Jesus and e Throne of David Jesus and e Throne of David Randy labors wi e church in Albany, Missouri and is also self employed in secular work. He makes regular trips to Riga, Latvia where he labored full time for two years. He will be returning to full time work in Riga in October of 2003. Randy is a fellowlaborer in e International Bible Studies work and e work of e Mid-We School of Biblical Studies. The Promise of God In Genesis 49:10, Jacob identified Judah as e forefaer of e ruling tribe, rough which e lawgiver and Shiloh would come. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall e gaering of e people be. When e rone was initially eablished over e united kingdom of Israel, Saul was anointed as e fir king. Intereingly, he was not a descendent of Judah, but of Benjamin. However, as a result of his sinful behavior, e rone was taken from him and given to David, a descendent of Judah. Subsequently, God promised to David at e rone would not be removed from him has it had been from Saul. And when y days be fulfilled, and ou shalt sleep wi y faers, I will set up y seed after ee, which shall proceed out of y bowels, and I will eablish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will eablish e rone of his kingdom forever. I will be his faer, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chaen him wi e rod of men, and wi e ripers of e children of men. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before ee. And ine house and y kingdom shall be eablished for ever before ee: y rone shall be eablished for ever. (2 Samuel 17:12-16) While premillenialis look to is passage to find Jesus, e text of verse sugges at he is NOT under consideration here by e prophet. The primary focus is upon Solomon and his descending kings. Solomon is e one who would build God s house during e time of e Israelites, e temple, in Jerusalem, and according to God s promise, even if he sinned, e kingdom would not be given to anoer family. That his kingdom would be for ever shows at as long as ere was an Israelite nation sanctioned and governed by God, is would remain true. This is in e same sense at e Sabbas and sacrifices of e Israelites were to be for ever. It will be important to remember e promise of God here, at David s rone ruled rough Solomon s house is e one described here. Later we ll see e relevance of is point. Anoer key passage often miakenly used to support e idea of Jesus return to rule from a physical rone from e city of physical Jerusalem, is Psalm 132:11-13, and 17. Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 1 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jesus and e Throne of David The Lord ha sworn in tru unto David, he will not turn from it; of e fruit of y body will I set upon y rone. If y children will keep my covenant and my teimony at I shall teach em, eir children shall also sit upon y rone for evermore. For e Lord ha chosen Zion; he ha desired if for his habitation... There will I make e horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. In reality, e focus here is upon Jerusalem and it s connection to e physical rone of David during e remaining years so long as ose kings would reign. One more prophesy we want to notice is found in Isaiah 9:6-7, one of e more widely known prophecies concerning Chri. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and e government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlaing Faer, The Prince of Peace. Of e increase of his government and peace ere shall be no end, upon e rone of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to eablish it wi judgement and wi juice from hencefor even for ever. The zeal of e Lord of hos will perform is. Here God chose to describe Chri s reign as one for which ere shall be no end. He would reign upon e rone of David and over his kingdom. The judgement and juice under his rule is said to be hencefor even for ever. I. The Lineage of Chri In e New Teament we find two lineages of Chri given, one in Matew 1:6-16; e second in Luke 3:23-32. Matew give e legal lineage, tracing e descendants of David rough Solomon, which ends wi Joseph, e legal faer to Jesus. Well look at Matew 1:6-7, 16. And Jesse begat David e king; and David e king begat Solomon of her at had been e wife of Urias; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; And Jacob begat Joseph e husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Chri. This line includes e ruling kings from David continuing until e la ruling king, Jehoiachin (also called Jechonias or Coniah). Matew 1:11, And Josias begat Jechonias and his breren, about e time ey were carried away to Babylon. Why is is important? Because Jeremiah revealed at no descendent of is man would ever rule as king! Jeremiah 22:28-30, Is is man Coniah a despised broken idol? Is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? Wherefore are ey ca out, he and his seed, and are ca into a land which ey know not? O ear, ear, ear, hear e word of e Lord. Thus sai e Lord, write ye is man childless, a man at shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon e rone of David, and ruling any more in Judah. How en can Jesus reign on David s rone? Considering God s promise to David regarding Solomon, and e problem connected wi Coniah, Jesus could NOT legally do so. It mu be Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 2 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jesus and e Throne of David remembered however, at Jesus was NOT a descendant of Coniah, alough Joseph was. No need to despair, as we now turn to Luke s record. Luke 3:23, 31-32, And Jesus himself began to be about irty years of