This article proves that, if Jesus of Nazareth is not Israel’s King Messiah, then Israel can not have a Messiah.

 Haggai 2:23 “In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.”

 When reading and studying the Bible, the genealogy of the kings of Judah can seem boring and not of much importance.  The Bible also gives details about these kings such as how many children they had and their names.  Despite their appearance of being tedious details, all of this information is of critical importance when establishing who can be the Messiah of Israel.

All of the Scriptures are important, and God did not put Scriptures in the Bible as filler material.  The following genealogy of the kings of Judah into the New Testament leads to the conclusion that only Jesus of Nazareth can be the King Messiah.

The clear line of the Messiah starts with king David.  God promised king David that the Messiah would come through him.  A direct descendant of David would sit on the throne as king in an everlasting kingdom.  Although David would have many sons, God narrowed the Messianic line through one of David’s sons.  The line would go through the son who would build the temple or as it is also called, the house of God.  David’s son who built the temple is the one to follow for the messianic line.

  2 Samuel 7:12 “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. (13) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

(14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: (15) But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (16) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

  This promise to David was not just a statement, but it was recorded in the Bible as a covenant.  A covenant is a solemn oath and is very serious with God.  God links His holiness to the fulfillment of this covenant He made with David.  God cannot base the covenant on anything greater than His holiness.  The very character of God was at stake to uphold this covenant.  Since God's promises are honored, it was God’s responsibility to bring the Messiah and establish the kingdom forever.

  Psalm 89:34 “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.(35) Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.”

  The covenant that God made with David was that David’s throne would be everlasting.  He would have a descendant who would sit as king on this throne forever.  This was an incredible promise that God made to David.  In fact, the Messiah and David are closely linked in the Bible.  On several occasions, God speaks of the Messiah in the name of king David.  Hosea 3:5 is a good example of this.  At the time of the prophet Hosea, King David was already dead for about 300 years, and now he has been dead for 3000 years. Yet, the prophet says that in the time period known as the latter days, the Jews would return to God and seek David their king.  The reference to David their king is directed toward the Messiah of whom David is a type.

 

Hosea 3:5 “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.”

                                                                                                                             

The Bible develops that this covenant with King David was not only for Israel, but the kingdom of the Messiah would include the entire world.  All the world would come under the direct authority of David’s greatest Son, the Messiah of Israel.  David, in Psalm 72, shows the fullness of the covenant God made with him.  This Psalm shows that the Messiah was to rule all the earth and not only Israel.  In Psalm 72, David speaks of the Messiah in the name of Solomon.

 

Psalm 72:1 “A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

(7) In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (8) He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (9) They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

(10) The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. (11) Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.”

 

The Bible records that David had 19 named sons and additional ones unnamed.  His son Solomon, followed David as king and built the temple. The Messianic line continued through Solomon.

 

1 Chronicles 3:1 “Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:(2) The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: (3) The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. (4) These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.

(5) And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel: (6) Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, (7) And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (8) And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.(9) These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines,”

                                                                                                                                   

There is no doubt that the Messianic line went through Solomon because he was king and built the temple or as it also called, the house of the LORD.  According to 2 Samuel 7:13, the son who built the temple would produce the Messiah, so Solomon’s line is critical and has to be studied very closely.  Solomon knew of the covenant and expected the Messiah to come through his line:

                                                                               

1 Kings 5:3 “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. (4) But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

1 Kings 5:5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.”

 

By building the house of the LORD, Solomon becomes a type of the Messiah.  Solomon is the son of David, the first in the line leading to the Messiah.  Like the Messiah, Solomon will build the house of the LORD.  The difference is that the Messiah’s temple and kingdom will never pass away.

The Bible lists only Rehoboam as the son of Solomon.  There is no indication whatsoever of any other sons of Solomon.  Because of the importance of Solomon's genealogy in regards to the Messiah, it is clear that the messianic line went through Rehoboam.  There is no other conclusion, but that the Messianic line follows the kings of Judah.  The line goes all the way through Jeconiah and his grandson Zerubbabel.  The Bible does mention that Solomon had two daughters, 1 Kings 4:11,15.

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, but the Bible lists only one son for him, Rehoboam: 1Chronicles 3:10 “And Solomon's son was Rehoboam.”  The Scriptures then list that Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters and gives the numbers of his wives.  It tells us what he did with his children.

