in his way. So the question is, is Christ now ruling? Yes. Is he ruling over the heathen? Yes. Does he have everything under control? Yes. Does it necessarily have to appear that way to us? No. Scripture teaches it. And we bow to Scripture. Let me tell you.

His kingdom is of God the Father. Therefore His kingdom stands and the crown sits solidly upon His head. And there is no one that can remove it. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let me read to you what one commentator said by way of application: "He shall rule in the midst of his enemies. He sits in heaven in the midst of his friends. His throne of glory there is surrounded with none but faithful worshipers. He rules on earth in the midst of his enemies. And his throne of government here is surrounded with those that hate and fight against him."

"Christ's church is a lily among thorns. And His disciples are sent forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Yet, He reigns. And He shall bring everything out for our good and for His glory. He will send the rod of His strength out of Zion. He will either destroy, subdue, or save his enemies. But he is reigning. And he is on the throne. We are not the losers. We're the victors."

We need to learn to emulate our Father. What happened in Psalm 2 when all the kings of the earth gathered together against Him and said, "Let us break His bands asunder. Let us burst His cords from us." What did God do? "Then he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh." Why? Because of the uselessness of their rebellion. Let men be proud, arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, and say whatever they want to say, and proclaim that they're going to do whatever they want to do. But we know this, they can only go as far as God will allow them to go. And only do what God will allow them to do.

For He sits on the throne. Let's pray. Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, Lord, to live for Thee. Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. And Father, we ask that You would teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. Give us grace, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Christ's Sovereign Rule

Summary: Christ possesses all power and authority, ruling from the heavenly Zion over all, including His enemies.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Christ has all power and all authority and that is symbolically shown to us in the phrase "the rod of thy strength."'

Faith vs. Sight

Summary: Believers must trust Scripture over appearances; God's work is often unseen, like leaven, but real.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions... Our theology is based upon the Word of God.'

God's Sovereignty Over Natural Disasters

Summary: God uses natural phenomena (storms, famine, disease) as instruments of His rule and judgment.

Evidence: Weaver asks: 'Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did.'

The Certainty of Christ's Victory

Summary: Despite appearances, Christ will conquer all enemies; His kingdom is unshakeable.

Evidence: Weaver declares: 'He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time.'

Key Arguments

The Rod as Scepter

Summary: The Hebrew word 'matteh' for rod implies a scepter, denoting royal authority and dominion, as seen in Ezekiel 19:14.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ezekiel 19:14: 'so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule' and notes it's the same Hebrew word.

Zion as Heavenly Jerusalem

Summary: In Psalm 110:2, Zion refers to the heavenly abode of God, not physical Jerusalem, because Christ is seated at God's right hand.

Evidence: Weaver argues: 'If Zion is the abode of God Himself, and if Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, it should be obvious then that Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Zion.'

God's Rule Over the Heathen is Scriptural

Summary: Psalm 47:8 and 96:10 explicitly state that God reigns over the heathen, regardless of human perception.

Evidence: Weaver reads Psalm 47:8: 'God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness.'

God's Use of Natural Means

Summary: God does not need supernatural acts to judge; He controls natural forces like wind, hail, and famine as seen in Amos 4.

Evidence: Weaver lists from Amos 4: famine, drought, blasting, mildew, pestilence, war, and supernatural overthrow.

Scripture References

Psalm 110:1-7

Context: Weaver reads the entire psalm at the start, focusing on verse 2 for the sermon.

Psalm 2:7-8

Context: Cited to show the Father's decree to give the Son the heathen as inheritance, paralleling Psalm 110.

Psalm 46:10

Context: Used to illustrate God being exalted among the heathen.

Psalm 45:6

Context: Shows the scepter of Christ's kingdom is a right scepter, linking rod to scepter.

Ezekiel 19:14

Context: Demonstrates that 'rod' (matteh) can mean scepter to rule.

2 Samuel 5:7

Context: Shows Zion as the city of David, one of the four uses of Zion.

1 Kings 8:1

Context: Further identifies Zion as the city of David.

Psalm 48:1-2, 11

Context: Shows Zion referring to the entire mount or hill surrounding Jerusalem.

Psalm 125:1-2

Context: Illustrates Zion as the mountain around Jerusalem.

Psalm 149:2

Context: Shows Zion referring to true believers, the children of Zion.

Isaiah 35:10

Context: The ransomed of the Lord return to Zion, indicating believers.

Isaiah 51:11

Context: The redeemed come to Zion with singing.

Isaiah 60:14

Context: Believers are called the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 2:6

Context: God sets His king on the holy hill of Zion, referring to heavenly Zion.

Isaiah 2:3

Context: Out of Zion shall go forth the law, referring to God's dwelling place.

Hebrews 12:22

Context: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Matthew 28:18

Context: Christ declares all power is given to Him in heaven and earth.

Matthew 13:33

Context: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, working unseen.

Psalm 47:8

Context: God reigns over the heathen, sitting on His throne.

Psalm 96:10

Context: Say among the heathen that the Lord reigns.

Historical References

Queen of England's scepter

Context: Weaver describes the scepter with an orb and cross, symbolizing Christ's rule over the world.

Ralph Barnard sermon 'The God of Scripture Kills People'

Context: Weaver references this evangelist's sermon to emphasize God's sovereignty in disasters.

Matthew Henry's commentary on Psalm 110:2

Context: Weaver quotes Henry's view that the rod of strength refers to the gospel and the Holy Spirit's power.

Important Quotes

Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions and what we think and what others think. Our theology is based upon the Word of God.

Significance: This quote encapsulates the sermon's central hermeneutic: Scripture over sight.

God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness.

Significance: Weaver quotes Psalm 47:8 to assert God's present rule over all nations.

Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did. Who sends the tornadoes through the land? God does.

Significance: This bold statement attributes natural disasters directly to God's sovereign rule.

He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time. And not in our way, but in his way.

Significance: Weaver emphasizes the certainty and divine timing of Christ's ultimate victory.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding 'Zion' as the heavenly Jerusalem change our perspective on Christ's current reign?

Context: Weaver explains that Christ rules from the heavenly Zion, not the physical city.

In what ways are we tempted to judge God's work by appearances rather than by Scripture?

Context: Weaver addresses the objection that Christ's rule is not visible.

How should the truth that God uses natural disasters as instruments of His rule affect our response to such events?

Context: Weaver discusses God's use of famine, drought, and storms in Amos 4 and Job 38.

What does it mean for Christ to 'rule in the midst of thine enemies' in our present cultural context?

Context: Weaver explains that Christ's kingdom is set up among His enemies.

Applications

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Summary: Believers must trust God's Word over circumstances, knowing that God is working even when unseen.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'We walk by faith and not by sight. We don't look at appearances... We look at the Word of God.'

Recognize God's Sovereignty in All Events

Summary: Acknowledge that natural disasters and calamities are under God's control, not random chance.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'It's not Mother Nature. It's Father God... It's the sovereign God of heaven and earth who rules among the heathen.'

Rest in Christ's Certain Victory

Summary: Despite appearances, believers are victors because Christ is on the throne and will conquer all enemies.

Evidence: Weaver concludes: 'We are not the losers. We're the victors.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:47:46Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:34:43Z