age, being (as was supposed) e son of Joseph, which was e son of Heli, Which was e son of Melea, which was e son of Menan, which was e son of Mattaa, which was e son of Naan, which was e son of David, Which was e son of Jesse While Jesus was supposed to be e son of Joseph, in reality he was of Heli, Mary s faer. Remember, Joseph s faer was Jacob (Mt. 1:16). Mary is not mentioned by name, because e Jewish cuom was to give attention to e male descendants. By law, her name would not be given, but it is implied in e text which names her faer and his lineage. We know at Heli is NOT anoer name for Joseph, because he is a descendant of Naan, half broer to Solomon (c.f. 2 Samuel 5:14) whereas Joseph was a direct descendant of Solomon. Being a true descendant of David, Jesus could legitimately rule on David s rone. However, ose who today await Chri s return to reign from a physical rone of David in physical Jerusalem, face quite a problem reconciling at doctrine wi e word of God. It s not a queion of Chri reigning on David s rone. It s a queion of Chri reigning on David s rone in Jerusalem? If observing e legal lineage of Chri, he could not rule on at Judean rone because e line of kings ended wi Coniah! If following e literal lineage of Chri, rough Mary s family, he could not rule on at Judean rone for as we noticed earlier, at rone belonged exclusively to Solomon and would never be taken from him! Do you ink perhaps God anticipated e doctrine currently being taught by so many? Is it possible at is represents one of ose rong delusions promised in 2 Thessalonians 2:11, to diinguish between ose who really pay attention to e details of God s word and ose who do not? II. The Gospel Record Jesus ruling on David s rone and over his kingdom is anticipated roughout e four Gospels. At Chi s bir, e anticipation begins, wi e word of God s angel to Mary, And behold, ou shalt conceive in y womb, and bring for a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great,and shall be called e Son of e Highe and e Lord God shall give unto him e rone of his faer David: and he shall reign over e house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom ere shall be no end (Luke 1:31-33) Bo John and Jesus were preaching, e kingdom is at hand (Matew 3:2; 4:17). Wiin a few days of his dea, after mo people opped following him, Jesus told his disciples, Verily I say unto you, There be some anding here, which shall not tae of dea, till ey see e Son of man coming in his kingdom. And en in his meeting wi Pilate, Jesus was asked, Art ou e King of e Jews? (John 18:33). Jesus eventually replied, Thou saye at I am a king. To is end was I born, and for is cause came I into e world, at I should bear witness unto e tru. Every one at is of e tru heare my voice. Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 3 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jesus and e Throne of David If Chri were failing to eablish e kingdom as many who claim to believe in Chri often teach, en surely at is eve of his crucifixion, Jesus would have realized is fact. But his position was clear, as he confirmed Pilate s queion of curiosity. Also in e gospels, we cannot ignore e anticipation of e people. As Jesus was making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, e people were excited to greet eir King. Mark 11:10, Blessed be e kingdom of our faer David, at come in e name of e Lord: Hosanna in e highe. Here in e only New Teament verse where appears e phrase kingdom of David e people are clearly exuberant to believe at Jesus was planning to reclaim at rone and reore e kingdom. Luke s account of e same event tells more. And as he went, ey spread eir cloes in e way. And when he was come nigh, even now at e descent of e mount of Olives, e whole multitude of e disciples began to rejoice and praise God wi a loud voice for all e mighty works at ey had seen, saying, Blessed be e King at come in e name of e Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in e highe. (Luke 19:36-38). Even e apoles, after Chri s resurrection, were expecting a swift reoration of e kingdom of David, apparently ill not underanding what Jesus had proclaimed to Pilate in John 18:36, My kingdom is not of is world: if my kingdom were of is world, en would my servants fight, at I should not be delivered to e Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Those apoles asked, Lord, wilt ou at is time reore again e kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6). Well Jesus simply told em to go to Jerusalem and wait until e Holy Spirit would come upon em as promised, en ey would underand, which ey did. Aside from e teaching of Chri and e anticipation of e disciples, ere are two oer trus revealed in e gospel record relevant to our discussion: (1) e kingdom was to be taken away from e Israelites (Jews) and given to oers; and (2) e Jews rejected God king for em. In Matew 18:11-12 see Jesus taught at e kingdom would be inclusive of many from e ea and we, but at e children of e kingdom, e Jews, would be ca out! (see also Matew 21:33-45; Matew 22:2-14; and Romans 15:12). And I say unto you, That many shall come from e ea and we, and shall sit down wi Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in e kingdom of heaven. But e children of e kingdom shall be ca out into outer darkness: ere shall be weeping and gnashing of tee. And en in John 19:13-16 we read, When Pilate erefore heard at saying, he brought Jesus for, and sat down in e judgment seat in a place at is called e Pavement, but in e Hebrew, Gabbaa. And it was e preparation of e passover, and about e six hour: and he sai unto e Jews, Behold your King! But ey cried out, Away wi him, away wi him, crucify him. Pilate sai unto em, Shall I crucify your King? The chief pries answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him erefore unto em to be crucified. And ey took Jesus, and led him away. While ese trus seem to have been widely ignored by many, ey remain eternally a part of e gospel record and e doctrine of Chri. Perhaps is is what Jesus meant in Matew 23:13, But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up e kingdom of heaven again men: for ye neier go in yourselves, neier suffer ye em at are entering to go in. Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 4 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jesus and e Throne of David III. The Glorification of Chri Finally we turn our attention to Chri s final victory and glorification. Acts 2:29-36 Men and breren, let me freely speak unto you of e patriarch David, at he is bo dead and buried, and his sepulchre is wi us unto is day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing at God had sworn wi an oa to him, at of e fruit of his loins, according to e flesh, he would raise up Chri to sit on his rone; He seeing is before spake of e resurrection of Chri, at his soul was not left in hell, neier his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus ha God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by e right hand of God exalted, and having received of e Faer e promise of e Holy Gho, he ha shed for is, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into e heavens: but he sai himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit ou on my right hand, Until I make y foes y footool. Therefore let all e house of Israel know assuredly, at God ha made at same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, bo Lord and Chri. I ve highlighted specific atements which we should take note of. Fir, at e promise to David at Chri would rise to sit upon his rone was a prophecy of Chri s resurrection! Next, God already exalted him and finally he has already been made bo Lord and Chri! The fact at he is Lord in is context points to his sitting and reigning upon e rone, ju as prophesied and promised. This is why e prophesy of David (Psalm 45:6) quoted in Hebrews 1:8 can be applied to Jesus who is Lord over his kingdom. But unto e Son he sai, Thy rone, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is e sceptre of y kingdom. Consider e following excerpt from Paul s sermon in e synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia. Acts 13:22-39 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto em David to be eir king; to whom also he gave teimony, and said, I have found David e son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of is man's seed ha God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had fir preached before his coming e baptism of repentance to all e people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom ink ye at I am? I am not he. But, behold, ere come one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not wory to loose. Men and breren, children of e ock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feare God, to you is e word of is salvation sent. For ey at dwell at Jerusalem, and eir rulers, because ey knew him not, nor yet e voices of e prophets which are read every sabba day, ey have fulfilled em in condemning him. And ough ey found no cause of dea in him, yet desired ey Pilate at he should be slain. And when ey had fulfilled all at was written of him, ey took him down from e tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from e dead: And he was seen many days of em which came up wi him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto e people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how at e promise which was made unto e faers, God ha fulfilled e same unto us eir children, in at he ha raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in e second Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 5 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jesus and e Throne of David psalm, Thou art my Son, is day have I begotten ee. And as concerning at he raised him up from e dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on is wise, I will give you e sure mercies of David. Wherefore he sai also in anoer psalm, Thou shalt not suffer ine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by e will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his faers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you erefore, men and breren, at rough is man is preached unto you e forgiveness of sins: And by him all at believe are juified from all ings, from which ye could not be juified by e law of Moses. When Jesus was raised from e dea, he ascended not only to heaven, but to sit upon e rone of David as king over God s chosen people. He now reigns supreme and all who are awaiting his return to reore e rone need to get on board today. When Chri returns, is will not be for e purpose of taking e rone, but for e purpose of laying down all rule and all auority and delivering e kingdom up to e Faer (1 Corinians 15:24) where e saved will spend eternity togeer wi em in e place God now calls home. Waiting to follow him will result only in being on e wrong side when he comes in flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:8) to judge e world. The only promise of God left to keep is e judgment day. Are you waiting? Or are you ready? Then Come The End 21 Annual Mid-We Lectures Page 6 be be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Chri, 15331 Ea 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.