 

2 Chronicles 11:21 “And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

2 Chronicles 11:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. (23) And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance.”

 

The Bible mentioned what David did with his sons, “...and the sons of David were chief about the king.” 1 Chronicles 18:17.  There is no mention whatsoever of Solomon having more than one son.  When Solomon set-up the authority structure of his kingdom, no sons were mentioned.

                                                                                                          

1 Kings 9:22 “But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. (23) These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.”

 

The Bible gives great detail about David, his wives and sons.  Solomon's wives are listed in detail along with Rehoboam’s sons and wives.  However, Rehoboam is the only son listed for Solomon.  The Bible limits the Messianic line from David to Solomon to Rehoboam.  The fact the Bible lists only one son for Solomon leads to two conclusions.  The first is that although Solomon had hundreds of wives, Rehoboam was the only son.  The second is the Bible focuses on Rehoboam as the messianic line.  In either case, there is no doubt that the Messiah will come through Rehoboam’s line.

The Scriptures give the progression of the weakening of David’s kingdom and how God dealt with the rebellion against Him.  The first thing to happen was that after Solomon died, the kingdom was divided in two because of the sin of Solomon and the people.  The kingdom, then divided into two sections: Israel and Judah.  The northern kingdom of Israel with 10 tribes was given to Jeroboam, and Rehoboam was given the southern kingdom with two tribes.  Jeroboam was not a son of Solomon nor was he a descendant of king David.  He was one of Solomon’s top leaders who was appointed the governor of a section of Israel.

When Solomon died, Jeroboam became the king of Israel while Rehoboam became the king of Judah.  The messianic line followed Rehoboam as Solomon's only son and not Jeroboam.  As the kings and people continued to rebel against God, the judgments became progressively worse on the kingdom.  The first major judgment on the messianic line was when God divided the kingdom.  This division as found in 1Kings 11 follows:

 

1 Kings 11:31 “And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (32) (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

(33) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

(34) Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

(35) But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. (36) And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.”

 

King Hezekiah was the next king to bring judgment on the Messianic line.  Hezekiah was a good king and did that which pleased God.  God greatly blessed him, but Hezekiah made a huge mistake that would drastically effect the future of the kings of Judah.  Babylon sent ambassadors to meet with Hezekiah.  In a foolish moment, Hezekiah showed them all the great wealth of the kingdom.

After the ambassadors left, the prophet Isaiah came to Hezekiah and asked him about showing the Babylonians the treasury.  Isaiah rebuked the king for being so proud to show the treasury to the pagans.  Isaiah then pronounced a judgment on the king that his descendants would be taken captive to Babylon and made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.  Because of pride, Hezekiah showed all the wealth of the treasury.  This would be the lure one hundred years later that would draw the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem:

 

Isaiah 39:2 “And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.”

Isaiah 39:5 “Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: (6) Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. (7) And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

 

The kings' rebellion against God started with Solomon and reached a climax with king Manasseh.  This king did everything to provoke God’s wrath against the kingly line and the people of Judah.  Manasseh worshipped the pagan gods and sacrificed his own children to their images.  He lead the people of Judah to the same pagan worship.

The result of Manasseh's rebellion against the God of Israel lead the LORD to pronounce his judgment upon Manasseh and the people of Judah.  This judgment included the destruction of the nation and Jerusalem.  The judgment was set during the time of Manasseh and never reversed.

 

2 Kings 21:10 “And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, (11) Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: (12) Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

(13) And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

(14) And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;

(15) Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.”

 

When God set the judgment decree, nothing could change it.  Manasseh was taken captive and chained.  In his affliction, he cried out to God.  He repented of the wickedness he had done and led Israel into; however, Manasseh’s repentance did not annul the judgment decree.  Manasseh’s repentance follows:

 

2 Chronicles 33:12 “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (13) And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.”

 

Israel had a tremendous revival under king Josiah.  Josiah led Israel to cleanse the land of paganism and restore the Passover.  The Bible says that Josiah turned to God with all his heart and soul.  Even with this tremendous turning back to God, this could not change the judgment decree upon Judah.  The decree was set because of the sin of Manasseh.  King Josiah's repentance and returning back to God could not alter this decree.

 

2 Kings 23:26 “Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.

(27) And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”

Jeremiah 15:4 “And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.”

 

Because of the judgment decree made during the reign of Manasseh, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews captive to Babylon.

