Christ the Future King of the World

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This thread aims to consider those things relating to Christ, The Throne of David and His Coronation, as not only the King of the Jews, the King of Israel but eventually the King of the whole world.

Jesus said to those who heard him, “I am not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17).

Now with this statement in view, lets look at a few of the statements of the prophets concerning him.

We read in Micah 5:2 As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah— from you a king will emerge who will rule in Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past"

Who came out of Bethlehem? Jesus of Nazareth.

Here then is a prophetic warrant regarding him as the future “ruler in Israel”

23:5 “I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will *rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land. 23:6 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice' Je 23:5–6.

*Heb “he will reign as king and act wisely.”

What could be more calculated to inspire the Jewish national hope? even the disciples sought the King and the Kingdom of Israel to be establish during Christ's ministry....they were right, just the wrong timing!

Who is the Righteous Branch of David?

None other than Jesus: for he claims the designation.

He says “I am the root and the offspring (or BRANCH: ‘offspring’ being the antithesis to ‘root’) of David, and the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:16).

If Christ be the Righteous Branch raised up unto David, and is raised up to fulfil the law and the prophets, he must “reign and prosper, and execute judgment and justice in the earth”: which is what the prophet said the Righteous Branch will do!

This teaching is everywhere taught in the Word of God.

33:14 “I, the Lord, affirm: ‘The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah. 33:15 In those days and at that time I will raise up for them a righteous descendant of David. Je 33:14–15.

9:6 For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 9:7 His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The Lord’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this. Is 9:6–7.

6:12 Then say to him, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Look—here is the man whose name is Branch, who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 6:13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. Zec 6:12–14.

See Isa. 32:1; Isa. 24:23; Isa. 11:9, 10; Psa. 132:11; Psa. 110:1, 2; Psa. 2:8; Psa. 2:8; Psa. 72:8, 11; also see Dan. 7:14\

TBC...

 

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The New Testament interpretation throws another light upon the statements of the Old Testament prophecies, and reveals a promise of the Jewish belief of Messiah’s kingship.

No sooner does the NT begin we are given a message delivered by the angel Gabriel to Mary, in announcing the birth of Christ:

1:31 Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 1:33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” Lk 1:31–33.

Have you ever considered of all the things God could do for His Son it is the purpose of God to give to Jesus “the throne of his father David.”

Ponder that for a moment!

 

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How important must that statement be? And at the very least we should know what that throne of David means!

F2F

 

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You know, the people I mix with of like faith would be able to write volumes of insights into the Throne of David, and I believe in this forum you would be lucky if a handful of believers would be able to write a short paragraph on it. This thread, if left alone, would drift into the abyss.

Now,of David we know something! He was the most renowned of Israel’s God-anointed kings, holding sway over the twelve tribes of Israel in the Holy Land, and ruling many tributary nations. He was a mighty warrior, a distinguished prophet, and a poet of the highest type. He was the progenitor of Christ, through Mary, who was descended from the royal house; and was a fitting type of his illustrious son, whom he acknowledged as “My Lord” (Matt. 22:44).

But what of his throne?

Peter said, in his address to the Jews, on the day of Pentecost: “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his (David’s) loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ TO SIT ON HIS THRONE” (Acts 2:30).

Again, I ask, how important is the Throne of David upon which the Lord Jesus Christ will sit?

F2F

 

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What is the connection between Christ's mission and David's throne?

David had a literal throne, which consisted of a real structure which he sat upon dispensing justice; that has long ago crumbled into dust.

The throne of a kingdom is not the literal seat occupied by royalty on state occasions. When we speak of the throne of England, we mean the office of position of monarch in this country. So with the throne of David; it is said of Solomon, on the occasion of his accession in the room of David (1 Kings 2:12),

“Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father.”

Yet we read in 1st Kings 10:18, that “he made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold,” so that while sitting on the throne of David his father in the political sense, Solomon really occupied a different royal seat.

“The throne of David” points to something that pertained to Saul’s successor. There is no getting away from this; and any explanation of the promise that ignores this as its fundamental aspect must be rejected immediately.

In a very real sense Christ is not on David’s throne!

Christ is in heaven, and cannot now be sitting on that throne; for nothing that David ever possessed is in heaven.

David himself is not there; for Peter said in his address on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:34), “David IS NOT ASCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS.” When the time arrives, the throne of David will be set up again in the earth; and Jesus will share it with his faithful ones, as intimated in Rev. 3:21.

“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen” (Amos 9:11).

That time he spake of when on earth. He said (Matt. 25:31), “When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, THEN shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” Hence, before Jesus sits upon David’s throne, he will return to earth, appear in Palestine, and assume the position which David occupied when he swayed the sceptre of Israel; that is, he will become king of the Jews.

Note to JW's - Failure to recognise this very clear Scripture, both seen in OT prophecies and NT discourses would leave you with a false hope in thinking Christ will remain in Heaven. Your doctrine of 144,000 Elect ascending will also be a dissapointment when you find his government will be on earth and not in Heaven.

 

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Look at Ezekiel 21:25–27.

The prophet was sent to Zedekiah, an unworthy prince, who was the last to occupy David’s throne. He was sent to tell him of coming retribution, and in the course of his prophecy, he uttered the following words

25 And you, O profane wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of your final punishment, 26 thus says the Lord God: Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted. 27 A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him. Eze 21:25–27.

Here was a turban to be removed, a crown to be taken off, and a national polity to be completely abolished, as indicated in the triple repetition of the verb “overturn, ruin” and as expressed by the phrase, “it shall be no more.”

These things realate to things Jewish, even to the things which constitute the throne of David; and its fulfilment is notorious to every reader of Jewish history. About a year after its delivery, Zedekiah was uncrowned by Nebuchadnezzar.

The nobles were put to death; the nation was partly massacred, and partly carried away captive, and the land given over to desolation. Seventy years after, a partial restoration took place under Ezra and Nehemiah, but not of the throne of David. The Jews existed as a vassal people from there on; and after varied political fortunes, were overtaken by a storm which swept away every vestige of their national existence.