David’s Throne = The Throne of YHWH
In this post I will demonstrate that God’s intention was to rule as the sole King of Israel, and that God never wanted for his people to have a human king reign over them.
I will show how God in his infinite wisdom planned to eventually become Israel’s one and only Ruler, which will be fully realized on the day when Christ ushers in the new heavens and new earth.
YHWH: Israel’s only true King
The Hebrew Bible plainly states that it was due to Israel’s rebellion and defiance of God’s purpose, which resulted in God giving them a human ruler. The Old Testament reveals how their desire for a man to be their king greatly anguished God’s heart since God always wanted to be their one and only ruler:
“Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’ But Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; Yahweh shall rule over you.’” Judges 8:22-23
“And it happened when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and took bribes and caused justice to turn aside. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, ‘Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing was evil in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to Yahweh. Then Yahweh said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. So now, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly testify to them and tell them of the custom of the king who will reign over them.’
“So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to the people who had asked of him a king. And he said, ‘This will be the custom of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male slaves and your female slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahweh will not answer you in that day.’
“Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, ‘No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.’ So Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of Yahweh. Then Yahweh said to Samuel, ‘Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.’ So Samuel said to the men of Israel, ‘Go every man to his city.’” 1 Samuel 8:1-22
“Then Samuel called the people together to Yahweh at Mizpah; 18 and he said to the sons of Israel, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.” But you have today rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, “No, but set a king over us!” So now, take your stand before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans.’” 1 Samuel 10:17-19
“Then Samuel said to the people, ‘It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. So now, take your stand, that I may judge you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh which He did for you and your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt and your fathers cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. But they forgot Yahweh their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried out to Yahweh and said, “We have sinned because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.” Then Yahweh sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.
“‘But you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, “No, but a king shall reign over us,” although Yahweh your God was your king. So now, behold, the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. If you will fear Yahweh and serve Him and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow Yahweh your God. But if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the command of Yahweh, then the hand of Yahweh will be against you, as it was against your fathers. Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the eyes of Yahweh by asking for yourselves a king.’ So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
Then all the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.’ And Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. And you must not turn aside, for then you would go after meaningless things which cannot profit and cannot deliver, because they are meaningless. For Yahweh will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because Yahweh has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and upright way. Only fear Yahweh and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.’”1 Samuel 12:6-24
David’s throne is the Throne of YHWH
God eventually singled out David’s household to bequeath his earthly throne to, and even swore an oath to David that YHWH’s earthly kingdom would remain within his line forever and ever:
“And I tell you that Yahweh will build a house for you. And it will be that when your days are fulfilled to go to be with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; and I will not remove My lovingkindness from him, as I removed it from him who was before you. But I will cause him to stand in MY house and in MY kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever. According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.” 1 Chronicles 17:10b-15
“And David assembled at Jerusalem all the commanders of Israel, the commanders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that ministered to the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the commanders over all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor. Then King David rose to his feet and said, ‘Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had it within my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and for the footstool of the feet of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. But God said to me, “You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.” Yet, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a ruler; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
“‘Now of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel. And He said to me, “Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will be strong to do My commandments and My judgments, as is done now.”’” 1 Chronicles 28:1-7
“Then David said to all the assembly, ‘Now bless Yahweh your God.’ And all the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and prostrated themselves to Yahweh and to the king. And on the next day they made sacrifices to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings to Yahweh, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 So they ate and drank that day before Yahweh with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and they anointed him as ruler for Yahweh and Zadok as priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David his father; and he succeeded, and all Israel obeyed him. And all the officials, the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David pledged allegiance to King Solomon. And Yahweh highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and granted to him royal majesty which had not been on any king before him in Israel.” 1 Chronicles 29:20-25
“Blessed be Yahweh your God who delighted in you, to set you on HIS throne as king for Yahweh your God; because your God loved Israel to cause them to stand forever, therefore He gave you as king over them, to do justice and righteousness.” 2 Chronicles 13:8
“So now you intend to exert your strength before the kingdom of Yahweh by the hand of the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you.” 2 Chronicles 13:8
“However, Yahweh was not willing to make the house of David a ruin because of the covenant which He had cut with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.” 2 Chronicles 21:7
“You spoke in vision to Your holy ones, And said, ‘I have bestowed help to a mighty one; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him, With whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him. The enemy will not deceive him, Nor the son of unrighteousness afflict him. But I shall crush his adversaries before him, And strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted. I shall also set his hand on the sea And his right hand on the rivers. He will call to Me, “You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.” I also shall make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.