Clean Transcript

Messiah's Divine Rights - Part 4

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Psalm 110, and let's go ahead and read all seven verses. Psalm 110, verse 1: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath."
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"He shall judge among the heathen. He shall fill the places with the dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way. Therefore, shall he lift up the head."
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Now, we've been dealing with this psalm under the general heading, "Messiah's Divine Rights." We have looked at verse 1. And I pointed out in this verse how our Lord deserves royal honor, and he certainly deserves that because, number one, of his person—"the Lord said unto my Lord"—and then because of his position—"sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." So we've examined very carefully the expression "the Lord said unto my Lord." We also examined the expression "sit thou at my right hand." We noted what the right hand of God implied and then what sitting implied. And then "until I make thine enemies thy footstool." And of course, the word "footstool" means literally to trample upon or to have something under your feet. And today we're going to come to verse 2. That is, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion, rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Now, not only does our Lord have the right to royal honor, here's the second point today.
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He has the right to rule the heathen. He has the right to rule the heathen. Look at verse 2: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."
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Now, you remember, I quoted in the past three messages J.A. Alexander, where he said that Psalm 110 is the counterpart to Psalm 2. So I want you to go back to Psalm 2 just for a moment and look there at verse 7. Psalm 2 and verse 7. Look what the Bible says. Psalm 2, verse 7, God the Father speaking to God the Son says this: "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Now look what God says: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. Now, notice if you would, please, back in Psalm 110, verse 2: "The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Now, before I get started, look in your Bibles to Psalm 46 and verse 10. Here's another passage that deals with God ruling in the midst of his enemies.
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Notice Psalm 46 and verse 10. In this passage, the Word of God simply says this: "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth." So God then is going to be exalted even among the heathen. Now verse 2 says, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." The very first question we need to ask and answer is, what is the rod of thy strength? The Bible says, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." So what in the world is the rod of thy strength? Now, the Hebrew word for rod is the word "matteh," which literally means a rod, a staff, or a shaft. It is one of the Hebrew words that is most frequently used in scripture for the word "rod." I very quickly looked through my Bible and I found several very pertinent and very easy illustrations concerning the use of the word "rod."
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For instance, you remember it designated the rod that Moses and Aaron used before Pharaoh. You remember that rod that they carried? It also was the same word that was used to designate Aaron's rod that budded. It was also exactly the same word that was used to designate when Moses held the rod of God upward, and there where Joshua was down on the plain fighting the Amalekites, when the rod was up, then Joshua prevailed. If Moses' arms drooped, then the Amalekites prevailed. And so they put some rocks there and sat there and held Moses' arms up. And so the Bible says the Amalekites were discomfited then with the edge of the sword. But it's exactly the same word "rod." So very obviously, if the word "matteh" is used then in reference to the rod that Moses and Aaron took into Egypt, if it's used concerning the rod of Aaron that blossomed, showing that he was God's chosen, if it's used concerning the rod that Moses held up, the rod then clearly implies authority, power, and dominion.
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Now look in verse 2 again at Psalm 110: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." So very clearly then, the word "rod" here not only refers to power and authority and dominion, but it also refers to a scepter. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 45, verse 6. Psalm 45, verse 6. Here is a passage concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and it says simply this: "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter." The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Now, when a king has a scepter, what in the world does that scepter imply? It implies power, authority, and dominion. Some of you have seen the scepter that belongs to the Queen of England. It's a very interesting scepter. If you've never seen it up close, if you ever get the opportunity, you should do so because it's not only a rod, but on the top there is an orb, and on top of the orb there is a cross.
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You know why? Because that cross on top of the orb—the orb symbolizes the world, and the cross on top is teaching the ruler that Christ is really the true ruler of the world. But even the Queen of England, usually when you see her, she has her scepter. Every king or every person of regal power always had a scepter. Do you remember back in the book of Esther? When Esther had to go in to see the king.
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And she was telling Mordecai that no one could go in without being sent for. And if someone approached the king without being sent for, then the penalty was death with one exception: whomever the king held out his scepter to, then that individual lived. Well, of course, the scepter indicates power, authority, and dominion.
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Now, to show you that this word "rod" does indeed imply a scepter or a right to rule, look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14, because here is the same Hebrew word. Notice in the book of Ezekiel chapter 19 and verse 14. Here's what God says concerning Israel, the nation. Notice. Ezekiel 19, verse 14: "And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit." Now look what God says concerning the nation: "so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule."
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"This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation." Now the word "rod" there in verse 14 is exactly the same word for "rod" that is used in Psalm 110 in verse 2. So God says Israel no longer has a strong rod to be a scepter to rule. In other words, her power, her might, her dominion had been broken. So the word "rod" that is used in Psalm 110 verse 2 can indeed imply a scepter. So God says that He's going to send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. So the rod of His strength then is His power, His might, His authority, and His dominion. Now, look back in Psalm 110 verse 2. Because God says He's going to send that rod of His strength out of Zion. Now in order to understand the impact and the implications of verse 2, we must understand the location of Zion. "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." Did you know that the word "Zion" occurs 152 times in the Bible?
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Now that does not count the New Testament rendition of it spelling S-I-O-N. But "Zion" itself occurs 152 times in the Bible. Did you know that that word basically is used four different ways? First and foremost, it refers to Jerusalem, the city of David. If you look in your Bibles, 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 7. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. Note if you would, and you will see it used here in reference to Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. The Bible says, "Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David." So Jerusalem then is known as Zion, which is indeed the city of David. Now, if you look in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 1. 1 Kings 8 and verse 1. You'll see these words, 1 Kings 8 verse 1: "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion."
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So once again, Jerusalem, or the city of David, is known as Zion. So sometimes when you read the word "Zion" in the Bible, it's just simply another word for Jerusalem. Secondly, sometimes it refers to the entire mount or the hill surrounding Jerusalem. Look in your Bible to Psalm 48 and verse 2. This is a very difficult passage for me to read without singing, but I certainly will restrain myself today because years ago I learned a song based upon Psalm 48 and it's a very catchy tune, I might add. But you will see here it refers to the entire mountain. Let's read verse 1: "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God and the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great king." So it can also refer to the hill. Look in verse 11: "Let Mount Zion rejoice."
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"Let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgments." And then if you look in Psalm 125, beginning there with verse 1, Psalm 125 verse 1, here's a very plain passage showing you it refers to the entire hill around Jerusalem: "They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever." So sometimes the word "Zion" then refers to Jerusalem, the city. Sometimes it refers to the mountain surrounding the city. Thirdly, sometimes in your Bible, the word "Zion" refers to the true believers.
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That is, as opposed to those who are not the children of God by faith. So let's look in Psalm 149 just to show you very quickly. Psalm 149, verse 2. The Bible says this. Psalm 149, verse 2: "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King." Well, who in the world are the children of Zion? Well, they are the true believers. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. And notice, if you would please, verse 10, we'll look at several passages right here very quickly. Isaiah 35, verse 10. Isaiah 35, verse 10: "And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads."
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"They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion. The ransom of the Lord? Yes, they're the children. They're the ones who were saved by the grace of God, and they're returning to Zion. And of course, they're known as Zion. Then if you look in chapter 51 and verse 11, Isaiah 51 verse 11. Isaiah 51 verse 11.
