Reigning on the Cross

When we think of a king, we typically picture someone sitting on a throne in a long throne room with people lined up on either side. The king is robed in his best garment, pronouncing judgments, and giving commands to all his subjects. At other occasions, we could picture him riding in his chariot as his subjects cry out praises. 

Occasionally, we also see a king on the battlefield fighting his enemies. He is in the thick of war and is being attacked on all sides. He is pursuing his foes and may even get injured in the battle. No one questions his kingship if he takes a blow or two, or if he falls down. They see how the king is fighting to save his people and his kingdom. 

Now, that is exactly what we see on the cross. Jesus, the King of the universe, was fighting to save His people; He was defeating the power of sin and battling Satan and his armies on the cross. Even though it looked like Jesus was helpless and suffering, he was a King and continued being a King on the cross. 

Where It All Began

The plot of this war was first revealed in Gen 3:15. After Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree, God pronounced curses for their disobedience. But even in the midst of the curses, God promised victory for the seed of the woman – He would crush the head of the serpent, that is, kill and destroy the devil completely. But this victory would not come without collateral damage. In the process, the serpent would bruise His heel, that is, inflict some kind of pain on the woman’s seed. 

All of the Old Testament expects and looks forward to the particular seed of the woman who will crush Satan and his armies. And progressively, the identity of this Savior is revealed throughout biblical history (see here). The Old Testament goes beyond revealing His identity and gives us hints regarding the pain He will suffer; the greatest hint can be seen in Isaiah 53. The Servant of the Lord, who is the seed of the woman, will be despised and forsaken (Is 53:3), stricken (Is 53:4), He will be pierced and scourged (Is 53:5), oppressed (Is 53:7), and killed (Is 53:9). This was God’s prophecy through the prophet Isaiah.  

Where It Was Accomplished

The New Testament shows clearly that Jesus, the Nazarene, is that seed of the woman. And Jesus provided sufficient evidence in His lifetime that He was the only One who had power over Satan and his armies. (Matt 4:1-11; Mark 5:1-13; Luke 4:40-41). As He came to the end of His earthly life, Jesus knew that He would be bruised, that is, put to death. But this was also the moment when He would crush the head of the serpent (Satan).

This final act begins in a garden (Gethsemane) just as the first act ended in a garden (Eden). Jesus was betrayed and forsaken, He was then falsely accused, scourged, nailed (pierced) to the cross, and put to death. But as He was enduring this bruise, He was also defeating all the enemies of His people. 

• Jesus defeated sin on the cross. We read in Rom 8:3 that God condemned sin in Jesus’ flesh.  
• Jesus defeated Satan and His armies on the cross. We read this in Col 2:15 that Jesus disarmed the rulers and powers – the forces of darkness – and made a public display of them.
• Jesus defeated sickness on the cross. Peter says in 1 Pet 2:24 that by His wounds we are healed. 
• By dying on the cross, Jesus went into death’s realm to defeat the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb 2:14). 

So, Jesus was waging war and defeating His people's enemies on the cross. And in that sense, Jesus was exercising His kingly duties on the cross. The greatest confirmation of this fact is His resurrection (see here). If Jesus had not risen, then none of this would have been true. He would have been just another person who was beaten and crucified and put to death on the cross. But His resurrection is evidence that Jesus truly accomplished victory over all of His people's enemies. He was not defeated; rather, as the only true King, He defeated sin, sickness, death, and Satan. 

It Was For His People

Jesus underwent this bruising and accomplished this victory for us, His people. Even in Isaiah’s prophecy, we see that the Servant of the Lord endures the suffering on behalf of us. He bore our griefs and our sorrows, He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities (Is 53:4-5). 

Peter tells us that Jesus bore our sins in His body so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet 2:24). What we could not accomplish, God did; He condemned sin in Jesus’ flesh so that we can be free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2-3). Jesus hung on the cross and became a curse for us to free us from the curse we incurred for disobeying God’s Law (Gal 4:13). Jesus defeated death so that we should no longer be slaves to the fear of death (Heb 2:15) rather be victorious over it (1 Cor 15:55-57). 

The death that we deserved, Jesus suffered on the cross; and in His victory, we are victorious. 

How it still continues

The victory that Jesus achieved was once and for all time. And those who are united to Jesus – that is, those who have turned away from their sin and from trusting in their works to trusting in the finished work of Jesus – they enjoy this victory now on this earth (Rom 8:37). And they will enjoy it even more fully when Jesus establishes His kingdom here on the earth (Rev 5:10).  

As we remember Jesus’ victory in His death and His resurrection, will you reign with Him in His kingdom? 

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
Christ, the Lord upon the tree
In the stead of ruined sinners
Hangs the lamb in victory
See the price of our redemption
See the Father's plan unfold
Bringing many sons to glory
Grace unmeasured, love untold

Come, behold the wondrous mystery
Slain by death, the God of life
But no grave could ever restrain Him
Praise the Lord, He is alive
What a foretaste of deliverance
How unwavering our hope
Christ in power resurrected
As we will be when He comes