Man lost the headship and dominion given to him in Genesis 1 and 2. If we turn to Psalm B, we shall find that there is a "Son of Man" on whom this dominion is bestowed. 'Thou madest Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas" (vss. 6-5). Who is this "Son of Man"? And where is this dominion to be exercised and enjoyed?
Hebrews 2 answers us: "Unto the angels hath lie not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the Son of Man, that Thou visitest him? Thou madest Him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst Him with glory and honor, and didst set Him over the works of Thy hands: Thou past put all things in subjection under His feet.... But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus... crowned with glory and honor" (vss. 5-9). It is the second Adam—the Son of Man—to whom this headship is given. It is in an age to come that this dominion is to be exercised and enjoyed. Meanwhile, when waiting for the assumption of this headship, He is "crowned with glory and honor.”
We will now turn to Ephesians 1:19-2319And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:19‑23) to discover what work progresses while He is there. We find the Apostle again quoting the same psalm in verse 22. He speaks of the exceeding greatness of God's power: “Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [age], but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”
We learn from this and other scriptures that while He is thus exalted and hidden from the world, a church, or bride, is being formed for Him out of Jew and Gentile. And God puts forth the same power that He used to raise Christ, as man, from the dead and set Him at His own right hand. (He was always the eternal Son, the Word that was with God, and was God.) That same power is put forth to quicken with, raise up together and seat together in Christ in the heavenly places the joint-heirs by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven.
We find this psalm again used by the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:2727For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. (1 Corinthians 15:27). There we learn that this dominion is taken by Christ at the resurrection of the saints from among the dead, of which the chapter treats. Christ has been the "firstfruits" of this "first resurrection." Then follows, "They that are Christ's [and they only] at His coming." When that day comes, some shall not have been laid to sleep by Jesus, but all—living or dead—shall be raised or changed.
God then brings in the blessing of the habitable earth, in the judgment of the world or the living, as we find largely brought before us in this and its kindred passages or context of the prophets. And the kingdoms of this world shall then become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, "when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously" (Isa. 24:2323Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. (Isaiah 24:23)).
F. G. Patterson