The New Testament uses similar language of victory to describe Christ. First Corinthians 15:21–25, and 54 portrays Him reigning until every enemy is placed under His feet, culminating in the defeat of death. John 5:29 speaks of resurrection to life and judgment, while Psalm 82:8 calls on God to judge the earth and inherit the nations. Together, these passages point to Christ’s universal reign.

The defeat of death also returns us to the Church’s kingship and the question of whom it governs. Christ and His Church serve as both priests and kings—a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9). Israel was called “a kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:6), a calling I understand as fulfilled in Christ and His Church, with Jesus as the High Priest (Heb. 8–10).

Just as the Levitical priesthood was consecrated under the Old Covenant, the Church is consecrated through Christ and given access to God to offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). In ancient Israel, the other tribes did not minister within the inner sanctuary; the priests received their offerings and presented them before God. Following this pattern, I understand the Church as serving the nations before God, while Revelation 21:24–27 distinguishes the nations from those who have access to the holy city.

Accordingly, if the Church corresponds to the Levites, then the nations subdued to Christ correspond to the twelve tribes surrounding the sanctuary (Ezek. 16:53–62; 1 Cor. 15:21–28; Num. 2:2; Rev. 11:2). In my interpretation, together they form the complete picture of “The New World under Christ,” which the Solar System analogy is intended to illustrate. Revelation 22:1–2 further supports this vision through the river of life and the tree whose leaves are “for the healing of the nations.”

For this reason, I believe the New Covenant is best understood by carefully examining the Old Covenant patterns that foreshadow it. The future roles of kings and priests become clearer through their Old Testament counterparts. Following that pattern, I conclude that the nations subdued to Christ form the outer sanctuary and become the subjects of the New Testament kings.

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