Here are two statements from Mr. Rice: “Jesus will restore all Israel to their own land, the land of Canaan, and will rule over them from David’s throne.” “Jesus is not now sitting in his throne, but in his Father’s throne, according to Rev. 3:21.” His idea is that when Jesus comes again he will descend from that universal throne which he now occupies with the father and sit on David’s throne as king of the Jews, thus exchanging a higher for a lower. And they call that exaltation of Christ! Exalted to a lower place! “Throne” means kingly authority. David’s throne and Jehovah’s throne are the same. In I Kings it is said that “Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father.” In 1 Chron. 29:23 it is said that “Solomon sat upon the throne of Jehovah as king instead of his father.” That which was called David’s throne was Jehovah’s throne. It was called David’s throne simply because he ruled over God’s people. The effort to make a distinction between God’s throne and David’s throne is a miserable perversion of Bible truth. As Jesus now rules over God’s people, he occupies the same position that David occupied.
When did Jesus begin his reign? On Pentecost, Peter reminded his hearers that God had promised David to place one of his seed upon his throne, and that David, foreseeing this, spoke of the resurrection of Christ. Jesus was therefore raised up to sit on David’s throne. Read Acts 2:29-38. Verse 33: “Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.” To Peter the coming of the Holy Spirit on that day was proof that Jesus had been exalted to David’s throne. From John 7:37-39 we learn that the Holy Spirit would be given when Jesus was glorified. Read Mat. 20:20, 21 and Mark 10:35-37, and you will see that sitting with Jesus in his kingdom and sitting with him in his glory mean the same thing. As the giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was proof that he had entered into his glory, it is also proof that he had been exalted to rulership in his kingdom.
But it has been said that Jesus was then anointed, but did not then begin to reign, just as David was anointed some time before he began his reign. But here is a fatal defect in that illustration: Not one thing was done in the name of David as king till he actually assumed the reins of government. Acts were to begin to be performed in the name of Christ at Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came. (Luke 24:46-49.) On that day Peter commanded the people to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38.) Was Peter guilty of forging the name of Christ to a pardon proclamation? He had no right to so do, and his act was forgery, if Jesus had not authorized him to do so. And Jesus could not have authorized him to proclaim pardon in his name, if Jesus was not then occupying the throne. Not one future-kingdom advocate, nor all of them together, can answer this one argument, neglected or overlooked though it has been. It settles the whole matter as to the fact of his reigning now and as to when his reign began.