Tuesday: Under His Feet
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 27th of May 2025
Read Psalms 47:1-4. What does it say about our place, ultimately, in Christ’s kingdom?
Long term, the future is bright. Until then, humanity ceded dominion over the planet to Lucifer, and by the time Satan appeared at the heavenly council in Job, he boasted that this earth belonged to him.
“ ‘From where do you come?’ ” God asked.
“ ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it,’ ” he replied (Job 1:7, NKJV).
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
Satan was declaring ownership; the foot was used in antiquity to represent ownership. “ ‘Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land,’ ” God instructed Abraham, “ ‘for I will give it to you’ ” (Genesis 13:17, ESV).
Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and Zechariah 14:4, and pay attention to Christ’s feet. What differences do you find between these passages, and what do they teach us about these two different, though related, aspects of Christ’s ultimate sovereignty of this world?
Talking about what Christ does at the end of the millennium, Ellen G. White wrote: “Christ descends upon the Mount of Olives, whence, after His resurrection, He ascended, and where angels repeated the promise of His return. Says the prophet: ‘The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.’ ‘And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, . . . and there shall be a very great valley.’ ‘And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one.’ Zechariah 14:4-5,9. As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splendor, comes down out of heaven, it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it, and Christ, with His people and the angels, enters the Holy City.”—The Great Controversy, Pages 662, 663.
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Look at the hope we have been given in Jesus. Think about how hard life would be if everything ended, forever, with death. It would all be futile, would it not? |
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Even the casual reader will gain a sense that all this praise in Psalm 47 is heaped on God for putting things right. I remember as a kid getting into scraps with my siblings and coming off second best. These often occurred when Dad and Mum were out milking the cows or feeding the chooks. One of the verbal responses I used in such battles was, "Just you wait till Mum gets back!" There was a sense that Mum would put things right again. (And to be truthful, my siblings used the same words on me, and sometimes neither of us were right.) Mum could see both sides of the scrap and the power to sort things out.
Psalm 47 Is praising God for sorting things out. The big issue for us is that in our current world, the battle between Good and Evil is still in full swing. While we believe in faith that God has sorted the problem, we only need to turn on the TV or Internet browser to see the battle in full swing. It is estimated that 250,000 people were killed in war-related events in 2024. I live on the edge of a city with a population of that size!
Sometimes, the idea of praising God for the final outcome seems like we have our head in clouds. I remind myself that the global problem of sin is God's problem and not mine. For my part, I need to live as though Jesus is sovereign in my life and that needs to be reflected to others in the way that sets things right for them too.
This is so true
There are clear references to all things being under Christ's feet.
Eph 1:22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ESV
I am a bit at loss to see the reference to His feet in 1Thess 4 verses used in today's lesson.
Can anyone help me to find this connection
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17- the second coming Jesus is in the air. His feet do not touch the earth because the faithful saints who are dead snd those alive " meet Him in the air". In Zechariah 14:4 Christ’s feet are on the earth on Mt Olive and there is a clevage in the earth. While Christ's feet may be in different positions, His power, authority and sovreinity in both (all) situations is clear.
I guess that is what the lesson was getting at. I didn't think the reference was great as the verses do not mention Christ's feet at all.
Could it also mean that God has dominion (lays claim) to those who walk in Him on earth, both past and present, 'til Christ's second coming. Due to this breach in Satan's power on earth, God is demonstrating Who has true dominion on earth prior to Christ's second coming. God's people, individually and collectively are His feet on earth 'til the 2nd coming.
-- Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. the life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God ...
-- 1 Cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ ...
-- Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created for good works ... that we should walk in them.
-- Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
-- Ps 8:6 If you have given Him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under His feet.
-- Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good new... (Rom 10:15)
-- Mt 25:31-46 Parable of sheep & goats -- for what you do/don't do for the least you do/don't do for Christ
Amazing things happen at the feet of Jesus. And no one knows that better than Mary of Bethany. Nearly every time her name is mentioned in the Bible, she can be found at the feet of Jesus. In fact, the Bible shares three different stories about Mary at Jesus’ feet and each time amazing things happened. Mary is found at His feet Have you ever thought that maybe God is calling you to slow down a little, take a deep breath, and actually smell the roses? Maybe Jesus is trying to tell you what he told David: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). It isn’t easy to be still. It requires us to change our focus. While Martha was focused on her tasks, Mary was focused on her Teacher. While Martha was focused on jobs, Mary focused on Jesus.
What amazes me is that even after reading this story, many of us are tempted to cheer for Martha! While Martha was distracted by many things, Mary had discovered the one thing worthy of all her attention. This calls for us to change our attention and pray to have the heart of Mary, a shift in fellowship everyday to remain at the feet of Jesus. Martha had opened her house to Jesus, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that she had opened her heart to him. In her eagerness to serve Jesus, she almost missed the opportunity to know Jesus.
