When Did Christ’s Reign Begin? Is Christ Really Reigning Today?

Although Jesus was born a King circa (c.) 4 B.C., He went forth preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God as King of that Kingdom in A.D. 26. Recall that He affirmed to Pontius Pilate that He was a King and that His Kingdom did not have its origins in this world, but had its source from heaven itself. In A.D. 30, however, sometime after Jesus’ Resurrection and before His final Ascension to heaven, which occurred 40 days after His Resurrection, He ascended to His Father to receive His Kingdom, His coronation, and to sit at His Father’s right hand “until all of His enemies were made a footstool for His feet.” His reign over heaven, earth, and under the earth began at that coronation in heaven in A.D. 30.  This is why His disciples were said to have preached “another King” (Jesus). The Church’s affirming publicly that there was another King other than Caesar caused the Roman rulers and the rulers of the Jews great angst. Then, as promised, and as expected by the apostles and disciples, Jesus Christ and His Kingdom came in power in A.D. 70, a sign of which was the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Jesus’ disciples knew this and warned the Jews and the Gentiles of the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom, also known as His Appearing, or His Parousia as we shall learn. Christ’s coming to establish His Kingdom brought with it His salvation for His people, the Church, and His vengeance against those among the Jews who had apostatized and were persecutors of His Church. That powerful coming of the Lord and His Kingdom came quickly on that day in A.D. 70, as manifested in the fall of the Great City of Jerusalem and its temple, which was seen by all as that expected “appearing” of the Lord. This was the event that was a sign of the Son of Man reigning in heaven. That first century event was the beginning of Christ’s reign. Within that event was the establishment of the Church as the New Jerusalem (for she had persevered through the Great Tribulation between A.D. 66-70), and the inauguration of the New Heavens and New Earth.29 From that day forward, the 1st of Tishri, in A.D. 70, the Kingdom of God has been powerfully filling the earth. It took only 300 years for the Kingdom of Christ to fill the Roman Empire and for its people to look to the Church for salvation during and after the Roman Empire’s downfall as the prophet Daniel had predicted. Today, there is not a square mile on earth that is not under the authority of a Church diocese and bishop. So yes, Christ is really reigning today. So, now we gladly join the Church, worship God freely and joyfully with the saints, His people. We also feed upon Christ the King’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist weekly. We then eat, drink, and be merry, while fearing God and keeping His Commandments, the end of which is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.