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"Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head, and they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." One last passage. Look in Isaiah 60 and verse 14. Isaiah 60 and verse 14: "The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee."
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Now note, he's talking about true believers. "...and all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee," that is the redeemed of the Lord, "...they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel." So sometimes the word "Zion" refers to the literal city Jerusalem. Sometimes it refers to the mountains surrounding it. Sometimes it refers to true ransom redeemed believers. And fourthly, and finally, sometimes it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly Zion, the abode of God himself.
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Let me just show you three passages. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 2. And look at verse 6, Psalm 2, verse 6. In Psalm 2, verse 6. Look what God says: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." Well, where did God enthrone the Lord Jesus Christ? Not in the physical Jerusalem, not on the mountain around Jerusalem. He enthroned Him in His heavenly abode in the heavenly Jerusalem. Look in Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 verse 3: "And many people shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion." That is the place where God dwells. "...shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." So it refers to the place where God dwells. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22.
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Now I'm showing you this for a specific reason. Because I want you to think something through with me and it should be very easily done. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22: "But ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Note, "but ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God."
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Now, what in the world did Psalm 110 and verse 2 say? Psalm 110 and verse 2 just simply said this: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion."
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Now, clearly then, it does not refer to the physical city of Jerusalem. It does not refer here to the mountains surrounding Jerusalem. It does not refer to the redeemed of the Lord, but it does refer to the heavenly Jerusalem.
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Now, if Zion is the abode of God Himself, and if Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, it should be obvious then that Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Zion, not the physical one. But the heavenlies, I am. What did our Lord say in Matthew 28 and verse 18? Here's what he said: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Do you realize it is not necessary for Christ to be on earth physically to be ruling? He has all power in heaven and in earth. That's why the Bible says that God will send forth the rod of His strength out of Zion. From where He is now, seated at the right hand of the Father, He is ruling.
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"Rule thou," He said, "in the midst of thine enemies." Now very quickly, let me give you five things that Psalm 110 and verse 2 teach us. Very quickly, I'm just going to give them to you. First, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ has all power and all authority and that is symbolically shown to us in the phrase "the rod of thy strength." Secondly, that Christ has enemies, which is obvious.
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All you have to do is read the Bible or all you have to do is look around. So it does teach us that Christ has enemies.
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Thirdly, Psalm 110 verse 2 teaches us that Christ's kingdom is set up in the midst of his enemies. "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Fourthly, it teaches us that his enemies are unable to thwart him, overthrow him, defeat him, or dethrone him.
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Now, it does not mean that they will not try to do some of those things, but it does teach us that they are unable to do those things. And fifthly, Psalm 110 in verse 2 teaches us that Christ will most certainly and definitely conquer all his enemies. And then they shall be put under his feet, for God said, "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."
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Now, let me cover an objection. I get this objection 40 times a week, I think. You try to tell people and explain to people that Jesus Christ now has all power and authority. That he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, he is in sovereign control. And he is working everything out after the counsel of his own will. And inevitably, someone comes up and says, "Well, preacher, it surely doesn't look like it." And then they say, "Well, I don't see Christ conquering. I don't see Christ winning. I don't see Christians getting stronger and stronger. Why, man, it looks to me like the whole world is falling apart, that Christians are getting weaker and weaker, and that the enemies of Christ are winning. I mean, look at the one world government, look at the one world power, look at all the chips they have they want to implant everybody with, look at the one number they want to give everybody. Man, it looks to me like everybody is losing ground. That the enemy is gaining ground."
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"That's the way it appears to me." Well, that's usually the objection you get.
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Now, let me just tell you something that is so absolutely simple it should boggle your mind. Here it is. Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions and what we think and what others think. Our theology is based upon the Word of God.
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Secondly, you need to remember this. What does Scripture teach us? We walk by faith and not by sight. We don't look at appearances. We don't look at circumstances. We don't look at situations. We look at the Word of God. It is by faith that we believe. It is by faith that we know. And it is by faith that we conquer. All you have to do is read Hebrews 11 once again. That is very simple.
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Everything was against Abraham, but he conquered. Everything was against Jacob, but he conquered. Everything was against Joseph, but he conquered. Go down the line. What happened when God came to Abraham and said, "I know you're 100 years old and Sarah's 90, but y'all are going to have a baby"? What? Can you imagine Abraham saying, "God, look at me, look at my wife. What? She's past the age of childbearing. What? There's no way." Did Abraham say that? What's the Bible say? He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He didn't look at the circumstances. He didn't look at the situation. He didn't look at appearances. He believed the Word of God.
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The problem that we have today is this. We want to judge everything by appearances rather than by Scripture. We want to look around and say, "Oh, how disheartening it is because my soul, they're winning." No, they are not winning. I don't care what appearances give us. I don't care what circumstances look like. The scripture says that Christ is sending the rod of his strength out of Zion and that he is ruling in the midst of his enemies.
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Thirdly, just simply because you and I cannot discern God's work, just because we cannot see God working does not mean that he is not working. I get so tickled at people. Because God has been gracious to Alice and I and he's allowed us to travel around and preach to a lot of people. And usually everywhere I go, someone comes up and says this to me, "Brother Weaver, I just wish there were so many more of us. We're just so few."
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And I think, "Lord, have mercy. You have been preaching to the people I've been preaching to. Do you realize there are people who believe exactly like we do in every state and every community and every area of this country? You might not conceive them, and you might think you're the only one who believes what you believe, but that's not so, folks. They're everywhere. Just because you can't see and discern does not mean that they're not there. And just because you cannot discern God's working does not mean that God is not working."
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Look in your Bibles to Matthew 13, verse 33. You'll also find this in Luke 13 and verse 31. Let's read it from Matthew 13, verse 33. Look what our Lord says. Matthew 13, verse 33. Here are the words of Jesus Christ: "Another parable spake he unto them. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."
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Now let me ask you a question. Can you see leaven working? Can you? No. You can't see it. You might later on see the effects of it, but you cannot see it when it's working. You can't look at that bread and say, "Well, it's risen another centimeter since the last time." No, no, no, no, you can't see it, but the truth is that leaven works. It works silently. It works secretly, but it does work.
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God said the kingdom of heaven is like that. You are not necessarily able to see it, but it is still true.
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Now, let me tell you what our problem is. Are you listening? Here's our problem. What we want is for God to work openly, immediately, and supernaturally. We want to see God do something! Condemn the Jews, all you want to, who were alive when our Lord was alive. But we're just like they are. You know what they wanted Christ to do? They wanted Christ to come on a white charger and overthrow the Roman Empire. That's what they wanted. And that's what we want. We want him to come and just wipe everybody out instantaneously, supernaturally. Let me put it to you like this. You know why they would not believe that Jesus Christ is Messiah?
