Southern Christian University

Acts, Class Session 02

James A. Turner

When our time was up for our first Class Session we had just read Acts 2:31 and I said that we would begin there and spend sometime reading and discussing some things about how that Christ is now reigning on David’s throne. Verses thirty and thirty-one read, “Being therefore a prophet, So David was a prophet. and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, he would set one upon his throne. He foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption." Note first that David was a prophet, and secondly that God had sworn to him that of “the fruit of his loins” God would raise up one to sit on David’s throne, and thirdly verses thirty-two and thirty- three he is saying in substance that when Christ was raised up to the right hand of God that the prophecy of David had been fulfilled; therefore Christ is now reigning on David’s throne. Note the reading, "This Jesus did God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear." Jesus a descendant of David started reigning on David’s throne when he ascended back to heaven, to the right hand of God. So he is saying that Christ has received the promise of the Holy Spirit. What promise is he talking about? That God would raise up one to sit upon his throne, therefore that from the ascension of Christ, Christ has been reigning at the right hand of God on God's throne, or on David's throne. And he will reign at the right hand of God until he is put all enemies under his feet, according to I Corinthians 15:24-26. The last enemy that he shall conquer is death, and then he shall deliver up the kingdom to God the Father. Please note from I Corinthians 15:24-26 that the last enemy that Christ will conquer is death which will occur when he comes in his second advent (Hebrews 1:13, 9:27-28; I Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:28-29). When that time comes he will not be coming to establish an earthly kingdom, but to deliver up the heavenly kingdom that he is now reigning over (Luke 1: 32-33) “to God even the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).

Now we are ready to turn and read from the Old Testament scriptures first about the promise that God made to David that his throne would be established forever. Turn first to II Samuel chapter seven. David wanted to build the temple, but because he had fought so many wars, God would not allow him to build the temple. But he told him that he would raise up his offspring, and that offspring that God chose was Solomon, and that he would build the temple, and that the throne of his kingdom would be established forever, II Samuel 7:15. By the way, God, during the days of Moses, gave the requirements for the king. The time came when the people demanded a king and God through Moses had told the requirements of the king. And those requirements are given in Deuteronomy chapter seventeen. I am reading from Deuteronomy chapter seventeen beginning with verse fourteen, "When you come to the land which the Lord your God gives you, and possess it, and dwell in it, and then say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; you may indeed set a king over you, him whom the Lord thy God shall choose." God chose the first king Saul, and he chose that of all of the sons of David, that Solomon would be the one that would reign after David. The king also had to be one of the people of Israel. "One from among your brethren ye shall set as king over you: And ye shall not put over you one who is not your brother. Only he must not multiply horses for himself (Solomon violated that) or cause the people to return to Egypt, in order to multiply horses: Since the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall never return that way again. And he shall not multiply wives for himself (Solomon violated that) lest his heart turn away: Nor shall he greatly multiply for himself silver and gold." Solomon was very humble during the first part of his reign and God saw to it that he not only had more wisdom than any man on earth but that he had great wealth.

God promised that the throne would be established forever, but we will notice that that earthly throne fell, and it has never been raised up, and it will not be raised up. The Old Testament scriptures show plainly that Christ, a descendant of David, would be raised up to sit on God's throne which was David's throne. The first thing we need to try to get across in talking to people, and nearly everybody is mixed up about the throne of David. If they know anything about the throne of David, a very large percentage, I would guess that about ninety percent believe the rapture and premillennial preachers that the saints are going to be raptured up to heaven, and they would be in heaven for seven years during which time there would be terrible tribulations on earth, and after those seven years of tribulation Christ will bring those raptured saints back to earth and start reigning on David’s earthly throne in Jerusalem. According to Hal Lindsey in his book, I think entitled, The Late Planet Earth (sorry I can not find my copy) another temple must be built and the Old Testament put into operation again including animal sacrifices. How ridiculous! One of the primary things that the writer of Hebrews does to prevent a massive falling away of those Hebrew Christians was to move from one point to another to show the superiority of the New Testament religion over the Old Testament religion, and Hebrews 10:4 reads, “ For it is impossible that the blood of animals should take away sin”.

We were ready to turn to the Old Testament and read references that have to do with the throne of David. I would like for you to turn with me to each one of these references, but in case you do not turn as fast as I do, please make a note of them, and then turn back and put a bracket around these references or highlight them, so that you will be able to use them in talking to others about the throne of David. It would be helpful if you would make a chain reference from one to another.

In regard to Solomon being the one that God had chosen to reign after David, Solomon was first anointed as king under emergency circumstances as given in the first chapter of I kings. David was old, and sick and it looks like he was incapacitated to perform the duties of office, and another one of his sons, Adonijah, was in the process of pulling off a big conspiracy to take over the kingdom. He even had one of the priests and Joab, the captain of the army and all of the other brothers that were a party to that conspiracy. They were about to rejoice over their new king Adonijah when Solomon was anointed king. Nathan learned about it, and he went to Bathsheba and asked her if she knew what was taking place. He told her what Adonijah was doing, and he had her to go in and talk to the king and ask him if he had not promised that her son Solomon would follow him. Then Nathan went in and also told the king what was taking place, that Adonijah was pulling off the big conspiracy to make himself king. So under that emergency situation, David had Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to anoint Solomon to be king.

