20140718 Friday, July 18 2014
1 Chronicles 18: The Prophecy Of King David's Messianic Throne

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem"

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) established the Levite High Priesthood as a living prophecy of Himself (see The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and Why Do Christians Observe The Messiah's Day Of Atonement?; also Leviticus: The Prophecies Of Christianity).

The LORD also established the royal line of King David as a living prophecy of Himself (see The Anointing Of David). The throne of David portrayed the coming fulfillment of the Messianic "seed" promise that the LORD made to Abraham and to Noah (see The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq) - long before David was ever born, and long before the people of Israel and Judah were created from the nations of the "world" (see The Origin Of Israelites And Jews).

King David's taking of the city of Jerusalem from the nations of the "world" (see When Did Jerusalem Become An Israelite City?) was a one-time direct prophecy of the Messiah's taking of the city of Jerusalem from the nations of the "world" when He comes to rule (see What Happens After The Messiah Returns?). David further illustrated his Messianic throne prophecy by creating a one-time empire in and of the nations of the "world" - just as the Messiah will begin to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth (see the Fact Finder question below to understand how and why it will be accomplished in two stages) after He begins to rule from Jerusalem. The famous "swords into plowshares" prophecy summarizes that series of events (notice very carefully that the actual Law of the LORD was never "done away"; see also Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?).

"4:1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Micah 4:1-3 KJV)

King David's victories after he began to rule from Jerusalem were not merely another "exceptionalism" attempt by an imperialistic nation to rule the "world." Although "imperialism" (i.e. empire-ism) is regarded by some to be what kings and monarchies do (some even define monarchies as imperialism), republics just as much can and have become imperialistic empires e.g. Rome was a republic, with a Senate (Julius Caesar was assassinated by Senators right in the Senate) from which it metastasized into an arrogant empire - whereby the Roman Republic's President also became, not a king, but a dictator. The "dictator" was an actual Roman political title: "A dictator was appointed with near-absolute power, for a supposedly limited time, to deal with specific national threats or emergencies" (see The Politics Of Rome).

King David's kingdom was not about David, or even about Israel. It prophetically portrayed how the Kingdom of God will exist as a single worldwide kingdom - not as a means to rule all nations, but as the means by which all citizens will be native-born children of God. That's what salvation is truly about (see What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?).

"18:1 Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

18:2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 18:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

18:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 18:6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

18:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 18:8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

18:9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; 18:10 He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

18:11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

18:12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand. 18:13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

18:14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people. 18:15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder. 18:16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe; 18:17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king." (1 Chronicles 18:1-17 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) Who will be the King of the world for the first 1,000 years after the Messiah returns? (b) Who will be the King of the Kingdom of God forever after?
(a) See The Kingdom Of The LORD God
(b) See The Church: Mission Accomplished