“‘My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will set up his seed to endure forever And his throne as the days of heaven. If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, If they profane My statutes And do not keep My commandments, Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with striking. But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not profane, Nor will I alter what comes forth from My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.’ Selah.” Psalm 89:19-37
“For the sake of David Your servant, Do not turn away the face of Your anointed. Yahweh has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: ‘Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne. If your sons keep My covenant And My testimony which I will teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever.’ For Yahweh has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. ‘This is My resting place forever; Here I will inhabit, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread. Her priests also I will clothe with salvation, And her holy ones will sing loudly for joy. There I will cause the horn of David to spring up; I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon him, his crown shall blossom.’” Psalm 132:10-18
The Most High on David’s throne
Here is how God decided to become the sole Ruler of Israel, while keeping his promise to David.
God sent forth his eternal Word, his very own uniquely begotten Son, to become flesh in order become a physical descendant of David:
“And Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the One who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Now all this took place in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’ And Joseph got up from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.” Matthew 1:16-25
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men… There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4, 9-10, 1:14
“concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 1:3-4
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel,” 2 Timothy 2:8
“For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.” Hebrews 7:14
“And one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop crying! Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.’” Revelation 5:5
“I, Jesus, sent My angel to bear witness to you of these things for the churches. I AM the root AND the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16
God did this so as to fulfill his covenant with David that he would never fail to have a Man from his lineage sitting upon the throne on his behalf:
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 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, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.’” Luke 1:26-33
“But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not forsake my soul to Hades, Nor give Your Holy One over to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’
“Men, brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to set one of the fruit of his body on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither forsaken to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:24-36
“And after He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, about whom He also said, bearing witness, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ From the seed of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus… And we proclaim to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’ But that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to corruption, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and faithful lovingkindnesses of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not give Your Holy One over to see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and saw corruption; but He whom God raised did not see corruption.” Acts 13:22-23, 32-37
What this means is that the throne of David, which in reality belongs to the Most High, has once again become the throne where God alone sits. And yet the God that now sits enthroned does so as a glorified, immortal Man who forever remains a physical descendant of David!
“in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me’?… But of the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God (ho theos), is forever and ever, And the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.’ And, ‘You, Lord [the Son], in the beginning founded the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; And they all will wear out like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.’ But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies As a footstool for Your feet’?” Hebrews 1:2-5, 8-13
“In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’; just as He says also in another passage, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.’” Hebrews 5:5-6
And the place where this God-Man is now reigning as both Son of God and Son of David is in heavenly Zion, heavenly Jerusalem:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24
The Scriptures affirm that this Jerusalem will come down out of heaven when the Lord Jesus physically descends to the earth at the end of the age:
“Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman and one by the free woman. But the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while the son by the free woman through the promise. This is spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.” Galatians 4:21-26
“‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself, and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” Revelation 19:7-16
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away…
“Then one of the seven angels who have the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like precious stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall. It had twelve gates and at those gates, twelve angels; and names have been written on those gates, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:9-14
This is how God planned to become Israel’s only King, by becoming a human being from the line of David so as to fulfill his oath to him that he will always have someone from his lineage reigning in his stead:
“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels—Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of One; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will recount Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.’ And again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ And again, ‘Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.’
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:9-18
In so doing, God takes back the throne that he had graciously bestowed to David’s household so that it will once again be the Most High reigning upon it as the King of all the nations:
“Behold, a day is coming for Yahweh when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. Indeed, I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city will go forth in exile, but those left of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then Yahweh will go forth and fight against those nations, as the day when He fights on a day of battle. And in that day HIS FEET will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; indeed, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then Yahweh, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!… And Yahweh will be king over all the earth; in that day Yahweh will be THE ONLY ONE, and His name one… Then it will be that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, there will be no rain on them. Zechariah 14:1-5, 9, 16-17