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Back then, because he did not fit their expectations. He did not fit their own personal interpretation of Scripture besides being wicked and depraved. And what we do is we sit back and say, "Well, it can't be God working because we don't see anything. Nothing's happening." Folks, let me tell you something. It's not that God is not working. What we want is for God to work according to our will and our desires and in the way that we want to. And if he does not conquer the way we think he ought to conquer, then we sit back and say, "Well, he's not conquering." He is. Because Scripture says so. I can assure you. The truth is, listen carefully, that God rules over the heathen.
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Whether they like it or not. And God rules over the heathen, whether they acknowledge it or not. You say, "How can you say that?" Well, look in your Bibles to Psalm 47 and verse 10. I'll show you several places as to why I can say that. Psalm 47, look in verse 10. I can multiply these passages. But Psalm 47 verse 10. Verse. That's a bad. Let me see Psalm 48. What? 47 verse 8, thank you. 47 verse 8: "God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness." Did you hear that? God reigneth where? Over the heathen. Who is on the throne over the heathen? God is, whether they like it or not. He sits upon the throne of His holiness. Look in Psalm 96 and verse 10. Psalm 96 and verse 10: "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth." What are we supposed to tell the heathen? The Lord reigneth.
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"The world also shall be established and it shall not be moved. He shall judge the people righteously." Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth. What is God doing over the heathen right now? He's ruling over them. He's ruling over them. They may not like it. They may not acknowledge it. It may not appear to be so to you or to me, but He is ruling over them. Now, let me show you three ways that you may be able to discern the rule of God over the heathen. Please remember this, that God does not have to rule over them the way that we think He ought to or the way that He should. But his rule may be manifested in at least three ways. I'm going to say this is an irreducible minimum. There may be more ways, but here are at least the minimum three.
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First of all, are you listening? He may exercise his rule over them in destroying them. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to Numbers 24 and verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19. Numbers 24 verse 19: "Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion." Of course that's Christ. "And shall destroy him that remaineth of the city." Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion. And he shall destroy. Now turning your Bibles to Psalm 59 and verse 5. Psalm 59 verse 5 and once again, I could multiply the scriptures, but these few should prove the point. Psalm 59 verse 5.
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"Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts"—and you remember what the word "hosts" refers to, it refers to armies. So literally it says, "Thou therefore, O Lord God of the armies, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen. Be not merciful to any wicked transgressor." God can, if he so chooses, destroy all of his enemies or any part of his enemies. Without me asking you to turn back to Psalm 110 verse 7, let me just read it to you: "He shall judge among the heathen."
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"He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He shall wound the heads over many countries." How does God manifest his rule over the heathen? Well, one of the ways is by destroying them. Are you listening to me? This is very important. God may either destroy his enemies supernaturally or naturally. Or by a combination. You and I both know it was a supernatural act of God that destroyed Pharaoh and his armies. It was a supernatural act of God combined with a natural act that destroyed King Herod in Acts chapter 12 when God smote him with worms so that he died. It was a supernatural act of God when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was a natural act that God used to finish off Haman.
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He was hanged on his own gallows. God is not confined to a supernatural act. God may use what you and I would call natural acts, or God may use a combination of natural acts. Do you remember what happened in Mark chapter 4? Because the disciples were in the boat and here was the wind boisterous and the waves were up. And our Lord was asleep. Can you imagine that, sleeping through a storm? Storms don't bother the Son of God.
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And when they finally got to Him, they said, "Master, awake, lest we perish." And He woke up and He said, "O ye of little faith." And then He said, "Wind, be still, and waves be calm." And what did they say? "What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey his voice?" Are you listening? Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Wind. Sleet. Hail. Snow. Ice. Flood. Plagues. Drought. Disease. And a host of other natural phenomena are in his arsenal.
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He doesn't have to send fire from heaven to destroy everyone. Many times in the Bible, God just brought an east wind, and the east wind took care of everything. The point I'm trying to make is this: do not limit God to supernatural acts. Yes, God may act supernaturally. He is a supernatural being, but he's in control of all of the natural occurrences that happen in this world. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles. Follow me very quickly. Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32. Look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 34, Deuteronomy 32, verse 34. Deuteronomy 32, verse 34: "Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures?" Now, what is it that's sealed up among God's treasures? Verse 35: "To me belongeth vengeance and recompense."
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"Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." That's what's sealed up in God's treasures, His divine vengeance. And that divine vengeance may be exercised in several ways. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Job 38. Look in Job 38. Job 38, beginning there with verse 22. Job 38, verse 22.
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Look what God asked Job: "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?"
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Now look: "Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war." Listen, folks. God can just send a hailstorm and crush all of our crops. He can send snow. He can send an avalanche. He may do whatever he pleases. Look in your Bibles to the book of Amos, chapter 4, let me just show you a series of things that God has used in times past. This is a very important chapter, the book of Amos, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Amos, chapter 4.
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And let's begin reading there in verse 6. Look what God says. Amos 4 verse 6. God says: "I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and want of bread in all your places. Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Now, what did God use in verse 6? Famine. A lack of food. Verse 7: "I also have withholden the rain from you, when there was yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered into the one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet have ye not returned to me," saith the Lord. What did the Lord use there? Drought. Verse 9.
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"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew. When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees were increased, the palmerworm devoured them. Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." What did God use there? Worms, mold, mildew. Verse 10: "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt. Your young men have I slain with a sword, and have taken away your horses, and I have made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils. Yet have ye not returned to me, saith the Lord." What did the Lord use? He used war. He used pestilence, plague, disease. Then verse 11: "I've overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet have ye not returned to me, saith the Lord." God said, "I've even used supernatural acts, and it still didn't get your attention."
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Now, he goes on to say, "Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." Watch. "For lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name." God did all of that.
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Old Ralph Barnard, he's been dead many, many years. He was an evangelist, and boy, he was a tough one. But Ralph Barnard has a sermon, and the title of it is, "The God of Scripture Kills People." Now, I want to ask you a question. Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did. Who sends the tornadoes through the land? God does.
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Look in your Bibles to Amos 3 and verse 6. Answer this question. Look what God asked. Amos 3 verse 6. Watch. "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it?" God said, "I'm the one that brings those catastrophes. It's not Mother Nature. It's Father God. It's not Gaia, the goddess of the earth who is mad at us. It's the sovereign God of heaven and earth who rules among the heathen. And one thing he does is he destroys them."
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You see, the problem is this. As long as we can attribute these acts of nature to Mother Nature, then there's no need for us to repent. We can just keep on going the way we're going because everything happens by luck, chance, fate, or fortune. But if you ever understand that God does this, then you understand you better repent because God is angry with the wicked. How does God rule over the heathen?
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Number one, he can, if he so chooses, destroy them. All of them. Or any part of it. And I got news for you folks, half a million folks, there's a lot of people to be wiped out at one time. I get so tickled at people, they say, "Well, when is God going to do something?" Do you realize there's a flesh-eating virus that if you just get a paper cut on your finger, you're basically a dead man. If that virus gets in you. God does not have to send supernatural acts to wipe out his enemies.
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He sent emerods to the Philistines. Or hemorrhoids. And they were begging to have that ark gone.
