The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel

The Messiah and the Davidic Covenant

The Davidic Covenant promised:

1.            An eternal house (this refers to the dynasty of David; the house of David or the line of David).

2.            An eternal throne (this refers to a permanent right to reign that was to be held by the house of David).

3.            An eternal kingdom (Israel’s future is secure - there will always be subjects to protect and serve).

4.            An eternal descendent (necessary if the house, throne and kingdom are to last forever).

 

That the Davidic Covenant climaxes in the person of the Messiah is supported by Scripture. Peter references it in his address at Pentecost. “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.” (Acts 2:29-31) Here is the eternal One, resurrected to sit eternally on the Davidic throne.

In this address Peter draws on Psalm 16 to demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus was predicted, and since the Psalm was Davidic it must mean that this One who has been resurrected, the Messiah of Israel, must also be the One to inherit the throne of David and reign eternally. Peter builds his case quickly and well. Since he was speaking on the anniversary of the death of David, and because the tomb of David was known to his hearers, he confidently asserted that Israel’s greatest king was both dead and buried. The unexpressed implication is that since David’s tomb remains undisturbed, his body underwent decay, so he cannot have fulfilled the prophecy spoken of in Psalm 16. And if David cannot fulfill the psalm, someone else must. Peter offers the solution in verse 30. Knowing that God had promised to seat one of his descendants on his throne, David spoke prophetically of the resurrection of the Messiah. With this statement, Peter interpreted Psalm 16 in light of God’s promise to David. The resurrection, and (by implication) the death of the Messiah, was predicted in this Psalm (vv.8–11) and are part of the fulfillment of the promise to seat one of David’s descendants on his throne. While the promise statement in verse 30 of Acts 2 is an allusion from the Septuagint translation of Psalm 132:11, it surely draws generally from the Davidic theology that most Jews would have been familiar with.[1]

A later episode is described in Acts 15. There Luke undertakes to report on the debate in Jerusalem, where the question of the admittance of the Gentiles was under discussion. He quotes James quoting Amos. “After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.” (Acts 15:14-17; cf. Amos9.11,12) The prophecy of the rebuilding of the tabernacle (or house) of David again draws on the promise to David that his house, throne and kingdom would be established forever.[2] It appears that the early Church leaders understood the rebuilding of David’s house in this way—as a reference to the re-establishment of the Davidic dynasty accomplished through the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.

Not only ‘Son of David’ but also ‘King of the Jews’

 

It was crucial to the Messianic claim of Jesus that he should have been born in David’s town of Bethlehem, of David’s line and be a true Son of David, a title that was freely accorded Him by those who recognized His Messianic credentials.[3] But beyond this is His position as ‘King of the Jews’. He was not just of royal lineage, (many others could have claimed as much), but He was the only One who would be able to fulfill the royal prophecies. He was born “King of the Jews” (Matt.2.2); He was tried as “King of the Jews”, (Matt.27.11; John 18.33) a title he readily accepted before Pilate;[4] a title that Pilate readily accepted;[5] and He was convicted and executed as “King of the Jews” (Matt.27.37; Mark 15.26; Luke 23.38; John 19.19).

At the centre of the rejection of Jesus as Messiah was the reluctance of the Sanhedrin to acknowledge this aspect of the claim of Jesus. When He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, deliberately fulfilling the Zechariah prophecy, “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey,’” (Matt. 21:4-5) they complained of the crowd’s reaction when they praised the Son of David. This public display of power and popularity undoubtedly hardened their opposition and resistance. Their actions the following week where they sought opportunity to bring a political accusation against Him were partly a reaction to this event.

That Jesus had title to the Davidic throne is clear, but the time when His reign would begin is less clear. The disciples had thought it was imminent. After the resurrection and before the ascension they asked the risen Messiah, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) Jesus’ enigmatic reply was, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” (Acts 1:7)  It seems obvious that there will be no salvation for the nation of Israel until they acknowledge, not just the Messianic claim of Jesus, but also His Davidic claim. When He returns, He will return as King, and not just King of the Gentiles but especially King of the Jews. And He will reign from Jerusalem. Therefore it must await the time when the leaders will greet the Messiah in the same manner as the crowd did at His entry into Jerusalem on the first day of Passion week. They are required to express heartfelt delight at His appearing, fulfilling the main condition for His return; “you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matt. 23:39)

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[1] Cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–16; Ps. 89

[2] cf. 2 Sam. 7:16

[3] Matt.9.27; 12.23; 15.22; 20.30,31; 21.9; Mark 10.47,48; 18.38,39 (see also Matt.1.1; Luke 3.31)

[4] Matt.27.11

[5] Mark 15.9

The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

The Messiah and the Land Covenant (Continued)

The Return of the Jews to the Land

 

The obedience to the Law that was required was always predicated on faith. Mechanical obedience was never acceptable to the Lord. Not unsurprisingly, their historical obedience was never perfect and when the quality of that obedience dropped to unacceptable levels there would be a word from the throne via a prophetic spokesman to indicate an exile of the people. An examination of texts in the T’nach suggests there would be at least three dispossessions[1] and three restorations.[2] Of those, the three dispossessions have been fulfilled, so also the first and second restorations; the final restoration for which the nation waits is yet future.

