Introduction
† The word footstool appears throughout Scripture as a symbol of God's authority, presence, kingdom, and the complete subjection of His enemies. (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 66:1; Hebrews 10:13)
† The Old Testament introduces the imagery, and the New Testament applies it directly to Christ's reign from the right hand of God. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 1:13)
† When all the passages are examined together, they present a consistent picture of God's sovereign rule and the fulfillment of His covenant purposes through Christ. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 10:13)

1 Chronicles 28:2
Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it.
† David described the temple as the place associated with God's footstool and covenant presence. (Psalm 132:7; Psalm 99:5)
† The temple pointed forward to a greater dwelling place that would be established through Christ. (Ephesians 2:19-22; John 2:19-21)
† God's presence was never permanently confined to a physical structure. (Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:49)

Psalm 99:5
Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He.
† Worship at God's footstool acknowledges His holiness and authority. (Isaiah 66:1; Revelation 4:10-11)
† The focus is not the footstool itself but the One who reigns above it. (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13)
† Believers now approach God through Christ, our mediator. (Hebrews 12:22-24; 1 Timothy 2:5)

Psalm 110:1
The Lord says to my Lord:
"Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."
† This is the foundational footstool passage of Scripture. (Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:35)
† Christ reigns from God's right hand while His enemies are being subdued. (Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 10:13)
† The New Testament repeatedly applies this verse to Jesus. (Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43; Hebrews 1:13)

Psalm 132:7
Let's go into His dwelling place;
Let's worship at His footstool.
† God's footstool was associated with His dwelling among His covenant people. (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 99:5)
† Under the New Covenant, God's dwelling is His people rather than a physical temple. (Ephesians 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16)
† The reality has replaced the shadow. (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5)

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the Lord says:
"Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
† God declares that heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool. (Acts 7:49; Psalm 103:19)
† No earthly building can contain the Creator. (Acts 17:24-25; 1 Kings 8:27)
† This passage exposes the limitations of temple-centered thinking. (Acts 7:48-50; John 4:21-24)

Lamentations 2:1
How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion
With a cloud in His anger!
He has hurled
The glory of Israel from heaven to earth,
And has not remembered His footstool
In the day of His anger.
† God's footstool was associated with covenant Israel and the temple system. (Psalm 132:7; 1 Chronicles 28:2)
† Jerusalem's destruction demonstrated that covenant privilege did not remove accountability. (Matthew 23:37-38; Luke 21:20-22)
† Judgment came upon the nation because of covenant unfaithfulness. (Deuteronomy 28:58-63; Matthew 24:34)

Ezekiel 43:7
And He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the corpses of their kings when they die,
† God's throne and footstool imagery are joined together in this vision. (Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 99:5)
† The ultimate fulfillment is found in God's dwelling with His redeemed people. (Revelation 21:3; Ephesians 2:21-22)
† Christ established the everlasting covenant dwelling place. (Hebrews 12:22-24; John 14:23)

Matthew 5:35
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
† Jesus quoted Isaiah 66:1 and affirmed God's universal authority. (Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 103:19)
† The earth belongs to God because He is its Creator and King. (Psalm 24:1; Acts 17:24)
† Christ directed attention away from religious traditions and toward God's sovereignty. (John 4:21-24; Matthew 23:16-22)

Matthew 22:44
'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet"'?
† Jesus applied Psalm 110 directly to Himself. (Psalm 110:1; Mark 12:36)
† He identified Himself as David's Lord. (Matthew 22:45; Acts 2:34-36)
† The footstool promise belongs to the Messiah. (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13)

Mark 12:36
David himself said in the Holy Spirit,'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet."'
† Jesus affirmed the divine inspiration of Psalm 110. (2 Peter 1:21; Psalm 110:1)
† The Messiah is greater than David. (Matthew 22:45; Acts 2:34-36)
† Christ's authority rests upon God's fulfilled promise. (Luke 1:32-33; Hebrews 1:13)

Luke 20:43
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.
† Christ's enemies were being subjected during His reign. (1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 10:13)
† The kingdom was already active in the apostolic age. (Colossians 1:13; Acts 2:36)
† His victory was certain because God Himself guaranteed it. (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13)

Acts 2:35
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."'
† Peter declared that Psalm 110 was being fulfilled through Christ's exaltation. (Acts 2:33-36; Psalm 110:1)
† Jesus was already reigning at God's right hand. (Acts 2:36; Ephesians 1:20-22)
† The kingdom was not postponed. (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9)