When Adonijah and his guests learned that David had made Solomon king, I Kings 1:49 reads, "And all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose each, and went his own way. And Adonijah feared Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar." David finally recovered from his sickness as shown in I Chronicles chapters twenty-eight and twenty-nine. Chapter twenty-eight, we read about the calling of a public assembly, and on that occasion, he gave Solomon the plans for the temple. Reading from I Chronicles 28:11, "Then David gave to Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, and of his houses, and of his treasuries, and of his upper rooms, and his inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy seat." I Chronicles 28:19, "All this he made clear by the writing from the hand of the Lord, concerning all the works to be done according to the plan." So God had given David the plan, and David gave the plan to his son Solomon.

It was on this occasion that they anointed Solomon as king a second time. And the clincher verse is verse twenty-three. Please look at I Chronicles 29:22-23, "And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the Lord and Zadok as priest. Then Solomon Now notice verse twenty-three is the clincher. David never had a throne, the throne was God’s throne. It is spoken of as David's throne in the same sense that the Old Testament law is spoken of as Moses' law. Well, we do not have any problem understanding that the law was not Moses’ but God’s, but it was given through Moses, therefore rightly spoken of as Moses' law. Verse twenty-three, "Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord I believe the American Standard says the throne of Jehovah. as king, instead of David his father and he prospered; and all Israel obeyed him." So the throne was the Lord's. David never actually had a throne. God just raised him up to reign over his people, Israel, and now Christ occupies that place. And remember that the angel Gabriel said to Mary about her son that, “he shall be called the Son of God most high. And God shall give him the throne of David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Christ has been given the throne of David as promised by the angel Gabriel. “God shall give 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. The house of Jacob today is composed of Jews and Gentiles who make up the church, or the kingdom, which is the new Israel of God (Romans 2:28-29; Philippians 3:2-5). And when we turn and read about the throne of David as given in Isaiah, I want to take a little time and read a few passages about the new Israel of God. Do you have I Chronicles 29:23, in brackets, "Then Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him."

We will read these passages from one book to another, and this will make it easier for you to turn to them. Turn to Isaiah chapter nine, beginning with verse six. It is plainly stated here through the prophet Isaiah that Christ would be raised up to establish the throne of David. 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 will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." That could not be anyone except Christ. "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, where upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forever more the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." Please high-light or bracket that passage in Isaiah 9:6-7. Note that it says, that Christ will “uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth forever. The prophet is not talking about an earthly kingdom, they come and go, but Christ’s kingdom is forever (Daniel 2:44; Luke 1:32-33).

Now, I want to call attention to the fact that Isaiah also spoke of the new Israel of God that was to come, that Christ was to be given not only to raise up Israel, but to be a covenant to the Gentiles. Turn next to Isaiah chapter forty-two and let us read a few verses, beginning with verse one. This reference is quoted in Matthew twelve. "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, , in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him: And he will bring forth justice to the nations." Nations is used there for all Gentile people, that Christ will bring justice to the nations. "He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor make it heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench." Christ would not come as a rabble raiser. Instead of breaking the bruised reed more he would help to heal that person, and instead of quenching the wick that was about to go out, he would try to give it more light meaning of course a person. Verse four says, "He will not fail nor be discouraged until he has established justice in the earth: And the coastlands wait for his law (the New Testament). I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness. I have taken you by the hand, and kept you. I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations; to open the eyes of the blind, and to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness." Those who are prisoners in the darkness of sin and despair.

Turn next to Isaiah 49:2, "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword." That refers to the word of Christ (Hebrews 4:12). Then verse six, you will do well to put a bracket around verse six. "And he says, It is too light a thing that should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel (a small faithful remnant) and I will give thee as a light to the nations, that my salvation shall reach to the ends of the earth." And again verse eight, "I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people. Isaiah 19:22 is a references about the new Israel of God, how that the family of Israel would be greatly enlarged by the bringing in of the Gentiles. You need to write by verse nineteen “the family enlarged”. The family of the new Israel of God is going to be enlarged by the bringing in of the Gentile people. "Surely your waste and your desolate places, and your devastated land, surely now will be too narrow for your inhabitants." The ten tribes were carried in 722 BC into Assyrian captivity, and then one hundred and thirty-six years later, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were carried into Babylonian captivity, in 586 B.C. and during that time the land of Israel was devastated, but the day is coming when Christ is going to be giving the light, the way of salvation and the covenant to the Gentile people and the family will be enlarged.

Isaiah 49:19, "Surely your waste and your desolate places, and your devastated land, surely now will be too narrow for your inhabitants." There will not be room to hold the new Israel of God. "And those who swallowed you up will be far away. The children born in the time of your bereavement will yet say in your ears, The place is too narrow for me: Make room for me to dwell. Then you will say in your heart, Who hath bore me these, I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away." In the twenty-third chapter of Ezekiel he speaks of the two kingdoms of Israel as two sisters, as two harlots that he put away. Please draw you a bracket from Isaiah 49:19-22 and put “family enlarged.” but who hath brought us these." Speaking of how the family would be enlarged by the bringing in of the Gentile people.

