Chapter 4 - An Examination of the End Times
Davidic Covenant
In 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17; and Psalm 89, we see that each of these passages discuss a series of promises God made with King David, which is often referred to as the Davidic Covenant. One specific promise in that covenant was that God promised David that both his throne and his lineage would continue forever. While the lineage may be explained through the life of Jesus, David’s reign (his political rule over Israel) has not been observed continuing in history. For those that believe in a literal one-thousand year period (Millennium), they place this promise’s fulfillment during that time, as the text supports a literal interpretation placing David’s throne being a throne over the people Israel on earth. Some believe it is reference to God’s current heavenly reign, but David never sat in that throne. Therefore, those who do not believe that there will be a millennial period (Amillennialists), have difficulty in interpreting these passages, as the Bible does not offer any other time period where this covenant could be fulfilled.
Confirmation of the Davidic Covenant is found in the words of the angel to Mary, announcing that she would be the mother of Jesus, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with Child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:30–33). In addition to the general promise that Jesus would be her son, the specific promises were given that He would occupy the throne of His father David and that His reign and His kingdom would never end.
If it is true, as advocates of amillennialism contend, that the Old Testament has been misunderstood and that a literal fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant should not be expected, why would God instruct His angel to use such terminology for Mary? Certainly, for a Jewish maiden living in a time of expectation of a coming Messiah for Israel, there would be no problem in accepting the promise as very literal. On the contrary, it would be most strange if what God intended to reveal was that her son was to be head of the church composed of both Jews and Gentiles. It is true that believers in the Church Age were called “children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:6–9) based on the Abrahamic promise of blessing on “all peoples of the earth” (Gen. 12:3), but the church was never related to Jacob. The reference to the house of Jacob must be a reference to the physical descendants of Jacob, that is, the people of Israel.[1]
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” (Job 19:25-27) In what is considered one of the greatest and oldest prophecies in the Old Testament, Job tells us that believers will be reunited with their bodies. An event that will take place before eternity begins.
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1:1-6) The first Psalm is often considered an introduction to the book of Psalms, and as such we see some early, especially Jewish, versions of Scripture that does not assign a number to this chapter. The brief text effectively delineates those that follow God’s ways as being blessed by Him versus those that do not follow, as being wicked and unable to survive judgment. God considers those that delight in studying God’s Word and bear fruit as being righteous and those that do not will be like chaff during threshing and end up drying up and being blown away in the wind, condemned for eternity. This ‘dichotomy’ sets up the harsh reality that sin is unacceptable to God and without His forgiveness and their acceptance of His plan of salvation, there is no hope for humanity. Without God, condemnation is inevitable. That is the central theme of the book of Psalms and the entire Bible. This prophecy will ultimately be fulfilled during judgment day. The theme of the wicked being judged at the end continues in several Psalms (see Psalm 6:8-10; 9:1-20; 10:16; 11:16; 21:8-13; 25:3; 34:1-22; 37:1-40; 50:1-23; 52:1-9; 55:16-23; 69:22-28; 72:1-4; 73:27; 89:30-37; 92:7-15; 108:13; 110:1-7; 125:1-5; 145:1-21; 147:6).
“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:1-12) Psalm chapter two is believed to be a ‘divine conversation’ between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When looking at the world, God the Father sees people and their leaders conspiring against Him and His Son (the ‘Anointed’ is the Hebrew word ‘mešîh’,[2] can be transliterated as ‘Messiah’). This is nothing new as we see in the Old Testament and history that there has always been some who rebel against God, and that animosity continues today. While the people attempt to free themselves from any influence of God, the Father laughs at them and mocks them. He then speaks to them about His wrath that terrifies the people, reminding them that He has set His Son as King. He then turns to His Son and tells Him that all authority has been given to Him (see also Matthew 28:18) and that He can rule over all of earth’s leaders. The Holy Spirit responds by saying to the people to serve God with reverence and follow the Son otherwise they will die and be condemned. Those that accept Jesus and find refuge in Him will be saved and blessed. The book of Revelation amplifies this prophecy and we see the kings and leaders of the world during the end times trying to lead the people away from God, leading to destruction all while the reign of Jesus begins. The theme of a Messianic Kingdom can be read in many of the Psalms (see Psalm 8:1-9; 9:7-20; 10:16; 18:50; 22:27-28; 24:1-10; 45:6-7; 72:1-20; 89:1-4; 97:1-12; 98:1-9; 99:1-9; 102:12-28; 110:1-7; 132:11-18; 145:13-14).
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[1] Walvoord, J. F. (1990). The prophecy knowledge handbook (pp. 64–65). Victor Books.
[2] Strong’s Hebrew 4899.