Meditations

Open line on December 14

Question:

Yesterday, we were reading in Jeremiah 33, I was a little surprised at this, says that David will never lack a man to sit on the throne and there will never be a lack of priests with offerings and sacrifices, presumably in the temple and God says this is my covenant and it will never be broken. I was just thinking and a little bit confused …

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik, hour 2 @1:17

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=626036&hour=2

Summary of answer:

Isaiah 9

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. -nkjv

The birth of Christ fulfills the first part of Isaiah 9:6 but the second part of Isaiah 9:6 is yet to be fulfilled. Ever since the destruction of the temple at 70 A.D., there is an anticipation of the second temple to be rebuilt and Jeremiah 33:18 suggests that a second temple will be rebuilt when the Messianic King comes again. What Jeremiah 33:17-18 is saying, as Dr Michael Rydelnik explains, is that there will always be descendants of the line of David and also those whose ancestry trace back to the Levites or priestly line living from generation to generation but the throne of David will only be established when the Messianic King comes back.

For example, Zerubbabel, who played a key role in the times of Zechariah and Haggai, come from the lineage of David, but the throne of David in the future has not been established because the Messianic king has not returned yet.

Jeremiah 33

¹⁷ “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸ nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ ” -nkjv

¹⁷ For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸ Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually. -kjv

¹⁷ For this is what the Lord says: ‘David shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸ and the Levitical priests shall not lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to prepare sacrifices continually.’” -nasb

¹⁷ For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸ nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’” -niv