”The book of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matt. 1:1.
The angel said to Joseph, the husband of Mary, ”Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:20. Thus, Jesus’ Davidic kingship was known even in the angelic realm. Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:1), which was also the birthplace of King David. And he was born into the line of David spiritually and legally, Joseph being his adoptive father.
Jesus’ position was recognized among the first disciples in the time of the apostles. ”Hosanna to the Son of David!” the children sang. Matt. 21:15. Rom. 1:3. He is the eternal King of Israel.
“Remember Jesus Christ, the descendant of David, raised from the dead according to my gospel.” 2 Tim. 2:7,8.
Pilate wrote an inscription on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” John 19:19.
“Two blind men were sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet. But they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” Then Jesus stopped and called them to him and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” Jesus was moved with compassion for them, and touched their eyes. And immediately they received their sight, and followed him.” Matt. 20:30–34. Thus this sign of the Messiah’s identity was fulfilled. “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk.” Matt. 11:5.
The kingship and dominion given to David continues (2 Sam. 7:16,29), although it sometimes collapsed. The kingship now continues in Jesus, who is the successor and King of David’s eternally established throne. Thus David is still the King of all Israel and of the kingdom of God, and he has one kingdom, WE, who received Jesus as the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins. 2 Cor. 6:1,2. Col. 1:13,14. “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” Matt. 28:18.
JESUS IS OUR KING FOREVER. Amen.
The angel Gabriel announced to Mary the birth of Jesus: ”Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Look, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:30-33.
The prophets taught this hundreds of years before Jesus was born: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will take the house of Israel from among the peoples among whom they have gone, and I will gather them from all the nations (now in the end times) and bring them into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king over them all. … … They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever, they and their children and their children’s children. And My servant David will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them.” Ezek. 37:21-22 and 25, 26.
“Now that he raised Jesus from the dead, he will no longer return to corruption. As he has said, ‘I will give you the sure and holy promises made to David.’” Acts 13:34.
DAVID’S FOUNTAIN WILL BE REPAIRED
This prophecy is reaching its final goal now in the end times. The repair work began at the cross, where sin was atoned for and the new covenant was established. Jer. 31:31. John 2:19:22.
“I will return and rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David.” Acts 15:16. “In that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David (!) and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem because of sin and impurity.” Zechariah 13:1. “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplications; and they will look on me (=Jesus) whom they have pierced (on the cross). They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and will be in bitterness for him as one grieves for a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10.
We who have been converted from paganism will also participate in the restoration of the fallen tabernacle of David. It will soon burst forth in its full glory. This is what we expect and pray for. Ezek. 37:12.
”Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king: and they shall come trembling unto the LORD, and unto his goodness, IN THE END OF THE TIMES.” Hosea 3:5. This is happening now, about 3,000 years after the birth of David, and about 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus.
The Eternal Kingdom
Thank God for every dear brother and sister who has been cleansed by the atoning blood of Jesus, and who has since been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and thus become members of the ONE congregation of God. WE are His flock, ”the sheep of His pasture.” John 10:9. Acts 2:41. Our King is Jesus, “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his own blood and has made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:5,6.
We have come under the influence of the eternal throne of David; both Jew and Gentile. Eph. 2:11-22. Jesus is our common King. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:27-29. We acknowledge that we are working for ONE congregation founded on the cross against division. 1 Cor. 1:2,10. And WE want the best for Israel and its capital, Jerusalem, which is “the city of the great King.”
David—a type of Jesus
The shepherd boy David grew up among the sheep of Israel some 3,000 years ago. There he learned his shepherding duties and was trained to be a great shepherd and king of the people of Israel. God said of him: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.” Acts 13:22.
Even as a young man, David took good care of his sheep. He defeated a bear and a lion that attacked the flock. Then God led him to the camp of Israel, which is God’s flock. There he faced the duelist Goliath, who was taunting the armies of Israel with his taunts. David said to Goliath, ”You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. The Lord will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God. All this assembly will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” When the Philistine set out and approached David, he quickly ran to meet him. David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and the Philistine fell on his face to the ground. Thus David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David struck the Philistine down, although he had no sword in his hand. David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it from its sheath, killed him with it, and cut off his head.” 1 Sam. 17:45–51.
Thank God! This is still happening to the enemies of Israel. It is also happening to the enemies of the congregation. Those cruel wolves who are tearing God’s congregation to pieces will meet the same sad end. Acts 20:29,30.
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, OUR GOOD SHEPHERD, continuing the mission of King David. He cares for God’s sheep, the flock that He purchased with His blood, and leads us to our heavenly home. John 10. Jesus is the Lamb of God who took away our sins.
“Therefore we are buried with Him through baptism into death (after our faith), in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. If indeed we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be in a resurrection like His.” Rom. 6:4,5.
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become servants to God, your fruit leads to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:22,23.
Finally, the completed Israel and the congregation will be united so that “there will be one fold and one shepherd.” John 10:16, under one King. The King is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Hallelujah! Jesus, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.” Rev. 5:5.
Blessings from the God of Israel upon us.
Weijo Lindroos
Turku,
Suomi Finland