The Throne of David by Alonzo T. Jones

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1886

The Throne of David.

By Alonzo T. Jones

ZEDEKIAH was the last king of Judah and Jerusalem, the last king upon the throne of David. To him it was that the prophet wrote the message from God: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." Eze. 21:25-27. There can be no question as to who is the One "whose right it is" to sit upon the throne of David, to put on the kingly crown, and to wear the

royal diadem. There can be but one,—He who is the aim of all the prophecies and the subject of all the promises. And when the fullness of the time was come when He should appear in the world, the annunciation was: Thou "shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:31-33.

This promise is itself a prophecy of what should be in the future, "the Lord God shall give" etc., but there is nothing in it to signify when this event might be looked for. However, it was said to Zedekiah, "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it." It was to be overturned three times, and then, "be no more till he come whose right it is," and then it shall be given him. Now by turning to Daniel, who had been carried captive to Babylon with the first that were taken—about B. C. 606—we find that he has recorded in the second chapter what was seen by King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream; and in the seventh chapter what himself saw in a dream. There it is said that there were four great kingdoms to be in succession from Nebuchadnezzar to the end of the world; the fourth was to be divided into ten kingdoms, "and in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom." These answer to the three overturnings that were spoken of to Zedekiah. The kingdom of Judah was then subject to the kingdom of Babylon; when that was overthrown by Medo-Persia, there was the first overturning; when Medo-Persia was destroyed by Grecia, there was the second overturning; and when Grecia was succeeded by Rome, there was the third overturning, and then it should be no more till He come whose right it is, and it shall be given Him. All these overturnings are in the past; long centuries have gone since the kingdom of Judah was no more; and soon, very soon will He come whose right it is, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. Isa. 9:7. A. T. J.