Motanya Dan – thank you for the gentle reminder to slow down, take a deep breath, and truly “smell the roses.” I take your advice to heart. It calls me to pause and breathe in the sweet fragrance of His Presence, found in the stillness of a quiet mind and a calm heart.
Your reflection about Martha also touched my heart — how she welcomed Jesus into her home, yet may not have fully opened her heart to Him. It’s easy to become busy “serving the Lord,” like bees in constant motion, and forget to sit at His feet - resting -, where our strength is renewed and our hearts are refocused.
Some people are very convicted about death being the end of everything for a person; in a sense, it is. What God offers us is a deeper concept than that: a "living" state of death, achieved by constant prayer and self-denial. Eternity will be a consequence to those who consciously die to self and live for Christ. Here and now is all we have.
Humans have put together life-changing and world-changing inventions during my lifetime: internet has revolutionized communication, smartphones put instant info at our fingertips, personal computers, GPS, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, renewable energy, gene editing technologies, pacemakers and artificial corneas and advanced prosthetics...the list is vast and possibly endless. Does this mean we humans can conquer every and any obstacle? Solve every problem? Shape our world and possibly even our universe in any way? What is your answer?
My answer is yes and no.
Yes, we were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) with reasoning and problem-solving capabilities that would be, perhaps, limitless. Yes, God made us lords of His creation (Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 8:6), making us rulers over everything He made, crowning us with glory and honor (Ps. 8:5). God gives us wisdom to be stewards and caretakers of all on planet Earth, to invent and create for the good of all (or to use these powers to create for the destruction of others). God foresees that knowledge will increase over time and the speed at which we will share knowledge will "run to and fro", defying bodily limitations (Dan. 12:4).
But no. We are not currently lords over creation. Satan is (2 Cor. 4:4 KJV; John 12:31).
Sin in us pollutes and destroys these gifts of leadership and mental power God has given us. Romans 1:21-22 explains how the human mind has become foolish and darkened due to pride. The Today's English Version says "their thoughts have become complete nonsense". Eph. 4:17-18 echoes this.
All of the Jesus-less "wisdom" of this world leads to death. All of it. The Elon Musks and Einsteins, you and I, without Jesus, are only carcasses. We may have some influence on the world's trends or the well-being of others even past our lifespan on Earth, but ultimately it all comes to a halt. No one has conquered death. All the anti-aging procedures and products can't stop it. Politicians, scientists, doctors, old people and babies, we all die. Death has the final say on our human capabilities to caretake planet Earth. Death rules over human accomplishments. Death took Franz Schubert and left behind his "Unfinished Symphony". Beethoven also left behind his 9th and 10th Symphonies. Leonardo da Vinci left numerous projects and inventions on his planning board at his death. Authors, artists, people you and I know, all with dreams and to-do lists left undone the moment they stopped breathing.
But wait. Into this endless cycle of life and death came one unique person. One Man, one God-Man, who did conquer death. Jesus fulfills God's original plan for humanity. Jesus gives us the opportunity to change and regain our God-given rulership. In Jesus, we transform from carcasses into conquerors!
We are still under the power of death and all kinds of weaknesses and sinful stupidities. But Jesus has now passed through weakness and death, and is crowned with power and glory and honor. He is seated in power at the right hand of God and all His enemies are subjected to Him as a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 1:13). In fact, Hebrews 1:4-13 and Hebrews 2:5-10 explains this miracle in detail. In the coming new heavens and new earth, God will once again place humans who are submitted to Jesus in a rulership position. All things are under Jesus' feet and because of that, we are destined to have all that is in creation put in subjection under our feet. No limits on our time and capacity to join with God in creation and invention and expansion and endless God-glorifying activities! Romans 16:20 even says that "soon, God will crush Satan under our feet". Soon Jesus will deal Satan the final blow and all of humanity who remains loyal to Him will truly thrive, soon we will live God's dream in peace and joy as "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and mercy and justice for all".
During the second coming; there will be the first descending. This is when Christ will meet with the faithful (both the raised from the dead and the living righteous) in the air. They will dwell in heaven for a thousand years; a period during which God's judgement shall be vindicated. Then there will be a second descending of the new Jerusalem with Christ as King. This is when the city( within which will be Christ and the saints) shall descend on the Mountain pictured as Mt olives. Christ and the saints feet will of course step on the mountain while in the city. This way according to the lesson author, Christ's kingdom will again assume dominion of the earth. God bless you and Happy Sabbath.