Jesus Christ is the “Son of God” who is the Creator of all things (see John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:13-17), but He is also the “Son of Man” who is seated “at the right hand of God” as seen in the verses you referenced. As we shall see, the eternal Son of God became a Man for two primary reasons:  1) To die for sinners so they could be saved and have eternal life; 2) To reign over the earth as Israel’s Messiah.

We read in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” After He was born into this world He said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). To save sinners, He (the Son of God) had to become a true Man so He could take their place in death and judgment on the cross to pay for their sins. We see this truth in the following scriptures:

“There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5). “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death….that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone …Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise share in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject bondage” (Hebrews 2:9, 14). “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:14-16).

Now let’s consider the truth of the Son of God becoming the Son of Man so He could be Israel’s Messiah and the Ruler of the whole world. We see this prophesied in the Old Testament in the following scriptures:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder…Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (Isaiah 9:6-7). “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

The Son of God’s birth into this world as “Israel’s King” is found in Matthew 1:1-17 where His genealogy is traced back to David. He is called “the Son of David” in verse 1 which proves He had a right to the “throne of David” (see 2 Samuel 7:12-13,16).  In Luke 2:1-7 we have the account of His birth in “the city of David, which is called Bethlehem” and in verses 8-20 we have the account of shepherds going to Bethlehem worshiping Him as their newborn King. But as He grew up and later presented Himself to the nation of Israel as their Messiah/King, He was rejected (John 1:11) and crucified (Matthew 26:1-31). After His resurrection 3 days later, He spent 40 days with His disciples (Acts 1:1-3) and then “He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). He had taught men that they would “see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62) but that day is yet future. Jesus also taught this in Matthew 24:29-30 where He said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” I would encourage you to read Revelation 19:11-20:6 where the apostle John saw the vision of His coming to earth to subdue His enemies and then to establish His Kingdom for 1,000 years as the “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” He will then rule over the earth as the “Son of Man.” See Psalm 2:1-9; 8:1-6; 72:1-19 with Philippians 2:5-11.  (DO)  (675.1)