Wednesday
Wednesday
A King like David
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
God’s original purpose for his people was not a kingdom but a theocracy. That is, he would rule over them himself directly without a human intermediary. Thus when they demanded a king like the other nations, it was God, not Samuel, whom they were rejecting. Samuel proceeded to warn them of the oppressive régimes that their human kings would introduce. And so it came to pass. It is not surprising, therefore, that the prophets began to dream of a future ideal kingdom that would exhibit all those characteristics that the kings of Israel and Judah lamentably failed to exhibit, although David approximated to them.
Firstly, God’s kingdom would be righteous. The Messiah would be righteous and would rule his people with justice. “The days are coming,” Yahweh declared, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land” (Jer. 23:5).
Secondly, God’s kingdom would be peaceful. David’s reign had been marred by endless wars, and it was in deliberate contrast to this that his son and successor was named Solomon, shalom, peace (1 Chron. 22:6–10).
Thirdly, God’s kingdom would be stable. The thrones of Israel and Judah were mostly unstable and comparatively brief, but the messianic kingdom would last forever.
Fourthly, God’s kingdom would be universal. At its most extensive, Israel’s territory stretched only “from Dan to Beersheba” (2 Sam. 3:10). But the messianic kingdom would “extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth” (Zech. 9:10).
Thus righteousness and peace, eternity and universality are the main characteristics of the messianic kingdom that was ushered in by Jesus. It is not far-fetched to detect these qualities in the four names of the boy king (Isa. 9:6).
For further reading: Psalm 72