Peter then added a second evidence that Jesus was the Christ. He had proved that David had prophesied Messiah"s resurrection ( Acts 2:27). Now he said that David also prophesied Messiah"s ascension ( Psalm 110:1). This was a passage from the Old Testament that Jesus had earlier applied to Himself ( Matthew 22:43-44; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-42). It may have been Jesus" use of this passage that enabled His disciples to grasp the significance of His resurrection. It may also have served as the key to their understanding of these prophecies of Messiah in the Old Testament. [source][source][source]
David evidently meant that the LORD (Yahweh, God the Father) said the following to David"s Lord (Adonai, Master, evidently a reference to Messiah or possibly Solomon). David may have composed this psalm on the occasion of Solomon"s coronation as Israel"s king. Clearly it is an enthronement psalm. Yahweh, the true King of Israel, extended the privilege of serving as His administrator to Messiah (or Solomon), His vice-regent. Yahweh included a promise that He would subdue His vice-regent"s enemies. Peter took this passage as a prophecy about David"s greatest Song of Solomon , Messiah. Yahweh said to David"s Lord, Messiah, sit beside me and rule for me, and I will subdue your enemies. This is something God the Father said to God the Son. Peter understood David"s reference to his Lord as extending to Messiah, David"s ultimate descendant. [source][source][source]
"Peter"s statement that Jesus is presently at "the right hand of God," in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1, has been a focal point of disagreement between dispensational and non-dispensational interpreters. Traditional dispensationalists have understood this as teaching the present session of Christ in heaven before his return to fulfill the Davidic messianic kingdom promise of a literal reign on earth. They are careful to distinguish between the Davidic throne and the position that Christ presently occupies in heaven at the right hand of God ( Acts 2:30). [1][source]
"Non-dispensationalists, by contrast, see Peter"s statement as a clear indication that the New Testament has reinterpreted the Davidic messianic prophecies. The messianic throne has been transferred from Jerusalem to heaven, and Jesus "has begun his messianic reign as the Davidic king."" [2][source]
"This does not mean that Jesus is at the present time ruling from the throne of David, but that He is now at "the right hand of the Father" until His enemies are vanquished ( Acts 2:33-35)." [3][source]
". . . it is preferable to see David"s earthly throne as different from the Lord"s heavenly throne, because of the different contexts of Psalm 110 , 132. Psalm 110 refers to the Lord"s throne ( Acts 2:1) and a Melchizedekian priesthood ( Acts 2:4) but Psalm 132refers to David"s throne ( Acts 2:11) and (Aaronic) priests ( Acts 2:9; Acts 2:16).... [source][source][source]
"Because the Messiah is the anointed Descendant of David and the Davidic Heir, He presently possesses the right to reign though He has not yet assumed David"s throne. This was also true of David, who assumed the throne over Israel years after he was anointed. [source][source][source]
"Before Christ will be seated on David"s throne ( Psalm 110:2), He is seated at the right hand of God ( Acts 2:1). His present session is a position of honor and power, but the exercise of that power is restricted to what God has chosen to give the Son. God the Father reigns and has decreed that Christ dispense blessings from the Holy Spirit to believers in this present age. When Christ returns to earth to begin His messianic reign on David"s throne, He will conquer His enemies ( Psalm 110:2; Psalm 110:5-7). Until then, He is now seated at God"s right hand ( Acts 2:1), exercising the decreed role of the Melchizedekian King-Priest ( Acts 2:4), the believer"s great High Priest ( Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 5:10; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 10:21)." [4][source]
"Christ"s enthronement at the time of His ascension was not to David"s throne, but rather was a restoration to the position at His Father"s right hand ( Hebrews 1:3; Acts 7:56), which position He had given up at the time of the Incarnation ( Philippians 2:6-8). It was for this restoration that Christ had prayed to His Father in John 17:5. Since Christ had never occupied David"s throne before the Incarnation it would have been impossible to restore Him to what He had not occupied previously. He was petitioning the Father to restore Him to His place at the Father"s right hand. Peter, in his message, establishes the fact of resurrection by testifying to the Ascension, for one who had not been resurrected could not ascend." [2][source]
Normative dispensationalists:Christ"s messianic reign will be on earth.Progressive dispensationalists:Christ"s messianic reign is now from heaven and will be on earth.Non-dispensational premillenarians:Christ"s messianic reign is now from heaven and will be on earth.Non-millennarians:Christ"s messianic reign is now and will be from heaven. [source][source][source]