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Secondly, number two, God can subdue his enemies without destroying them. God does not necessarily have to destroy his enemies, he may if he pleases, but he can also subdue his enemies. What did he do to the Canaanites that were not destroyed? Well, the answer is he subdued them. He subdued them to the extent that they were not a threat to his kingdom, his people, or his work.
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They had absolutely no power to resist. Look at Psalm 47 and verse 3. Psalm 47 and verse 3. Look what the psalmist says. Psalm 47 verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 2 just so you can see the context: "For the Lord Most High is terrible. He is the Great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet." He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet. Let me just read to you Philippians 3 verse 21. I like this verse. It is a powerful verse. Listen carefully. The Bible says concerning God: "Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself." God is able to subdue His enemies. God is quite capable of making His enemies be at peace with Him and with His people.
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He can fix it where they will not want to rebel, fuss, or fight. In fact, when God says in Psalm 110 in verse 2, "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies," the word "rule" is the Hebrew word "radah," which means to rule, to have dominion over, to dominate, to tread down, to crumble off. So literally it says tread down your enemies. Now let me just show you the power of God in subduing his enemies. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 34. Exodus 34. And let's look beginning there with verse 23 in just a moment. Exodus 34. As you turn there, let me remind you that God demanded that all the males in Israel appear before him three times a year for those seven annual feasts.
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Now, the women and children went many times. And they were encouraged to go, but the men had to go. It was mandatory. Let me ask you. Here, the Israelites have gone into the land of the Canaanites, they killed a lot of them, just murdered them, quote unquote, according to their eyes. It was not murder. It was really an execution because God sent them in there, but they killed them.
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The ones they did not kill, they enslaved. Now, here's my question. If all the Hebrew males are up in Jerusalem worshiping God, what is to keep those Canaanites that have been enslaved from rising up in rebellion and killing the women and children and reclaiming the land? What would stop them from doing that? Let me show you. Exodus 34, verse 23. God says: "Thrice," that is three times in the year, "shall all your men children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel." Three times a year, you've got to come there.
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"For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders. Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." God said, "Let me tell you something. There will not be any rebellions. There will not be any uprisings. There will not be any reprisals." God said they will not even desire to have their land back.
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He has such control over the heathen. He not only controls their acts. He controls their desires. You know a verse that we need to quote more often? Proverbs 21 in verse 1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and as rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he willeth." Listen, if God can turn the king's heart wherever he wants to, he can turn the average man's heart anywhere he wants to. God can subdue his enemies without destroying them, if he so chooses.
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Thirdly, very quickly, there's another way, and that is he may save them or convert them. And then they're no longer his enemies, but they're his friends. We've got to remember, folks, that at one time we were enemies as well. If you and I were to take a poll in the first century, if you and I were to take a poll, and we were Christians back then, but if we were to take a poll as the man most likely, to use good South Georgia language, the man most likely to bust hell wide open, who would have won that poll hands down? Saul of Tarsus. I mean, here's a man that hated Christ. He took Christians, men, women, and children, threw them into dungeons in the prisons, did everything he could against Christ, consented to the death of Stephen.
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And yet, what did God do in Acts chapter 9? He knocked him to his feet, or to his face, and saved him. Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest apostles in the New Testament. God has no problem converting sinners. In fact, do you realize that most of the commentators will say that verse 2 refers mainly to the power of the gospel. Let me just read you one. It's just a little paragraph. But I want to read you what Matthew Henry says concerning Psalm 110, verse 2. Just listen carefully.
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"The Messiah, when he sits on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens, will have a church on earth and will have an eye to it. For he is king upon the holy hill of Zion, in opposition of Mount Zion, that frightful mountain on which the law was given. The kingdom of Christ took rise from Zion, the city of David, for he was the son of David, and was to have the throne of his father David. By the rod of his strength, or his strong rod, is meant his everlasting gospel and the power of the Holy Ghost going along with it."
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"The report of the word and the arm of the Lord accompanying it. The gospel coming in word and power and in the Holy Ghost. By the Word and Spirit of God, souls were to be reduced first and brought into obedience to God, and then ruled and governed according to the will of God. This strong rod God sent forth. He poured out the Spirit and gave both commissions and qualifications to those that preached the Word and ministered the Spirit. It was sent out of Zion, for there the Spirit was given, and there the preaching of the gospel among all nations must begin. Out of Zion must go forth the law of faith. Note, the gospel of Christ being sent of God is mighty through God to do wonders. It is the rod of Christ's strength."
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"Some make it to allude not only to the scepter of a prince, denoting the glory of Christ shining in the gospel, but to a shepherd's crook, his rod and staff, denoting the tender care Christ takes over his church, for he is both the great and the good shepherd." So here Matthew Henry. I don't care if you read John Gill, John Calvin, Adam Clarke, whoever you read, practically all of them say that this refers to the power of Christ in the gospel as well.
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Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 9. You'll see what I'm talking about. Isaiah 40, verse 9. And we'll read through verse 11. Isaiah 40, verse 9. Isaiah 40, verse 9: "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his work before him." Note what this strong arm, this strong hand shall do: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young." Then if you look at Isaiah 52 verses 7 through 10, Isaiah 52 verses 7 through 10. Isaiah 52, verse 7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth."
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"The watchmen shall lift up a voice, and the voice together shall they sing. For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth in the joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem. For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." So God, if he so chooses, may convert his enemies.
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Now, let me just tell you. Usually the rule of Christ is made manifest in one of these three ways. Or in a combination of these three ways. He doesn't have to destroy everybody. He doesn't have to save everybody. He doesn't have to subdue everybody. He can do anything that He pleases. He is the Sovereign. He is in control. He rules. He reigns. Are you listening? And He is exercising authority, power, and dominion whether we see it or not. Whether we acknowledge it or not.
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He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time. And not in our way, but in his way. So the question is, is Christ now ruling? Yes. Is he ruling over the heathen? Yes. Does he have everything under control? Yes. Does it necessarily have to appear that way to us? No. Scripture teaches it. And we bow to Scripture. Let me tell you.
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His kingdom is of God the Father. Therefore His kingdom stands and the crown sits solidly upon His head. And there is no one that can remove it. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let me read to you what one commentator said by way of application: "He shall rule in the midst of his enemies. He sits in heaven in the midst of his friends. His throne of glory there is surrounded with none but faithful worshipers. He rules on earth in the midst of his enemies. And his throne of government here is surrounded with those that hate and fight against him."
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"Christ's church is a lily among thorns. And His disciples are sent forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Yet, He reigns. And He shall bring everything out for our good and for His glory. He will send the rod of His strength out of Zion. He will either destroy, subdue, or save his enemies. But he is reigning. And he is on the throne. We are not the losers. We're the victors."
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We need to learn to emulate our Father. What happened in Psalm 2 when all the kings of the earth gathered together against Him and said, "Let us break His bands asunder. Let us burst His cords from us." What did God do? "Then he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh." Why? Because of the uselessness of their rebellion. Let men be proud, arrogant, haughty, heady, high-minded, and say whatever they want to say, and proclaim that they're going to do whatever they want to do. But we know this, they can only go as far as God will allow them to go. And only do what God will allow them to do.
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For He sits on the throne. Let's pray. Father, speak to our hearts. Help us, Lord, to live for Thee. Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. And Father, we ask that You would teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. Give us grace, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:47:46Z