 

2 Kings 24:3 “Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;”

 

The next king of Judah to bring judgment on the messianic line was Jeconiah.  He is also called Coniah and Jehoiachin.  All three names Jeconiah, Coniah and Jehoiachin refer to the same king of Judah.  Jeconiah was an evil king and God was outraged with him.  During Jeconiah’s reign, God judged the kingly line with a curse.  The curse was that no descendant of Jeconiah would sit as king of Israel.  Jeconiah had children, but the prophet Jeremiah said consider him childless.  Jeconiah was removed as king and replaced with his uncle Zedekiah.

 

Jeremiah 22:24 “As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (29) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

Jeremiah 22:30 Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.”

 

This curse on king Jeconiah was made in the strongest possible language.  The prophet said, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.”  The curse was initiated with a triple declaration of “earth, earth, earth.”  This is the only time in the Bible that such a triple declaration of a curse was made.  This is unique in all the Bible.  There was no remedy for this curse.  It was not conditional.  There is no indication in the Scriptures that if Jeconiah repented the curse would be lifted.  This curse was final, and it was established forever.

God made a decree during the reign of King Manasseh that Jerusalem was going to be judged.  King Manasseh eventually repented of the evil which he had committed.  God forgave him, but the repentance did not release the judgment decree.  Jerusalem was destroyed exactly as God had decreed.  There is no indication that Jeconiah even repented.  If God did not lift the judgment decree after Manasseh repented, there is absolutely no reason to believe this curse on Jeconiah was rescinded.  All the indications are that once this curse was given, it was sealed.

One part of the curse was that Jeconiah would be taken captive to Babylon.  He would desire to return to Israel, but would die in captivity.  He would be unable to return to Israel and would die in the land of Babylon.  Exactly as the prophet stated, the curse and punishment fell upon Jeconiah to the letter of the decree.  He never again saw the land of Israel.  He died under the curse in Babylon.  There is no indication in the Bible that this curse was lifted off Jeconiah or any of his descendants.  It stands to this day.

 

A condition of the curse:

“And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.” Jeremiah 22:26, 27

 

The fulfillment of the curse:

“And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.” Jeremiah 52:34

 

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon and was taken prisoner.  All of the king’s sons were killed by the Babylonians.  The combination of the curse on the kingly line and the deaths of all Zedekiah’s sons ended the line from Solomon through Rehoboam.  From 586 BC when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon ended the kingdom of Judah, there has not been a king to sit on the throne of David.  No son of David since that time has sat as the king of Israel.

 

Jeremiah 52:10 “And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.”

 

The Messianic line through Solomon thus was cut off and came to an end.  The line ended three ways.  The sons of king Zedekiah were all killed.  A curse was placed on all the sons of king Jeconiah that they could not sit on the throne of David as the king of Israel.  The descendants of king Hezekiah were all made eunuchs in Babylon, and thus they were unable to continue the kingly line.

God was furious with the kings of the Messianic line.  From Solomon to Zedekiah there were 21 kings and only a few did that which was right before the Lord.  God’s fury at the kings can be seen even far into the future.  During the Messiah’s reign, God condemns these kings and wants their sin far from Him.

God will require Jerusalem to be cleansed of all the iniquity the kings were doing as a prerequisite for His presence in the temple in Jerusalem.  God’s dealings with the Messianic line will be carried far into the future.  A condition for God’s presence among His people is that the iniquity of the kings must be cleansed.  This will occur thousands of years after the line ended.  God was furious with the Messianic line through Solomon and ended it.  The following verses show how furious God was with Solomon’s line:

 

Ezekiel 43:7 “And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

(8) In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. (9) Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.”

 

                                                                                                      

                                                     Zerubbabel as a Type of Messiah

 

Although Jeconiah’s descendants were cursed in that they could not sit on the throne of David as the king of Israel, clear messianic promises were made to Jeconiah’s grandson, Zerubbabel.  Zerubbabel returned from the Babylonian captivity and helped rebuild the temple.  Because he was a direct descendant of David, Solomon and Rehoboam, he was eligible to sit as king.  The Scriptures are clear, from Zerubbabel’s genealogy, that he is from King David through Rehoboam and Jeconiah.  Zerubbabel’s genealogy follows:

 

1 Chronicles 3:10 “And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, (11) Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,(12)  Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13  Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, (14) Amon his son, Josiah his son.(15) And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. (16) And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. (17) And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son, (18) Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. (19) And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah,”

 

However, the kingdom was taken away from the Jews, and Israel was under the authority of a foreign power.  Zerubbabel was recognized only as the governor and not the king of Israel.  The curse was in effect as Zerubbabel did not sit as the king of Israel.

