"Adoration of the Magi"
attributed to Joseph Christophe (c. 1690-1700)
TO CHEW ON: "'And now O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as you have said.'" - 1 Chronicles 17:23
After hearing the prophecy about his kingly line, David went to God and poured out his heart in thanks and agreement: "... let it be established... So let it be established ... let the house of Your servant David be established before You" - 1 Chronicles 17:23-24.
[Establish means to make secure, stable or permanent, to fix firmly, to set up, to found or institute on a firm or lasting basis, to cause to be widely or unquestionably recognized and accepted. Two Hebrew words for 'established' are used here. 'Aman' (vs. 23, 24) means to support, confirm, be faithful to, uphold, and nourish. Kuwn (vs. 24 second occurrence) means to be firm, stable, secure, enduring.]
If Jesus was indeed the descendant of David through whom this kingly line was established, we would expect to find evidence of that. Let's take a brief look through the Bible for signs of Jesus' kingship.
1. Other prophetic writings thought to refer to Jesus speak of Him as a king (Isaiah 9:7 and Jeremiah 23:5 are two).
2. The angel Gabriel's words to Mary spoke of Jesus' kingly destiny (Luke 1:32-33).
3. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, of which the prophet Micah said, "...out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel" - Micah 5:2.
4. Jesus' lineage connects Him to King David - Matthew 1:1-16.
5. Wise men from the east, guided by a supernatural star came seeking a "King of the Jews" and presented the baby Jesus with gifts associated with royalty - Matthew 2:1-12.
6. Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey shortly before His death was an unmistakeable dramatization of who He was - Matthew 21:1-9.
7. Jesus Himself admitted He was a king, and Herod announced it to the world with an "accusation" nailed to the cross - Matthew 27:11,37.
8. The disciples believed Jesus was a king. They were persecuted and accused because of that belief - Acts 17:5-9. In another place Paul invoked Jesus' kingly power in a prayer - 1 Timothy 6:15.
9. John's visions of Jesus' reveal Him as King - Revelation 14:14; 19:15.
It seems abundantly clear that David's kingly line was established and fulfilled in Jesus. Perhaps all that's left to ponder is, what have we done with King Jesus? Have I established Him as King in my heart? Have you?
PRAYER: Dear King Jesus, please be the ruler supreme in my heart and life. Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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