Messiah's Divine Rights - Part 4

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on Psalm 110, focusing on verse 2: 'The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.' He argues that Christ has the right to rule the heathen, demonstrating that the 'rod of thy strength' symbolizes His power, authority, and dominion as a scepter. Weaver explains that 'Zion' here refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, from which Christ now reigns. He addresses objections that Christ's rule is not visible, emphasizing that theology is based on Scripture, not appearances, and that God rules over the heathen whether acknowledged or not. He outlines three ways God manifests His rule: by destroying enemies, subduing them, or converting them. The sermon concludes with the assurance that Christ is reigning and will ultimately conquer all enemies.

Opening

Psalm 110, and let's go ahead and read all seven verses. Psalm 110, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 110:1-7

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath."

Introduction and Review of Psalm 110:1

Weaver reviews the series on Messiah's Divine Rights, summarizing verse 1's teaching on Christ's royal honor due to His person and position.

Christ's Right to Rule the Heathen

Weaver introduces the second point: Christ has the right to rule the heathen, based on Psalm 110:2.

He has the right to rule the heathen. He has the right to rule the heathen. Look at verse 2: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

The Rod of Thy Strength

Weaver explains that the 'rod' (matteh) symbolizes power, authority, and dominion, like a scepter, using examples from Moses and Aaron.

Notice Psalm 46 and verse 10. In this passage, the Word of God simply says this:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 45:6

" The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Now, when a king has a scepter, what in the world does that scepter imply? It implies power, authority, and dominion. Some of you have seen the scepter that belongs to the Queen of England. It's a very interesting scepter. If you've never seen it up close, if you ever get the opportunity, you should do so because it's not only a rod, but on the top there is an orb, and on top of the orb there is a cross.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 19:14

"This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation."

Now the word "rod" there in verse 14 is exactly the same word for "rod

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 19:14

" that is used in Psalm 110 in verse 2. So God says Israel no longer has a strong rod to be a scepter to rule. In other words, her power, her might, her dominion had been broken. So the word "

The Meaning of Zion

Weaver outlines four biblical uses of 'Zion' and concludes that in Psalm 110:2 it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, Christ's current abode.

Now that does not count the New Testament rendition of it spelling S-I-O-N. But "Zion

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:7

" itself occurs 152 times in the Bible. Did you know that that word basically is used four different ways? First and foremost, it refers to Jerusalem, the city of David. If you look in your Bibles, 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 7. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. Note if you would, and you will see it used here in reference to Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5 and verse 7. The Bible says, "

Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:7

" So Jerusalem then is known as Zion, which is indeed the city of David. Now, if you look in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 1. 1 Kings 8 and verse 1. You'll see these words, 1 Kings 8 verse 1: "

Scripture Reading — Psalm 149:2

" Well, who in the world are the children of Zion? Well, they are the true believers. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. And notice, if you would please, verse 10, we'll look at several passages right here very quickly. Isaiah 35, verse 10. Isaiah 35, verse 10: "

And the ransom of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 35:10

"They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee."

Now note, he's talking about true believers.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"...and all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee,"

that is the redeemed of the Lord,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 60:14

"...they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel."

Let me just show you three passages. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 2. And look at verse 6, Psalm 2, verse 6. In Psalm 2, verse 6. Look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:6

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."

Now I'm showing you this for a specific reason. Because I want you to think something through with me and it should be very easily done. Look in Hebrews 12 and verse 22. Hebrews 12 verse 22:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"But ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:22

"but ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God."

Five Teachings of Psalm 110:2

Weaver lists five doctrines: Christ's all power, His enemies, His kingdom amidst enemies, their inability to thwart Him, and His certain conquest.

Answering the Objection of Appearances

Weaver addresses the objection that Christ's rule is not visible, stressing that theology is based on Scripture, not sight, and that God works secretly like leaven.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:33

"Another parable spake he unto them. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

Three Ways God Rules Over the Heathen

Weaver explains that God manifests His rule by destroying enemies, subduing them, or converting them, using natural and supernatural means.

Conclusion and Application

Weaver concludes that Christ is reigning, we are victors, and we should walk by faith, not sight, emulating God's laughter at rebellion.