 

Haggai 1:1 “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,”

 

There is no Scripture in the Bible to indicate that the curse was lifted off Jeconiah’s descendants which would include his grandson, Zerubbabel.  Although the curse was not lifted off Jeconiah’s descendants, clear messianic promises were made to Zerubbabel by the prophet Haggai.  The prophet Haggai shows a direct link between Zerubbabel and the Messiah.  The Messiah is addressed and described by Haggai under the name of Zerubbabel.  By addressing the Messiah in the name of Zerubbabel, a clear messianic link was established from David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Jeconiah to Zerubbabel. The Scriptures by Haggai follow:

 

Haggai 2:21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

(22) And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

(23) In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.”

 

The above Scriptures could not have been about Zerubbabel, but have to be directly related to the Messiah.  There are several indicators in Haggai 2:21-23 which completely rule out Zerubbabel.  In Zerubbabel’s day, God did not shake the heavens and earth.  The kingdoms of the Gentiles were not overthrown.  Zerubbabel was never made as a signet as he never was the king of Israel but only a governor of Judah.  The person of the Messiah is God’s signet.

This promise by God was to show that although the kingdom was taken away, under the Messiah it would be restored.  All of this awaits for a time in the future and the rule of the King Messiah.  The key is the Messiah is addressed as Zerubbabel.  This means the messianic line must continue through him.

God will shake the heavens and the earth at the time the messianic kingdom is being set up. The Bible refers to this time as the Day of the LORD.

 

Isaiah 13:9 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (10) For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

(13) Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”

 

During the Day of the LORD the nations of the earth will be united in an attempt to destroy Israel and take Jerusalem.  This event will trigger the coming of the Messiah to overthrow these nations and set up His everlasting Kingdom over all the earth.  The Messiah will stand on the Mount of Olives and destroy the armies that attempt to destroy Jerusalem.  With His Divine power, He will annihilate these armies.  The prophet Zechariah shows this:

 

Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

(3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof

(12) And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

(9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

(16) And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

(17) And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.”

 

Only three people in the Hebrew Scriptures are addressed as the Messiah: David, Solomon and Zerubbabel.  They are all of the kingly line and all become a type of the Messiah.  Zerubbabel was addressed as the Messiah in Haggai 2:23.  Solomon was addressed as the Messiah in Psalm 72, and David was addressed in several places as the Messiah.  One example from Ezekiel follows:

 

Ezekiel 34:23 “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”

 

The genealogy of King David through Rehoboam was maintained until the close of the Old Testament about 400 BC.  The only progenitor for King Messiah, as recorded in the Bible, has to come through Zerubbabel.  The only genealogical line from David to King Messiah, after the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, is that of Zerubbabel. There are no others that are recorded.  God has very carefully narrowed the Messianic line directly through Zerubbabel.  The Bible lists the descendants of Zerubbabel to the sixth generation after him.

There is no other descendant of King David whose genealogy is maintained after the captivity. Zerubbabel is the only progenitor in the Bible for King Messiah. The Scriptures to show that Zerubbabel’s genealogy was maintained until the sixth generation follow:

 

“And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:  And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.  And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.  And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.  And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.” 1 Chronicles 3:19-24

 

The genealogy of Zerubbabel, as recorded in the Book of 1 Chronicles has a very unique factor.  This further shows the Bible’s special attention given to Zerubbabel and his descendants.  The Book of 2 Chronicles ends with Cyrus, the King of Persia, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.  Zerubbabel was with the first group of Jews that returned.  This event occurred in approximately 535 BC.  The last verse recorded in 2Chronicles follows:

 

“Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.” 2 Chronicles 36:23

 

The unique factor is that Zerubbabel’s genealogy was kept for six generations after the close of 2 Chronicles!  The genealogy of Zerubbabel was maintained by some person or persons for approximately 100-150 years after the completion of 2 Chronicles. God sent several prophets to Israel after the return from Babylon.  These prophets included Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.  It is entirely probable that the prophets were monitoring Zerubbabel’s genealogy because they were aware of the Messianic significance.

