The hierarchy of God's kingdom is shown in 1 Corinthians 11:3 from which we learn firstly that: the head of every man is Christ. We also learn that although Christ is our head: the head of Christ is God (the Father).
Although Christ is not yet exerting His full authority, one day God the Father will make Christ king over all according to Daniel 7:13,14, where God the Father is called the Ancient of Days and Christ is likened in appearance to the Son of Man: behold, one like the Son of man, came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. This event has yet to occur. That the Son of Man will come to God the Father to receive the kingdom, shows that Jesus' authority is not of Himself but from His Father. This passage also confirms that the Son of God is not the Father in another state but is a separate and distinct person.
After Christ has been given the kingdom the hierarchy of the kingdom will be that: when all things shall be subdued unto him (Christ), then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (Father) that put all things under him (Son). (1 Corinthians 15:28)
When Christ reigns it will be forever: the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11) The kingdom over which Christ will reign was represented in Old Testament times by the kingdom of Israel over which David was king. Therefore the angel tells Mary of Christ: the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David . . . and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32,33)
The authority of the Father to make His Son king is shown in Psalm 2 in which Jesus is referred to as the ‘Anointed’, as the ‘Son’ and as the ‘King’. We see the opposition of the evil rulers of the world to God the Father by their rejection of His Son: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (Verses 1-3)
But God the Father declares the rule of His Son and His ultimate victory. It is so ridiculous for these nations and peoples to think they can alter God the Father's choice of king that God the Father: that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son. (Verses 4-7) We should note that it is not the foolish heathen, who may not particularly like being ruled, who are vexed, but the rulers who take crafty counsel to overthrow righteous rule, against whom God's wrath is stirred up. God loves the world, even the foolish and disobedient, but hates oppressive rulers. I will leave the discussion of Christ's future Kingdom to other articles. But the people will be happy when Christ rules.
There are two reasons why Jesus has been anointed King. The first is that He is the Son of God, and fathers traditionally give their kingdom to their son as an inheritance. So God the Father says to Christ: Thou art my Son . . . I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalm 2:7,8)
The second reason Jesus was made king is that He proved Himself worthy by humility, obedience and suffering: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and of things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)
Although Christ has not yet received the kingdom in totality God the Father has: 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 (Ephesians 1:20,21), so: that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. (Colossians 1:18)
Although man on earth has not yet accepted the reign of Jesus Christ, those in heaven have. It is written: Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. (1 Peter 3:21,22)
The Son of God is not yet exercising His full authority over all the world. If He were, many things which now occur would not be allowed to continue. But Jesus is awaiting the day when the Father will have prepared the world for His reign, according to the promise: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1) ‘The LORD’ with letters in capital is an incorrect translation for the name of God the Father which is YAHWEY. (Bible translators thought God's name was too holy even to write.) The Lord in small letters refers to Christ. At this present time it is the Father who is enforcing the authority of the Son who is seated.
While the God the Father is not yet enforcing the full authority of His Son over the world in general, He is exercising sufficient power to achieve His eternal purpose of enthroning His Son, as He perfects those who are good and defeats those who are evil. He does this by working with His Son and standing by Him. And so Christ said: All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)
We must submit to Christ's authority, for no matter how high is our position we are nothing before God. To ignore God and His commands is to rebel against God, and this shall not prosper: Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:10-12)
Because Jesus did not show His full power when He came, we must believe by faith that He is the coming King, because of the signs of prophecy fulfilled and because of His wonderful words. One of the prophecies of the coming king was Zechariah 9:9: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
This humble appearance was fulfilled literally, as recorded in the gospel of Matthew 21:6-9: the disciples . . . brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him (Jesus) thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitude that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. The reason why this was a sign that could not be imitated by an impostor, is that the colt upon which Jesus rode, had never been ridden before. Such a colt would always buck: ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither . . . And they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. (Luke 19:30,35)
Two thousand years ago most of the Jews did not recognise these signs and so rejected their King, saying: Away with this man . . . crucify him. (Luke 23:18,21) Nevertheless on the cross Pilate wrote: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Matthew 27:37).
But Jesus did not come to reign over the whole world at that time. He explained to Pilate: My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36) The 'world' spoken of here refers not to the planet earth, but to the existing systems of government that are upon the planet earth, and which will continue until Christ returns. As Jesus is not yet directly reigning, people today have a choice whether or not to obey God. But, if they want to go to heaven, and be in Christ's future kingdom, they must obey.
Whilst Jesus, when He came, did not exercise His authority over the world in general, He did exercise His authority over God's house (the temple): Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:12,13) The moneychangers had been charging a fee for God's service, instead of being supported by voluntary gifts. This they had been doing by selling the doves and other animals at a profit, which were required for sacrifices under the Law of Moses.