As the fulfillment of Isaiah 11:10, Christ in Revelation 5:5 is called “the Root of David.” This title (He is also the Root of David’s father Jesse, Isa. 11:1) signifies that Christ is the source of David. Therefore, as his forefather in the flesh, David called Him “the Lord” (Matt. 22:42-45).
As we shall see, Christ in His humanity was a descendant of David and was born of David. But Revelation 5:5 says that Christ is the Root of David, meaning that David grows out of Christ. The Bible also says that Christ is the Branch of David (Jer. 23:5). Hence, Christ is both the root and the branch. In Isaiah 11:1 and 10 we see that Christ is also a branch and a root of Jesse.
We have seen that Christ is both the Root of David and a descendant of David. In the sight of God David was the unique person in the Old Testament who fought the battle and gained authority, fighting the battle for God and gaining His authority. The fact that Christ is the Root of David means that He is greater than David. This is the reason He holds the key of David (Rev. 3:7). Whatever David was and whatever he had and did were altogether out of this root. Therefore, as the Root of David Christ is more powerful and victorious than David and has God’s authority in full.
Christ is not only the Root of David but also the seed of David. In 2 Samuel 7:12 and 13 is a prophecy regarding Christ as the seed of David: “I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in Romans 1:3: “Concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came out of the seed of David according to the flesh.” This verse speaks of Christ’s humanity, His human nature, saying that He was born out of the seed of David according to the flesh. Christ, therefore, is both the source of David and the issue of David. On the one hand, David came out of Him; on the other hand, He came out of David. In this we see the all-inclusiveness of Christ.
In Psalm 45:6 we have the following prophecy concerning Christ: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.” In Hebrews 1:8 this word is applied to Christ, the Son: “As to the Son, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” This reveals that Christ, the Son, is God Himself. Furthermore, He has an eternal throne, and the authority, the scepter of His kingdom, is a right scepter. This refers to Christ’s reigning in the kingdom. He is God Himself, and He will be the King in the millennium reigning over the entire earth.
Psalm 45:7 goes on to prophesy further of Christ: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” The fulfillment of this prophecy is in Hebrews 1:9. Righteousness represents what is related to God, and lawlessness represents what is related to Satan, the wicked one. For Christ to love righteousness and hate lawlessness means that He loves the things related to God and hates the things related to Satan. Christ loves God and hates Satan.
Because Christ loves righteousness and hates lawlessness, God, even His God, has anointed Him. In Hebrews 1:8 and 9 “O God…Your God” refer to the Son. Since the Son is God Himself, He is God; therefore, verse 8 says, “O God.” Since the Son is also a man, God is His God; therefore, verse 9 says, “Your God.” Christ, the very God, has been anointed by God. He is the One whose God has anointed Him with the oil of exultant joy.
According to Hebrews 1:9, God has anointed Christ with the oil of exultant joy above Christ’s partners. This verse does not mean that Christ’s partners are not anointed; rather, it means that they are anointed under Him. We are Christ’s anointed partners. He is anointed above us, and we are anointed under Him. He is the anointed One, and we are the anointed ones.
In God’s economy Christ is God’s appointed One to accomplish God’s plan, and we are Christ’s partners in the divine interest. He was anointed by God, and we share with Him in this anointing for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. We are partners of Christ, sharing with Him the spiritual anointing, even as the members of the Body share the Spirit with the Head.