Term Paper: Module 6—Psalm 110

Term Paper:  Module 6—Psalm 110

Psalms 110, in only seven verses, reveals a great deal of the end-time story line. In this psalm we read of the time in which Jesus will return to the earth, from where He will rule, that there are still natural-bodied people on the earth during the Millennial Age, the national salvation of Israel and its timing, how only Jesus could be the One spoken of in this psalm, the last day battle and the slaughter of Jesus’ enemies, the separation of nations, the return of the nations to Jesus, and the eternal humanity of our God-King as He reigns from Zion.

Due to the eschatological density of Ps 110, I used it to teach my end-times Bible study how to identify the end-times story line as they read through the Bible. Psalm 110 is so clear on the end-times story line that even when read alone it brings a concise framework to eschatology. It stands as a marker showing how interwoven this same end-time message is throughout the entirety of the Bible. Without passages like this psalm we would be devoid of how often God spoke to those of old about the second coming of His Son, His day of vengeance, and His return to rule and reign from Jerusalem.

The opening of Ps 110 should not be read too hastily, for it opens with the timing of Jesus’ return: He sits at the Father’s right hand UNTIL His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. In both Acts 7:49 and Is 66:1 the earth is said to be His footstool. When Jesus fills the nations with corpses (6), shattering kings (5) and the chief men over the earth (6), it is at this time that His enemies become a footstool for His feet. Both Ez 38-39 and Rev 19 show this mass annihilation of His enemies is after the second half of the tribulation (1260 days), fitting nicely with the extra 30 days of Daniel 12’s 1290 days. These extra 30 days follow the return of Jesus to the earth, the rapture of the church, and the 1^st resurrection, all which occur at the tribulation’s end. Daniel’s extra 30 days are the Day of His wrath (5)—the Day of His vengeance (Is 61:2)—the pouring out of the bowls of wrath (Rev 16). Spoken within the 7^th bowl is “it is done” with subsequent massive apocalyptic catastrophes. Isaiah 63:1-6 says that after His return, Jesus slaughters His enemies on His way up to Jerusalem via the Mt. of Olives.

How is it that after the opening act of Ps 110 we read that Jesus will rule in the midst of His enemies? How can He rule in the midst of His enemies, if He has annihilated them? Yes, Jesus has killed the Antichrist and all those in allegiance with him, and He has bound Satan for 1000 years, but there are still natural-bodied people on the earth during the Millennium. These are the people who did not receive either Jesus nor the mark of the beast, and therefore they still have a sin nature. If they had received Jesus they would have been raptured at His return. Revelation 22:15 says that outside the City (New Jerusalem during the Millennium) are dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. Some of these will make Jesus their king during the Millennium, others will not. Those who won’t will join Satan against Jesus at the final deception. (Rev 20) These are of those footstool enemies of whom Ps 110:2 speaks.

Can a nation be born in a day, asks Is 66:8? Rom 11:25-26 tells of the national salvation of Israel: all Israel will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. This means that after the last Gentile receives Christ, Israel, as a nation, will finally receive her Messiah. (Jer 31:31-34, 50:20, Is 33, 60:21) Psalm 110:3 frames this truth nicely: Your people [the nation of Israel] will volunteer freely in the day of Your power. The ending of verse 3: the womb of the dawn is quite poetic, yet must be kept tethered to the end-time story line. The dawn opens the millennial new day. What gives birth to the new day is the tribulation. Thus, the tribulation is the womb that gives birth to the New Day Millennial Age.

The citation of Melchizedek as relating to this King-Messiah-Warrior of Ps 110 is clearly emphasizing the uniqueness of this Man, and reveals that He is both Priest and King. It was illegal under the old order to be both priest and king, yet here this One is both—as is Melchizedek. (Heb 7:1)

Another unique element resides within Ps 110: the divinity and the humanity of this One of whom the psalm is written. Verse 7 has a shocking statement when viewed from the Old Covenant side of the Cross: He drinks water from the brook. This Melchizedek-like King of Ps 110 also drinks water from the brook! Does God need to drink water? And yet, Ps110 identifies its One as sitting at the Father’s right hand (1), thus making Him God; as ruling from Zion (2), thus making Him Messiah (Hebrews 1:8); as a priest like Melchizedek (4), thus making Him eternal (Hebrews 7), and yet drinking water. This One to whom all Israel awaits is both God and Man! He is our Priest-King, Christ Jesus.