Question: When is Jesus (the Lion of Judah – Rev. 5:5) going to come destroy His enemies and reign in righteousness?
Short Answer: Read Revelation 19-20. It’s an easy read.
Little More Explanation: Jesus Himself said all power in heaven and on earth had been given unto Him (Matt. 28:18); and that was even before the Cross, but He’s not going to exercise His power to the full until His Father says it’s time (John 14:31). This is a very brief, but clear, big-picture explanation.
Jesus already has all power and authority. Why doesn’t He use it?
After the Cross, all enemies had been put under His feet; even death was defeated in that He was/is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). Even though He has power over death now, it is not time for Him to exercise His power and authority over death. That will happen after He raises from the dead all those who have died in Him.
The Apostle Paul teaches (inspired by the Holy Spirit) that Jesus will actually destroy death in the future (I Cor. 15:26). That phrase about death, saying it “shall be destroyed” (nkjv), means to do away with it altogether, or to abolish it, or to cause it to cease. When that happens, there won’t be any more death, and those who died in Him will have risen from the grave (I Thess. 4:13-18).
It’s all about timing.
Now, in the same way that He is already the Resurrection and the Life (and always has been), but He is not going to fully exercise His full resurrection power until the Father tells Him when to do that in the very end, even so all power in heaven and on earth are His now but He’s not going to exercise it in full until He returns. At that time, He will destroy all the armies (powers and authorities) of His enemies and establish His own righteous rule on earth for 1,000 literal years (Rev. 19-20). (There are many other scriptures about the literal reign of Christ. An easy google search will help.)
Can Jesus’ followers take over, using His authority now?
Many Christians have been erroneously taught that since we also have authority in His name, and through faith in His name we can do mighty exploits – something that is true – that we can also take over world powers and authorities by His power and authority in us. That simply is not so. It is nowhere in the Bible – not remotely.
This is why you hear so many who keep telling everybody that we (Christians) can save America, or bring America back, or make it and other nations to become righteous nations. There are a few names for that teaching, such as Kingdom Now and Seven Mountains; and many believers follow these for different reasons, but they are diametrically opposed to what the Bible plainly teaches.
We do have authority in His name, and great authority, but it is all within the context of the proclamation of His kingdom on earth and for His glory to be revealed in and through the members of His body in this age.
It is HE who is going to defeat all powers and authorities on earth and establish His righteous reign, not us.
My goodness! We can’t even keep ourselves straight, even though we have His Spirit inside and alongside us and great authority in His name! How in the world do so many believers imagine they are going to take over the world?
I hope this helps. Grace and peace to you.
Revelation 19:11-16 nkjv
- 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
- 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
- 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
- 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
- 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
- 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!”