Haggai was well aware of Zerubbabel as he prophesied of King Messiah in the name of Zerubbabel, Haggai 2:21-23.  Malachi was the last prophet of Israel until the coming of King Messiah.  Because Malachi was a prophet, he would have the authority to add to the Bible.  Malachi probably updated Zerubbabel’s genealogy until he passed away.  With his passing, no person would have the authority to add to the Bible; thus Zerubbabel’s genealogy ended.  The last progenitor of King Messiah’s line in the Bible is Zerubbabel.

The Messianic line runs from David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel to the Messiah.  There is no place in the Bible which shows the curse on the kingly line has been lifted.  Because of the curse, anyone born of a human father and claims to be the Messiah will have the curse of Jeconiah to block such a claim.  The Messiah of Israel cannot have a human father.

                                                                                                                                                           

                                               King Messiah is not a mere man

The Bible shows that the Messiah is not just a naturally born king.  His birth is to be supernatural.  He is not to be viewed as merely a great general or political leader.  He existed before His birth.  The Messiah will come directly from heaven to set up His universal, everlasting Kingdom.  King Messiah is not elected nor is He appointed.  He will not be the head of any political organization like the United Nations.  His Kingdom will be established on earth by God’s supernatural power.  The Lord Jesus will return with the “Clouds of heaven.”  The “Clouds of heaven” is a term for the huge number of saints which return with Him.  The prophet Daniel shows the supernatural origin of the Messiah:

 

Daniel 7:9 “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

(13) I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

 

The Messiah will use His supernatural power to destroy the nations of the world gathered together to crush Israel and Jerusalem.  After destroying the nations of the world, He will then establish His Kingdom over all the earth.  He will build the Messianic temple in Jerusalem and reign over the entire earth from this temple (Zechariah 6:12,13 and Jeremiah 23:5,6).  Everything about the Messiah is supernatural.  Zechariah gives details to the awesome coming of the Messiah to establish His Kingdom on earth.

 

Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle...

(3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof... (5)...and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

(12) And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

(9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”

 

The Bible shows the supernatural coming of the King Messiah, and it also shows His supernatural birth.  The Messiah, the one who will rule the nations with a rod of iron, will have God as His Father.  Psalm chapter two shows us that King Messiah will be able to declare that the God of Israel is His Father.  This Psalm can only be about the Messiah because His Kingdom is world-wide just not limited to Israel.  The Messiah’s Kingdom will go to the uttermost parts of the earth.  None of the kings of Judah or Israel could claim that God was their father.  David’s father was Jesse and Solomon’s father was David.

 

Psalm 2:6 “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

(8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (10) Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.”

 

The prophet Isaiah explains that the birth of the Messiah will be supernatural by an almah, virgin, conceiving a son.  The promise of the virgin conceiving a son was not made to the nation but specifically to the house of David.  The house of David is the kingly line from which the Messiah was to come.  The house of David continued the covenant.  The promise in Isaiah 7:14 pertained to the King of Israel.

 

Isaiah 7:13 “And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

(14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

2 Samuel 7:18 “Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? (19) And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

(25) And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.”

2 Chronicles 21:7 “Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.”

 

In Isaiah 9:6,7 the promise of the coming Messiah was made in reference to a child that is born.  Psalm chapter two which shows that King Messiah is to be the Son of God ties in so beautifully with Isaiah 9:6.  Together both these Scriptures show that the Messiah is going to be born as the Son of God.  According to Isaiah 9:6, the Messiah will be called the “Mighty God.”

The Messiah was to come as a child, and yet at the same time He was supernatural.  This is how the virgin birth ties in.  Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 7:14 give a complete picture of the Messiah’s supernatural coming as a child.  This child is to rule the world in an everlasting kingdom.  Only king Messiah is to have such a kingdom.  No king of Judah was promised to rule forever.

 

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(7) 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 for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

 

The Branch of David, the King Messiah, is to rule the earth with justice.  This is one of the hallmarks of the Messiah’s rule, universal justice in all the earth.  This never happened under any of the kings of Judah, and it awaits the supernatural coming of the Messiah to set up His kingdom over all the earth:

 

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

(6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

 

At the Messiah’s first coming, He would come supernaturally through the virgin birth as a child.  At the second coming, the Messiah will also come supernaturally, as the prophet Daniel says with the saints, the “Clouds of heaven.”

