Created to BE Rulers

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

When God created us, He created us to be stewards, but more than that, our identity is wrapped up in being rulers.  

Do we generally start our day thinking that we’re supposed to be ruling, bringing God’s righteous rule and reign to extend throughout the earth?  Think of it this way:  God did His job of creating, forming, and filling the earth.  But, we were created to be rulers over the fish, birds, livestock, earth, and the creatures—we are regents ruling God’s prefect Kingdom, priests serving in His sanctuary. 

Those of us who live in areas of the world without an active monarchy have a hard time relating to the concept of God as King and our role as regents.  We picture fairytale monarchies and are enamored with royal weddings since we struggle to grasp what a righteous kingdom looks like.  Even in countries where monarchies exist, they are seldom the kind of kingdom that reflects God as King.  That’s because of sin.

Sin makes the earthly Kingdom necessary in a new and different way.  Without a Kingdom of God advancing the truth, how else is a broken world going to hear about the holiness required for heaven?

But sin also makes the earthly Kingdom more difficult because sin has made ruling more about power than about seeing God’s truth and perfection filling the earth.    Don’t you think it’s interesting that Genesis didn’t say we were to rule over each other until sin broke our relationship with God and with one another?  The resulting human kingship is about power, control, and authority; and this is what God had Samuel explain to the people when they rejected God’s Kingship (perfect, holy, and true) and demanded an earthly king (of power, control, and sin).  1 Samuel 8: 5-20

As a society, we have rejected God as King. 

As individuals, we can reinstate God as King over our lives. 

God’s reign and rule can be upon our hearts and spread upon the earth.   We will see His holiness and grace in the giving of the Law and in writing the Law on our hearts.  Our role as regents will involve Law-abiding and Law illuminating/ witnessing in contrast to a world of sin while this earth remains. 

But there is future Kingdom of God in which we will no longer be regents.  We will reign with Christ (because of His humanity) and enjoy the perfection of a Kingdom much like what existed before sin entered the world. 

This is an important distinction:  we will be rulers reigning together with Christ our Lord and Savior. 

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

This is not a kingdom of power OVER, but power TO.   The Kingdom of God—more than a Jewish nationalistic hope—is a universal hope because of what Jesus Christ did.  We have power to live righteously–both people of Jewish and Gentile heritages–and can equally access this hope by faith.  In Christ, we will have a righteousness beyond anything the Law and human achievement could give.  And unlike a sin-warped reality of ruling over one another, this future Kingdom involves reigning together with Christ as a vine and we as His branches, enjoying the perfection and holiness of God forever.

 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”  And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,  saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” Revelation 11:15-17