Friday, February 13, 2009

Christ Seated On David's Throne part 2

In this post, it must be shown that David's Throne is God's throne. That the New Testament writers thought this way as well is crucial in our understanding of New Testament eschatology. The reason is that if we understand that the Bible does not separate the throne of David from God's throne, then we will see that Jesus rules and reigns now and not on some separate throne from God in an earthly Jerusalem.

Allow me to cite an Old Testament passage. The prophet Nathan speaks of a promise to David in 2 Samuel 7.
"When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever." In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
Within this text is a verse that is often overlooked. Not only does God promise to David that his throne would endure forever, but that it is God's throne. Notice "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me". God makes Solomon His son and establishes his throne. Solomon ruled within a context of a shadow of God's Kingdom. The entire Old Testament was waiting for the Messiah to come and fulfill all of these promises.

The New Testament writer to the Hebrews cites Psalm 2:7 in connection with this passage.
But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. [verse 1:8]
Here the writer tells us that David's throne is God's throne citing Psalm 45. To sit on David's throne is to sit on God's throne.

Solomon was adopted as God's son. He is a type or shadow of the even greater Son. He sat on David's/God's throne. This same throne would one day rule the nations. This is where Dispensationalists go awry. This throne is not merely a future throne in an earthly Jerusalem, but is instead a throne established by Christ Himself at His resurrection.

The Old Testament looked forward to Christ. It explained in types and shadows what the Kingdom of God and His throne would look like. To revert backwards to types and shadows is to go backwards in salvation history. It is to reverse the outworking of redemptive history.

Solomon's throne in the Davidic Kingdom was the place where God ruled in His kingdom. That throne has now been expanded in Christ to rule in the Kingdom of God which has gone into all the world.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Jesus' words to the Sanhedrin in Matthew 26 are telling as well..."From now on you see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven."
"From NOW on..." Hmmmm.

Howard Fisher said...

There are so many passages in the New Testament that agree with your assessment. It really is difficult to see how Dispensationalism has been maintained for such a lengthy period of time.