Acts 7:49
'Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?' says the Lord,
'Or what place is there for My rest?
† Stephen quoted Isaiah 66:1 before his martyrdom. (Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:48)
† He challenged the belief that God was confined to the temple. (Acts 17:24-25; John 4:21-24)
† His message anticipated the end of the Old Covenant temple system. (Matthew 24:1-2; Hebrews 8:13)

Hebrews 1:13
But to which of the angels has He ever said,
"Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Your enemies
A footstool for Your feet"?
† No angel has ever received the authority given to Christ. (Hebrews 1:3-4; Philippians 2:9-11)
† The Son alone reigns at God's right hand. (Psalm 110:1; Ephesians 1:20-22)
† The footstool promise belongs exclusively to Him. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:35)

Hebrews 10:13
waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet.
† Christ sat down because His sacrificial work was complete. (Hebrews 10:12; John 19:30)
† He reigns while His enemies are brought into subjection. (1 Corinthians 15:25; Psalm 110:1)
† The Old Covenant opposition was judged within that generation. (Matthew 24:34; Hebrews 8:13)

1 Corinthians 15:25-28
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is clear that this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
† Paul explains the fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 by describing Christ reigning until His enemies are placed beneath His feet. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-35)
† The footstool imagery represents complete subjection to Christ's authority and kingdom. (Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 1:13)
† Christ's reign was already in progress when Paul wrote these words, demonstrating that the kingdom had already been established. (Colossians 1:13; Acts 2:36)
† The passage presents Christ as a reigning King, not a future King waiting to begin His reign. (Hebrews 10:12-13; Revelation 1:5)

James 2:3
and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,"
† James uses a footstool as an illustration of social discrimination. (James 2:1-4)
† The passage condemns favoritism among believers. (James 2:9; Galatians 3:28)
† God's kingdom is not based upon worldly status. (James 2:5; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Historical References
† Josephus recorded the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70, confirming the judgment that ended the Old Covenant age. (Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 21:20-24)
† Eusebius viewed the fall of Jerusalem as divine judgment upon those who rejected Christ. (Matthew 23:37-38; Matthew 24:34)
† Early Christian writers consistently interpreted Psalm 110 as referring to Christ's present heavenly reign. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-36)

How It Applies To Us Today
† Christ reigns now from the right hand of the Father. (Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 10:13)
† We live under the authority of a victorious King. (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-22)
† God's dwelling is with His people through Christ. (Ephesians 2:21-22; Revelation 21:3)
† Our confidence rests in Christ's completed work and present kingdom. (Hebrews 12:28; Colossians 1:13)

Q & A Appendix
Q: What does footstool symbolize in Scripture?
A: It symbolizes God's authority, presence, and the subjection of His enemies. (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 66:1)
Q: Why is Psalm 110:1 important?
A: It is the primary passage used by the New Testament to describe Christ's reign from God's right hand. (Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:13)
Q: Is Christ reigning now?
A: Yes. The New Testament consistently presents Christ as reigning now from heaven. (Acts 2:36; Hebrews 10:13)
Q: What is the believer's response?
A: Worship, obedience, confidence, and faith in the reigning King. (Psalm 99:5; Hebrews 12:28)
Q: Are Christ's enemies still being made His footstool today?
A: Scripture says Christ reigns until all enemies are subjected beneath His feet. The New Testament presents that reign as already underway in the first century. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-36; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28; Hebrews 10:13)
Q: If Christ reigns until all enemies are placed under His feet, does that mean He will stop reigning when the kingdom is handed over to the Father?
A: No. The word "until" marks the completion of a task, not the end of Christ's reign. After all enemies are subjected, Christ delivers the perfected kingdom to the Father and remains forever united with the Father in that reign. His kingdom has no end. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Luke 1:32-33; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 11:15)
A: Paul is describing a change in administration, not the termination of Christ's kingship. The Son remains King while all things are brought into their completed order under God. (1 Corinthians 15:27-28; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11)

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index
† 1 Chronicles 28:2, Psalm 99:5, Psalm 110:1, Psalm 132:7, Isaiah 66:1, Lamentations 2:1, Ezekiel 43:7, Matthew 5:35, Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:43, Acts 2:35, Acts 7:49, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 10:13, 1 Corinthians 15:25-28, James 2:3
† Josephus, Eusebius