As we examine the premillennial view of the kingdom, one of the most important things for us to consider is the throne of David.

From the following statement by premillennialist Hal Lindsey, we can see that the premillennial teaching has Christ, after his return, setting up a thousand year kingdom of God on earth. It is claimed that Christ will rule from the throne of David at Jerusalem.

"Most ministers and religious leaders today reject even the possibility that Christ will establish an actual physical kingdom of God on earth. Many who believe in a personal return of Christ reject that he will establish a thousand year kingdom of God and rule mortals from the throne of David out of Jerusalem after his return"
Hal Lindsey, 'The Late Great Planet Earth', chapter 13.

We are going to look generally at David’s throne in prophecy, then concentrate on three particular prophecies that make it impossible for Jesus to reign on David’s throne on earth.

The Throne Promise in Prophecy

The Old Testament certainly prophesied that Jesus would rule on David’s throne. There is no question about that.

The prophecies can be found in...

Fulfilled at Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension
    not at his Second Coming

The question that must be raised is not what these prophecies say (that Christ would sit an David’s throne) but when and where were they to be fulfilled. The answer to this question and the fulfillment of the throne promise is found in Acts 2:25-36. In verse 30, you will notice that Peter ties in prophecy about Christ sitting on David’s throne with prophecies about Christ being raised from the dead.

Peter says that because David knew God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of David’s descendants an David’s throne therefore David looked ahead and prophesied of the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:30-31).

Do you notice the significance of that? David, with the throne promise in mind, spoke not of the second coming of Christ but of the resurrection of Christ. It is the resurrection of Christ and his ascension to the right hand of God that fulfills the throne promise. I did not say that. The inspired apostle Peter did. That is not my interpretation of the throne prophecies. That is the inspired interpretation.

This is confirmed in Daniel’s vision (Dan 7:13-14). The vision pictures Christ coming before the Ancient of Days. This is a clear reference to his ascension, furthermore the event takes place in heaven not on earth. The vision goes on to describe Christ being given the kingdom.

David’s Throne and the Lord’s Throne

Jesus was able to say, "I have sat down with my Father in his throne" (Rev 3:21).

The premillennialist makes a distinction between God’s throne and David’s throne. But it can be simply demonstrated that this is a false distinction.

In parallel passages describing exactly the same event, we read...

We see therefore that David’s throne is the Lord’s throne not a different throne.

"God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come, and he put all things under his feet in subjection, and gave him headship over all things to the church which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all" (Eph 1:19-23)

That is the throne promise fulfilled to the ultimate. So it is strange to think that Jesus is going to be demoted to a throne here on earth.

Now we will look at three prophetic statements which Christ would break if he were to reign on David’s throne in earthly Jerusalem.

He is a priest on his throne but he cannot be a priest on earth.
He is a descendant of Jehoiachin and no descendant of Jehoiachin can prosper on David’s throne in Jerusalem.
He is to reign when David is asleep with his fathers, and David won't be asleep in the milennium.

1. A Priest on His Throne

Having observed that the throne promise was fulfilled in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus (Acts 2:25-36), we are now going to look at a simple fact that could not be true if Jesus is going to sit on David’s throne on earth.

Fact: the Messiah was going to be both a king and a Priest on this throne, not a king only.

There are two prophecies that make this fact clear. First let us look at those two prophecies then we will see how they preclude a reign of Christ on an earthly throne.

The first prophecy is...

Psa 110:4
"Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec."

Melchisedec was king of Salem and a priest of God (Gen 14:18). When the Psalmist likens the Messiah to Melchizedec he is saying that Messiah will be both king and priest.

The second prophecy is...

Zec 6:12-13
"He will be a, priest on his throne."

At the time this was spoken the king was Zerubbabel and the priest was Joshua. As In all of Israel’s history the offices of king and priest were held by different persons. But the Branch (the Messiah) would fill both offices. He would be a priest on his throne. He would be both priest and king.

The Hebrew writer has much to say about this matter of Christ being, after the order of Melchisedec, both a king and priest in Hebrews chapters 5 to 8. His conclusion is that "if Christ were on earth he would not be a priest" (Heb 8:4).

The reason for this conclusion Is very simple. Christ was of the wrong tribe to be a priest on earth! He was of the tribe of Judah. To be a priest on earth he would have to be of the tribe of Levi. Jesus was not a Levite, so he could not be a priest an earth.

If Christ could not be a priest an earth, yet had to be a priest on his throne It follows that his throne could not be on earth.

It’s simple matters like this that the premillennialist overlooks. But now let me show you another simple fact that again makes impossible an earthly throne of Christ .

Jehoiachin’s Descendants

There is a prophecy concerning the throne of David which addresses king Jehoiachin (Coniah), the second last king to sit on David’s throne.

The prophecy about Jehoiachin (Coniah) is...

Jer 22:28-30
"No man of his descendants will prosper sitting an the throne of David or ruling again in Judah"

King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah and Coniah) was the last king but one to sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem. He was one of the wicked kings and so the Lord says that none of his descendants will prosper sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah.

Jehoiachin was subsequently carried off with his people into captivity by the Babylonians. They put his uncle Zedekiah on the throne, prior to their destroying Jerusalem. When the remnant of Judah returned to Jerusalem after the 70 year exile, Jehoiachin’s grandson Zerubbabel led Judah. However Zerubbabel did not restore David’s throne or sit on it. He was not in any sense a king. He is called "governor of Judah" (Haggai 2:2).

Now Jesus was a descendant of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) through Shealtiel and Zerubbabel . You can see that fact in his genealogy in Matthew 1:12 or Luke 3:27.

Do you see the significance? Jesus is a descendant of Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah or Coniah). No descendant of that man could prosper on the throne of David in Jerusalem. So if Jesus reigns on David’s throne in Jerusalem he cannot prosper. It is so written in Jeremiah, and the scripture cannot be broken.

The only way that Jesus can sit on David’s throne and prosper is to reign on that throne in heaven, and that’s exactly what he is doing right now.

When David Sleeps

One final fact, and this one will be very brief...

A prophecy about David is...

2Sm 7:12-16
"When... you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you... I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever".

This shows that Christ would reign while David was asleep with his fathers. In the Millennium (say the premillennialists) David is not going to be dead, but alive and well as one of the resurrected Old Testament saints.

If Christ is to reign while David is dead, and David will not be dead in the Millennial kingdom, then it stands to reason that Christ will not reign in the Millennial kingdom. His reign is in heaven.

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