Page 216 - Bible Writers Theology Original

200 ♦ Bible Writers' Theology Chapter Eight
Concerning His everlasting Kingdom, Isaiah 9:7 declares, "Of the increase of his government and peace 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. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Luke also writes: "He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give imto 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 1:32-33). The promised Messiah is biblically identified as a Son of David to indicate that He will establish the everlasting Kingdom. The past earthly kingdom of David was only a forerunner and a shadow of the one to come/ in which David himself will be saved. Christ is called the Son of the Highest tospecifyHisheavenlyorigin (Matthew22:42-43).
The purpose of His coming is prefigured in the sacrifices of the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 5:7) and is taught in many of the Psalms (16:8-10; 22:1,7,18; 41:9-11), and the prophets (Isaiah 52:14; 53:4-6; Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 11:12; 13:1,7). The latter purpose is foretold in many Old Testament scriptures (Genesis 17:6,16; Genesis 49:9; Deuteronomy 17:14-20; Psalm 89:20-36; Psalm 2; 8; 24; 45; 72; 89; 110; Isaiah 11:1-10; Jeremiah 31:31- 34, Ezekiel 37: 15-24; Zechariah 14:9). Accordingly, when He came. He
appeared in the double role of Saviour and King. The references to the Son of Abraham in Matthew 1:1 and the seed of Abraham in Galatians 3:15-29
and of the fathers in (Romans 9:4-5) are not those of a natural offspring of thepatriarch. (SeealsoMatthew12:46-50;22:41-46;11:27-28;Luke2:48-49, 50,John2:4.) Theyindicatethefulfillmentofthecomingofapromisedseed of heavenly origin to destroy the work of the devil (Hebrews 2:14-16;
Colossians 2.T5; I John 3:8-9; John 16:27-28).
The archangel Gabriel had told Mary, "He shall be great, and shall be ca led the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David" (Luke 1:32). Jesus said of Himself, "I am not
sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (the children of prom ise) (Matthew 15:24). However, "... his own received him not" (John 1:11). "The Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18) Because He claimed to be the Son of God, the
Pharisees considered it blasphemy thinking that Jesus was simply an ordi naryman. ThisblasphemyintheirmindmadeHimguiltyofdeath,and theyaskedthatHebecrucified. Thus,Christdiedasasubstitutionarysac rifice, became Saviour of the world, and cornerstone of the Church (Matthew 16:18, 21; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 2:20; 5:25).
2 To Reveal the Father
In the Old Testament, the invisible God who was revealed as Word and