OceanSide church of Christ

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THE KING IN PROPHECY

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Twice while standing before Pilate, Jesus was asked:  “Art thou the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33, 37).

 

B.    In John 18:37, Jesus answered Pilate.

 

…Thou sayest that I am a king.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

 

C.   It is bizarre that the King of the Jews was standing before Pilate because of the Jews.

1.     The Jews had arrested Jesus the night before.  They tried Him and found Him to be guilty of blasphemy.  They desired the sentence of death.

2.     This is incredible because the OT scriptures had foretold the coming of the Messiah.  Over 300 prophecies had been delivered by the prophets, yet the Jews could not see their King when He stood before them.

 

D.   Our theme for this year is:  “Make Christ Your King in 2013.” 

1.     We want this theme to always be in your mind.

2.     To help do this, we will preach a lesson each month connected to our theme.

 

E.    Today’s lesson is entitled:  “The King in Prophecy.”  We want to examine a few of the prophecies that specifically relate to Jesus’ being a monarch.

 

I.           THE KING WOULD COME FROM JUDAH (Gen. 49:10)

 

The scepter shall not depart out of Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

 

A.   This is not the first prophecy of the Christ, but it is the first to introduce His kingly rule.

 

B.    Five points:

1.     Sceptre: 

a.     Definition:  a branch, stick, scepter

b.    The scepter was a mark of authority and power (See Esther 4:11; 5:2)

2.     Judah

a.     The one to hold the scepter would originate from the tribe of Judah.

1)     Judah was the fourth son of Israel.

2)     His mother was Leah.

b.    Jesus came from the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1:1-2).

 

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Judas, and his brethren.

3.     The Messiah would be a lawgiver (See Heb. 8:6).

4.     One of his epithets would be “Shiloh.”  It means tranquil, tranquility, or, one who brings peace.

5.     Unto him shall the gathering of the people be (See John 12:32).

 

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 

II.         THE MESSIAH WOULD HAVE A CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH DAVID

 

A.   David was an exemplary king.  He was one greatly honored by the Jews.  The Messiah would be associated with this premiere monarch.

 

B.    He would be a descendant of David.

1.     Two passages:

a.     Jeremiah 23:5

 

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord; that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

 

b.    David was told of Jesus birth directly (II Sam. 7:12-13).

 

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

 

2.     Jesus was a descendant of David (Matt. 11, 6)

 

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham….And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias.

 

C.   The Messiah would sit upon the throne of David

1.     The prophecy (Isa. 9:6-7).

 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon his shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the Everlast-ing Father, the Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth ever for ever.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts wil perform this.

 

2.     The fulfillment (Luke 1:31-33)

 

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David:  and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

III.       THE PSALMIST PREDICTS THE MESSIAH (Ps. 45:6-7)

 

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:  the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.  Thou lovest righteousness; and hatest wickedness:  therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

A.   The psalmist reveals three points about the coming King.

1.     This King would be God:  “Thy throne, O God…”

2.     His throne would be eternal:  “…for ever and ever…”

3.     God would anoint Him and place Him in His position.

 

B.    The Hebrew writer picks this passage and applies it directly to the Son of God  in Hebrews 1:8-9.

 

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God is for ever and ever:  a scepter of righteous-ness is the scepter of thy kingdom.  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; there-fore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

IV.        THE KING WOULD BE GIVEN A KINGDOM

 

A.   Two passages:

1.     Isaiah 9:6-7

a.     …and the government shall be upon his shoulder…

b.    Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end…

2.     Daniel 7:13-14

 

I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

 

a.     When Jesus ascended to the right hand of God, He came near the Father and was given a kingdom.

b.    This kingdom was established in the days of the Roman kings (Dan. 2:44) in the city of Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2-3).

 

B.    The kingdom is the church, the bride of Christ.

1.     In Acts 1-2, we see the fulfillment of the above prophecies.  Jesus ascends to the right hand of God.  The apostles assemble in the city of Jerusalem.  The time period involves the Roman kings.  In Acts 2, the church, the king-dom is established (Acts 2:41, 47).

2.     In I Peter 2:9, the apostle notes that members of the church are a holy nation.

3.     John says that the Christians to whom he wrote were “kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Rev. 1:6).

 

 

V.          THE KING WOULD BE PRAISED BY MORE THAN THE JEWS

 

A.   Prophecy (Isa. 60:3)

 

And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

 

B.    The fulfillment:

1.     Wise men came from the East to worship Jesus at His birth (Matt. 2:1-2).

2.     Several Gentiles interacted with Jesus during His earthly ministry.

a.     A centurion (Matt. 8:5)

b.    The Syro-Phoenician woman (Matt. 15:22).

3.     In the NT dispensation, the gospel called both Jews and Gentiles and united them in the body of Christ (Eph. 2:11-22).

 

VI.        THE KING WOULD REIGN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (Isa. 32:1)

 

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   The Kingship of Jesus is not something to be taken lightly.

1.     God planned it to come to pass.

2.     He announced it to man through His noble prophets.

 

B.    In our introduction, we noted that the Jews had delivered Jesus to Pilate for crucifixion.  Even this was the fulfillment of the words of prophecy about the anointed of God.

1.     The prophecy (Ps. 2:1-3)

2.     The fulfillment (Acts 4:25-28)

a.     The Jews and Romans did all they could to rid themselves of the Anointed One.

b.    The King, however, was still put upon the throne.

1)     Ps. 2:6

 

Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill in Zion.

 

2)     Jesus came out of the tomb on the third day.  He ascended to the Father and received His kingdom.  He is ruling and reigning on the throne of David right now.  On Pentecost Day, Peter proclaimed:  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).