Epaggelia

v1, Christ sitting at the right hand of God, shows as much terror to his enemies as happiness to his people. The power of this victory will be the utter ruin of his enemies. We have here the Redeemer saving his friends, and comforting them. Matthew 22:44, 28:18

v2, We need to pray for the continued use of the rod of divine strength. It was by his rod that Moses beat the Egyptians, and made miracles for Israel, and whenever the Lord Jesus sends forth the rod of his strength, our spiritual enemies are overcome today. There is an allusion here to Aaron’s rod which budded and so proved his power; stored in the ark, but our Lord’s rod is sent forth to subdue his enemies. This promise began to be fulfilled at Pentecost, and it continues even to this day, and will have a grander fulfilment, Revelation 6:2

v3, This work of grace in our regeneration is here described, for it is a spiritual resurrection. Even as the holy dead rise gladly into the lovely image of our Lord, so do our enlivened souls put on the glorious righteousness of Christ. We stand before the Lord and serve him. How truly beautiful is holiness! God himself admires it. How wonderful also is the eternal youth of the mystical body of Christ! As the dew is new every morning, so is there constant growth to give to the church perpetual youthfulness, 2nd Corinthians 8:5.

v4, Melchizedek is an eternal glimpse through our history that shows Jesus is sworn in to be the priest of his people, and he indeed lives on, because his commission is sealed by the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah. If his priesthood could be revoked, and his authority removed, it would be the end of all hope and life for the people he loves; but this sure rock is the basis of our security, Hebrews 7:11-24.

v5,  In the last days all the kingdoms of the earth shall be overcome by the kingdom of heaven, and those who dare oppose him will meet with overwhelming ruin. What are kings when they dare oppose the Son of God? A single stroke is enough for their destruction. When the angel of the Lord hit Herod Agrippa there was no second blow; he was eaten by worms and died, Acts 4:26 & 12:1. Pilate too met an embarrassing end, as well as Herod the Great, about whom Josephus records, “a loathsome disease descended upon the ruler as a judgment from God on account of his sins. He describes the horrible details —burning fever, ulcerated entrails, foul discharges, convulsions, stench, etc. (Antiquities 17.6.5).

v6, This doesn’t need to be understood literally, but as a poetical description of the overthrow of all rebellious powers and the defeat of all unholy principles. But if kings oppose the Lord with weapons of war, the result is their overwhelming defeat and the entire destruction of their forces, 2nd Thessalonians 2:8

v7, Expressing the joyous comfort, which Christ, as man, has in the presence of God, and at his right hand, having finished the work of our salvation; he then drinks to his refreshment of the river of divine pleasure, when God showed him the path of life, and raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, and introduced him into his presence; wherein is our fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore, Psalm 16:11 & Revelation 22:1-2.