How can we know God’s power in us? (Eph 1:18-23; Psalm 110)
Eph 1:18-23; Ps 110:1-7
A common greeting at Easter is the jubilant little exchange of ‘He is risen!’ answered with ‘He is risen indeed!’. But why does the resurrection matter at all? Is not the cross and atonement for sin at the heart of the gospel? What difference does it make that Jesus rose from the dead in a physical body? Could He not have gone straight to heaven from death, back to the Father to live forever? The answer is that the cross without the resurrection is only half the story. The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), says Paul, so that all who sin die. Although Jesus took our sin on Himself and died, He Himself was sinless so that death could not hold Him in its power (Acts 2:24). That God raised Him from the dead is also a sign that He accepted Jesus’ sacrifice, and it is effective in giving us the right status before God (we are justified), so that we are no longer condemned as sinners (Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:17-18). Finally, He made a new way for us, so that those who believe in Him may one day be raised from death into life in a new body (1 Cor 15:20-22).
God’s power in Psalm 110
Running through many of these arguments in the New Testament is a recurring verse about a king who, having won a decisive victory over his enemies, sits down in the place of honour on God’s right hand (Ps 110:1). While this was true of David to some extent, the psalm is also recognised as speaking of Messiah. The emphasis is on God’s powerful action, on the One who gives victory (the footstool imagery evokes the victorious king placing his foot on the defeated enemy’s neck, cf. Josh 10:24). Further, it is God who stretches out the sceptre, i.e. grants the king authority to rule (Ps 110:2) and his troops need no coercion but serve him voluntarily (Ps 110:3). Moreover, it is the Lord who grants the king protection (being at his right hand symbolises this; Ps 110:5) and who as the Divine Warrior shatters enemies and judges them (Ps 110:6). Although it is difficult to be sure who the ‘he’ is in Psalm 110:7, it is very likely the king who is refreshed by drinking from the brook (a confident action that implies a lack of fear from enemy attack) and God who lifts his head (refreshes, gives hope, confidence and victory).
God’s power in Jesus
In other words, the psalm speaks of God’s immense power, power that is delegated to the king as a gift, not to be seized but received. Although not spelt out directly, the emphasis on victory over enemies also suggests that such power is to be used not for the king’s own benefit but to save the people from those who are out to destroy them. We see the parallels to these principles in Jesus’ life. His power is a delegated authority; He is entirely dependent on the Father for the work that He does (John 5:19; 17:2). His disciples are not forced into service but give themselves freely and are ultimately a gift from God (John 17:6). Jesus also demonstrates that He will not use His power for His own benefit and refuses to save Himself from the cross (Luke 23:35). Instead, He remains utterly dependent on the Father, not resigned but trusting (Luke 23:46; Ps 31:4-5).[1]
God’s power in us
At Easter, we not only remember our redemption and the new life gifted to us but see a pattern of living in Jesus to follow; one that relies on God’s power to overcome weakness, even death. As human beings, we know our frailty. There are days when God’s power seems a distant reality, when temptation wins out in our life, when we cannot overcome our limitations, when the dreams we are chasing seem out of reach. Hope is far removed from our hearts, and we are discouraged, whether about ourselves or our situation. It is at such times that we must remember and consciously recall what Paul describes as ‘the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe’ (Eph 1:19). What can give us confidence that our circumstances and struggles are not unknown to the Lord, nor are our obstacles insurmountable for Him? Paul points to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead as this great hope, the power at work in us (Eph 1:19-20). We look to the Lord for our redemption and our daily walk with Him.
[1] I do not cover Psalm 110:4 in this post, as it would take the topic in another direction. The reference to Messiah as a priest in the order of Melchizedek is not worked out in the psalm and its implications are only reflected on in Hebrews. Melchizedek (the name means ‘king of righteousness’) was king of Salem (‘peace’, identified as the later Jerusalem). He came out to refresh Abraham with a banquet (bread and wine) after the latter returned from battle (Gen 14:18-20). Melchizedek is superior to Abraham, which is evident from the way he blesses the patriarch and the latter gives him a tithe. Since David conquered the city and established it as his capital (now named Jerusalem), he is seen as the inheritor of Melchizedek’s position as priest-king, while Abraham as the forefather of the nation represents Israel. Thus, the analogy suggests that Israel should acknowledge and submit to David/Messiah, just as Abraham submitted to Melchizedek. The Old Testament does not make much of David as priest though he does offer sacrifices on occasion, most notably as atonement after the sin of the census (2 Sam 24:1-25). The full implications of Messiah as priest are worked out in Hebrews 5:5-10; 7:1-28.
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