Messiah's Divine Rights - Part 4

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	21305145746
Subject	Dominion and Reconstruction
Course	The Crown Rights of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-02-06
Dictation Name
Book	Book 188: Messiah's Divine Rights — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	80

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review of Psalm 110:1: Weaver reviews the series on Messiah's Divine Rights, summarizing verse 1's teaching on Christ's royal honor due to His person and position.
Christ's Right to Rule the Heathen: Weaver introduces the second point: Christ has the right to rule the heathen, based on Psalm 110:2.
The Rod of Thy Strength: Weaver explains that the 'rod' (matteh) symbolizes power, authority, and dominion, like a scepter, using examples from Moses and Aaron.
The Meaning of Zion: Weaver outlines four biblical uses of 'Zion' and concludes that in Psalm 110:2 it refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, Christ's current abode.
Five Teachings of Psalm 110:2: Weaver lists five doctrines: Christ's all power, His enemies, His kingdom amidst enemies, their inability to thwart Him, and His certain conquest.
Answering the Objection of Appearances: Weaver addresses the objection that Christ's rule is not visible, stressing that theology is based on Scripture, not sight, and that God works secretly like leaven.
Three Ways God Rules Over the Heathen: Weaver explains that God manifests His rule by destroying enemies, subduing them, or converting them, using natural and supernatural means.
Conclusion and Application: Weaver concludes that Christ is reigning, we are victors, and we should walk by faith, not sight, emulating God's laughter at rebellion.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The Rod as Scepter

The Hebrew word 'matteh' for rod implies a scepter, denoting royal authority and dominion, as seen in Ezekiel 19:14.

Weaver cites Ezekiel 19:14: 'so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule' and notes it's the same Hebrew word.

Zion as Heavenly Jerusalem

In Psalm 110:2, Zion refers to the heavenly abode of God, not physical Jerusalem, because Christ is seated at God's right hand.

Weaver argues: 'If Zion is the abode of God Himself, and if Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, it should be obvious then that Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Zion.'

God's Rule Over the Heathen is Scriptural

Psalm 47:8 and 96:10 explicitly state that God reigns over the heathen, regardless of human perception.

Weaver reads Psalm 47:8: 'God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness.'

God's Use of Natural Means

God does not need supernatural acts to judge; He controls natural forces like wind, hail, and famine as seen in Amos 4.

Weaver lists from Amos 4: famine, drought, blasting, mildew, pestilence, war, and supernatural overthrow.

Scripture References

Psalm 110:1-7: Weaver reads the entire psalm at the start, focusing on verse 2 for the sermon.
Psalm 2:7-8: Cited to show the Father's decree to give the Son the heathen as inheritance, paralleling Psalm 110.
Psalm 46:10: Used to illustrate God being exalted among the heathen.
Psalm 45:6: Shows the scepter of Christ's kingdom is a right scepter, linking rod to scepter.
Ezekiel 19:14: Demonstrates that 'rod' (matteh) can mean scepter to rule.
2 Samuel 5:7: Shows Zion as the city of David, one of the four uses of Zion.
1 Kings 8:1: Further identifies Zion as the city of David.
Psalm 48:1-2, 11: Shows Zion referring to the entire mount or hill surrounding Jerusalem.
Psalm 125:1-2: Illustrates Zion as the mountain around Jerusalem.
Psalm 149:2: Shows Zion referring to true believers, the children of Zion.
Isaiah 35:10: The ransomed of the Lord return to Zion, indicating believers.
Isaiah 51:11: The redeemed come to Zion with singing.
Isaiah 60:14: Believers are called the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 2:6: God sets His king on the holy hill of Zion, referring to heavenly Zion.
Isaiah 2:3: Out of Zion shall go forth the law, referring to God's dwelling place.
Hebrews 12:22: Believers have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.
Matthew 28:18: Christ declares all power is given to Him in heaven and earth.
Matthew 13:33: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, working unseen.
Psalm 47:8: God reigns over the heathen, sitting on His throne.
Psalm 96:10: Say among the heathen that the Lord reigns.

Historical References

Queen of England's scepter: Weaver describes the scepter with an orb and cross, symbolizing Christ's rule over the world.
Ralph Barnard sermon 'The God of Scripture Kills People': Weaver references this evangelist's sermon to emphasize God's sovereignty in disasters.
Matthew Henry's commentary on Psalm 110:2: Weaver quotes Henry's view that the rod of strength refers to the gospel and the Holy Spirit's power.

Important Quotes

Our theology is not based upon appearances, circumstances, and opinions and what we think and what others think. Our theology is based upon the Word of God.

This quote encapsulates the sermon's central hermeneutic: Scripture over sight.

God reigneth over the heathen. God sits upon the throne of his holiness.

Weaver quotes Psalm 47:8 to assert God's present rule over all nations.

Who sent the tsunami to Southeast Asia? God did. Who brought the hurricanes to Florida? God did. Who sends the tornadoes through the land? God does.

This bold statement attributes natural disasters directly to God's sovereign rule.

He shall bring all things under His feet. Not in our time, but in his time. And not in our way, but in his way.

Weaver emphasizes the certainty and divine timing of Christ's ultimate victory.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding 'Zion' as the heavenly Jerusalem change our perspective on Christ's current reign?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Christ rules from the heavenly Zion, not the physical city.

[Question]

In what ways are we tempted to judge God's work by appearances rather than by Scripture?

[Context]

Weaver addresses the objection that Christ's rule is not visible.

[Question]

How should the truth that God uses natural disasters as instruments of His rule affect our response to such events?

[Context]

Weaver discusses God's use of famine, drought, and storms in Amos 4 and Job 38.

[Question]

What does it mean for Christ to 'rule in the midst of thine enemies' in our present cultural context?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Christ's kingdom is set up among His enemies.

Applications

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