Jesus’ Administration
After Jesus was resurrected, and just prior to him being taken up into heaven, he told his disciples:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
– Matthew 28:18-20
So at that time, in 33 C.E., Jesus was given sovereignty over the Kingdom of God in heaven and as it develops on earth. Are we then to assume that he was ruling his entire universe alone? Of course not! He has myriads of attendants who were working with him prior to his bestowal on earth (John 18:36) and ‘legions of angels.’ (Matthew 26:53) Every living things in our universe was created by the Christ long, long ago. He surely created beings that are part of his administrative and executive staff, beings far superior in knowledge, wisdom and understanding than man.
Also, while on earth, Jesus said that he was going away to prepare places for us in heaven. (John 14:2-4) Is he doing this preparation work all alone? Hardly! Knowing that Christ Jesus is perfect and complete, we have no doubt that his administration is now, always has been, and always will be fully staffed, lacking nothing and no one.
However, we know that the book of Revelation refers to a special administration of certain ones who will rule with Christ during a 1,000 year period.
“And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
– Revelation 5:9-10
“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share 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 20:4-6
Since this is prophecy, we are not certain who these individual will be. There are differing interpretations of these verses and who are represented. Some of us may be among that number, but it appears that most of us will not. We recall an account where certain apostles of Jesus asked him to appoint them to certain positions in the Kingdom of God:
“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
– Matthew 20:20-23
Since Jesus did not know, we do not suspect we will have prior knowledge of it either, at least not until the Father elects to specifically reveal it. But this is not at all bad news for us faith-sons of God. We suspect that when we begin the heavenly assent to the Father, our hearts will be focused on going forward. While some may have assignments that deal with the earth, but we suspect that the vast majority of us will be going on to bigger and better things:
“Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:9
