In this message we come to the last aspect of what Christ is in His person-Christ in the divine administration.
In the divine administration Christ is the Ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). The Christ who is God eternal, who became a man, who lived on earth for thirty-three and a half years, who died an all-inclusive death on the cross, who resurrected to become the life-giving Spirit, and who ascended to the heavens to be the Lord, the Christ, and the Executor of God’s New Testament economy is now the Ruler of the kings of the earth. As the Ruler of the kings, He is far above all earthly rulers. Apparently the earth is ruled by kings and presidents; actually the Lord Jesus rules the whole earth through the earthly authorities. Even all the kings and presidents are under His rule. He is the Ruler of all the ones who are in power. He is the chief Ruler in the divine government for the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). As such a Ruler, He rules the entire earth. Today the entire world is under the Lord’s ruling. He is sovereign over everyone and everything.
In the divine administration Christ is also the Judge of the churches (Rev. 1:13-16). As the One who walks in the midst of the churches, He has eyes that are as a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14), for Him to observe and search in His judging by enlightening. The book of Revelation is a book with a judging nature, and fire is for divine judgment (1 Cor. 3:13; Heb. 6:8; 10:27). “Our God is also a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). His throne is like the fiery flame and its wheels as burning fire, and a fiery stream issues and comes forth from before Him (Dan. 7:9-10). All this is for judgment. The main significance of the Lord’s eyes being as a flame of fire is for His judgment (Rev. 2:18-23; 19:11-12).
Revelation 1:15 says that, as the Judge of the churches, Christ has feet that are “like shining brass, as having been fired in a furnace.” Feet signify one’s walk, and in typology brass signifies divine judgment (Exo. 27:1-6). When Christ was on earth, His earthly walk and daily walk were tried and tested. Because His walk was tested, it came out shining. To be fired in the furnace is to be tried by being burned. Christ’s walk was tried by His sufferings, even by His death on the cross. Now the feet of Christ are as shining brass, signifying that His perfect and bright walk qualifies Him to exercise the divine judgment.
The sharp two-edged sword that proceeds out of Christ’s mouth (Rev. 1:16) is also related to judgment. This sword signifies Christ’s discerning, judging, and slaying word (Heb. 4:12: Eph. 6:17), which is for His dealing with negative persons and things. The words that proceed out of the Lord’s mouth are sharp, piercing into our being, dividing our soul from our spirit, and discerning the intents of our heart. Because of the church’s degradation, we all need a certain amount of judgment by the Lord’s word.
In Revelation 2:12 and 18 we again see Christ as the Judge of the churches. Speaking to the church in Pergamos, the Lord says in verse 12: “These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword.” Speaking to the church in Thyatira, He says in verse 18: “These things says the Son of God, who has eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like shining brass.” The church in Pergamos, a worldly church, needed to receive the Lord’s judgment in His sharp word. The church in Thyatira, an apostate church, needed the judging of His searching eyes and treading feet. The Lord’s eyes search the inward parts and the heart, and His feet judge and give to everyone according to his works (2:23). As the Administrator of God’s New Testament economy He judges, and His judgment begins from the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). Christ judges the churches by dressing, snuffing, trimming, the lampstands.
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