 

Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

 

Jesus of Nazareth the King Messiah of Israel

 

The New Testament opens with the genealogy of the Lord Jesus.  His genealogy is perfect to be the Messiah.  He is the son of David through Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel.  He is eligible to be the king of Israel because He is of the Messianic line.  The genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth follows:

 

Matthew 1:1 “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

(6) And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; (7) And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

(11) And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: (12) And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; (13) And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;”

 

The Bible then shows that this genealogy was only for Jesus’ adopted father, but that He was really the Son of God through the virgin birth.  Just as the Tanakh (Old Testament) showed with the curse of Jeconiah that it was impossible for the Messiah to have a natural father, so Jesus of Nazareth’s Father was God, Psalm 2:7.  The New Testament shows the supernatural first coming of the Messiah:

 

Matthew 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

(20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

(22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

(23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

 

The birth of Jesus of Nazareth follows the exact path needed to overcome the curse of Jeconiah and yet be entitled to be the Messiah.  The promise for David’s seed to sit on the throne was conditional.  The covenant was eternal to David but to his seed it was conditional.  They failed the conditions and God moved to fulfill the covenant by providing His own Son as the Messiah.  The following Scriptures show the covenant with David’s seed through Solomon was conditional:

 

1 Kings 2:1-4 “Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, (3). And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

(4). That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.”

1 Chronicles 28:6 “And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. (7) Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.”

Psalms 132:12 “If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.”

 

The kingly line from Solomon on failed to keep the statutes and commandments of the LORD.  Because of this failure, the LORD was free to send His Son, born of a virgin, to reign as King Messiah.  Jesus of Nazareth’s mother was also from the line of David, but not through Solomon.  God fulfilled the covenant to David, through the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

The second phase of the supernatural coming of the Messiah will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus.  He will return with the “Clouds of heaven,” the saints, just as the prophet Daniel wrote.  When Jesus stood before the high priest, He claimed that Daniel 7:13 referred to Him and His second coming.  He was condemned to die because He claimed to be the Son of God according to Daniel 7:13.  The Lord’s account before the high priest follows:

 

Matthew 26:63 “But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

(64) Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

(65) Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.”

 

At the first coming, the Messiah was born as the Son of God and came lowly with salvation.  This was fulfilled at the first coming of the Lord Jesus.  At the second coming of the Messiah, He will come in awesome glory and set up His Kingdom over the entire earth.  This will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus, when He fulfills Daniel 7:13,14.

Zechariah sums up the two comings of the Messiah.  He came the first time lowly with salvation riding a donkey.  At His second coming, His Kingdom will be to the ends of the earth.

 

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

(10) And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:9,10

                                

About 40 years after the death of the Lord Jesus, God sealed that no one can claim to be the Messiah of Israel without the curse on the genealogy.  The genealogy of the Messiah goes from David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel.  With the destruction of Israel and Jerusalem, the records to prove the genealogy were destroyed. The link to Rehoboam was ended.  Any would-be Messiah will have to be traced back to Zerubbabel and be virgin born.  He then will have to come with the “Clouds of heaven to supernaturally set up the everlasting kingdom.

The Bible warns of a false messiah who shall appear just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus.  This false messiah is commonly known as the anti-christ or as Daniel calls him the Beast (Daniel 7:11,19).  He will be a political messiah that will have a supernatural element to him.  Although the Bible says the false messiah will use lying signs and wonders to fool the masses, he will not be the Son of God as Psalm 2:7 demands, nor will he come with the “Clouds of heaven” as Daniel 7:13,14 requires.  Many of those who reject the need for the true Messiah to be the only begotten Son of God will succumb to this false messiah.  The Lord Jesus warned of the results for rejecting Him:

 

John 5:43 “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”

 

The only perfect candidate for the Messiah of Israel is Jesus of Nazareth.  He has all the credentials to be the King of Israel.  At the conclusion of the present church age when Jews and Gentiles are one in the Messiah, Jesus will return in Divine supernatural power and set up His everlasting kingdom.  This kingdom will be centered in Jerusalem.  From the world events which are now transpiring around Jerusalem, the second coming of the Lord Jesus does not appear to be too far in the future (Zechariah 14:1-5).

The genealogy of God’s Messiah is David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel to Jesus of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of God.  Only Jesus of Nazareth can be the King Messiah.

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16