 

Since the final return to the Land is conditioned on faith in God, then it will only take place when the nation accepts Jesus as their Messiah and are regenerated. It is true that there has been a return to the Land in the 20^th century, but the numbers have been relatively small, and the bulk of the population have returned in unbelief, that is, they are still not followers of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. Therefore, they do not qualify for the full restoration of the Land. This waits for the nation as a whole to repent, embrace God’s offer of mercy, and enjoy the benefits that the New Covenant can bring to them. Only then will they occupy the territory designated in the Abrahamic Covenant which at that time will be restored to full fruitfulness.

 

Here are one or two Scriptures relating to this:

1.                  The final regathering will be when Israel returns in faith. Moses spoke of it: “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me  … then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land …when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 26:40-45)

2.                  It will be a total regathering. Isaiah described it: “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth— Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isa. 43:5-7)

3.                  The Land will be restored to its former glory. “‘I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,’ Says the Lord your God.” (Amos 9:14-15)

4.                  God will be a shepherd to Israel. “‘Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” (Jer. 31:10)

Next Time: The Messiah and the Davidic Covenant

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[1] cf.  Gen.15.13,14,16; Jer.25.11,12; Deut.28.63-68 with Deut. 30.1-3

[2] cf. Gen.15.14 with Josh.1.2-7; Dan.9.2 with Jer.25.11,12; Deut. 30.3; Jer. 23.5-8; Exek.37.21-25; Acts 15.14-17

The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

The Messiah and the Land Covenant

The Land Covenant made the occupation of Israel conditional on the obedience of the people to the Mosaic Law. One of the purposes of the Mosaic Law was to prepare Israel to receive their Messiah. Jesus said, “if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” (John 5:46) The rejection of the Messianic claims of Jesus is a prima facie case against Israel that they were not keeping the Law. This is also the direct accusation of the Son of God, the only One who never told a lie. “Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?” (John 7:19) immediately adding, “Why do you seek to kill Me?”  thus identifying the final act of His rejection, which, if the Word of God holds true would have to bring about an exile of the nation. And so it was. The Messiah who never shed tears over His own pain shed tears over the judgment that was to fall on Jerusalem. When He saw the city He wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Jesus indicated that the exile would not really end until they reversed the national rejection of His Messianic office. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (Matt. 23:37-39; Luke 13.34) The desolation of Israel will not end until they repent of national rejection of the Son of God, and call for His help and assistance. Israel cannot survive without God, and it is only the believing remnant that maintains the continuity of their existence.

On the way to His place of execution when His rejection would be finally confirmed by the most unjust and cruel act imaginable, He repeated His warning to the nation. In view of their statement, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:28-31)

The leaders of the nation, supported by the majority of the population, had rejected their Messiah with the words, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him! … We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19:15) They will find out what kind of king Caesar is. Not insignificantly, Caesar also claimed the honor of being a deity.

The physical consequences of the rejection of Jesus and the fulfillment of His chilling prophecy to the women of Jerusalem did not mature until more than three decades later. Gessius Florus, the Roman governor/procurator of Israel from AD64 to 66 was not averse to utilizing his power for personal gain. Josephus blames him for ‘kindling the war’,[1] that is, it was Florus’ actions that brought about the Jewish revolt that ultimately led to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. Several Roman commanders were involved. The campaign was begun by the governor of Syria, Cestius Gallus, who with the 12^th legion, plus two thousand men from other legions and reinforced with cavalry and auxiliary troops began the campaign to subdue a revolt by the disenchanted Jewish people. His campaign began successfully enough but he failed to take the Temple Mount and withdrew. Gallus was succeeded by Vespasian and Vespasian’s son, Titus, and it would be Titus who would finally conquer Jerusalem, over-run the opposition on the Temple Mount and destroy the Temple. The Titus arch, erected in Rome to memorialize his victory, depicts the seven branch Menorah being carried away by Roman legionaries.

Although the Jews were seriously depleted and some exiled at the time of the Vespasian war, it would be the rebellion under the Messianic claimant Bar Cochba that would bring about the wholesale deportation of the population. In AD 132 Simon Bar Cochba persuaded many leading Jews that he was the Messiah and would be able to lead a resistance against Rome that would be the fulfillment of the word of the prophets and free them from the Gentile yoke. Initially there was some success, but Rome always had reinforcements and the ability to put down rebellions, and the revolt was finally subdued in AD 135. However, the cost to Rome was heavy, both in the loss of men and resources. The province itself was reduced to a wilderness. Schurer reports “All Judea was well-nigh a desert. 50 fortresses, 985 villages were destroyed, 580,000 Jews (?) fell in battle, while the number of those who succumbed to their wounds and to famine was never reckoned. Innumerable was the multitude of those who were sold away as slaves. At the annual market at the Terebinth of Hebron they were offered for sale in such numbers that a Jewish slave was of no more value than a horse. What could not be disposed of there was brought to Gaza and there sold or sent to Egypt, on the way to which many died of hunger or by shipwreck”.^[2] Jerusalem was converted into a Roman colony with the name Aelia Capitolina. The character of the city was transformed from Jewish to heathen by driving out any remaining Jewish occupants, and replacing them with colonists. No Jew was allowed to re-enter the city. Any discovered within its boundaries was put to death. A Temple to Jupiter was erected to replace the Jewish Temple on the Temple mount. That which Antiochus Epiphanes had tried to accomplish some centuries earlier was now accomplished by the Roman conquerors. Thus the Jews finally and completely lost the Temple, the City and the Land. It would be some 1800 years before they would have a partial foothold in Israel once again.

More Next Time:

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[1] The works of Josephus, Wars 2, 556

^[2]Schürer, E. (1890). A history of the Jewish people in the time of Jesus Christ, first division, Vol. II. (2:314). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.