Turn next to Isaiah 54:1 following, "Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud you who have not been in travail, for the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, saith the Lord." They were barren in the sense that they are in captivity, and it did not look like the family would be very large, and it was only a small remnant that returned to the land of Israel. But it is talking about the new family of Israel, the new Israel of God. "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out: Hold not back, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; for you will spread abroad to the right and to the left; and your descendants will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities." That is talking about the Gentiles who obey the gospel. Now, come to verse thirteen. This is a very important verse. "All of your sons shall be taught by the Lord; and great shall be the prosperity of your sons." And that is talking about the new Israel of God or Christian people, that they must first be taught. Isaiah 54:13 is quoted in John 6:45. Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets they all shall be taught of God; and whosoever therefore that have heard and learned cometh unto me." So you need to write down by verse thirteen, John 6:45-46 and Hebrews 8:11.

One of the primary differences between the Old Testament law and the New Testament law is that when a child was born to his parents, under the law he was automatically counted as a part of the commonwealth of Israel. When that child was old enough to be taught, it was the responsibility of the parents to teach him on every occasion they had an opportunity to do so as set forth in Deuteronomy chapter six. But before a person is part of the new Israel of God, there must be a new birth that Jesus talked to Nicodemus about, (John 3:1-8). "And your sons shall be taught by the Lord. And great shall be the prosperity of your son." So one of the primary differences, under the law they were part of Israel by a physical birth, there was no spiritual birth under the law, but under the New Testament religion, they must first be taught and there must be that spiritual birth. And I told you to write down John 6:45-46 and Hebrews 8:11.

Not many people understand what the writer is talking about, in Hebrews 8:11, when he says, "They shall not each every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying know the Lord, all shall know me from the least to the greatest of them, for I will be merciful to the unrighteous, for their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Some say the time is coming when the gospel is going to be preached to everybody. If that was the case the Bible teaches that only a small percentage would actually “know the Lord” by obedience (Acts 22:16; Matthew 7:13-14). But it is talking about those who learn and obey Christ (John 6:45-46). They will not need to say to their brethren in Christ and fellow citizen in the kingdom of Christ (Philippians 3:20-21) to “know the Lord” for they learned and obeyed and they experienced the spiritual birth into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-7) and into His church (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:4-5). The American Standard Version on Hebrews 8:11 reads, “And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them.” And remember Philippians 3:20 says, "For our citizenship is from heaven; from whence we look for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." So it is talking about fellow citizens in the kingdom of God. They must first “hear and learn” which means hear and obey before they are a part of that citizenship. John 6:45, "It is written in the prophets, They all shall be taught of God. And whosoever that have heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me." Another primary difference then is in Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteous and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Under the Old Testament religion, there was no complete atonement Hebrews 10:4, says, "For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins." When they repented and offered animal sacrifices as specified by the law they received temporary forgiveness, and those who died in faith, when Christ died they were completely cleansed (Hebrews 9:15).

Okay. Let us turn next to Jeremiah chapter twenty-two. And draw you a bracket in your Bible in Jeremiah 22:24-30, and then in chapter twenty-three, draw you a bracket around verses five and six. Now, this king here is called Coniah, which is the short of Jeconiah. This king that was carried into Babylonian captivity is called in the Old Testament scriptures by three different names. Coniah would just be the short of Jeconiah, but in other references in the Old Testament, he is called Jeconiah and he is also called Jehoiachin. And we read about this king giving himself up to the Babylonians, in II Kings chapter twenty-four -- Hold your place in Jeremiah twenty-two, and turn back to II Kings chapter twenty-four. This is the second carrying away into Babylonian captivity for Judah. The first carrying away was when Daniel and those other fine young Hebrews were carried into captivity, chapter one of Daniel, to look out for the rest of the people when they were carried there. The first was in 605 BC and the second carrying away came in 597 BC, that we will read about here in II Kings chapter twenty-four, beginning with verse eight. And here he is called Jehoiachin. "Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of El-nathan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done." His father was Jehoiakim. He was that wicked king that when he had the messages of Jeremiah the prophet read to him, he took his penknife and cut them out and threw them in the fire, that is Jeremiah 36:9-10, 36:20-30. His son then, Jehoiachin, gives himself up.

II Kings 24:10, "At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. And Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself, his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his palace officials." This was the second carrying away when the officials of the government and ten thousand of the most productive people of the land were carried to Babylon in the second carrying away. And then the king of Babylon, verse seventeen, “made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.” He, like Jehoiachin, was supposed to have been under Babylonian authority. But he rebelled, and because he rebelled, then there was the third or the final carrying away into Babylon in 586 B.C.

Notice now what Jeremiah had to say about this king when he was carried into captivity. Jeremiah 22:24-30, "As I live says the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet ring on my right hand." The signet ring was used by kings to legalize messages from the king, they were stamped with the king's signet ring. "Yet I would tear you off and give you into the hands of those who seek your life into the hands of those whom you were afraid, even into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans. I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another country where you were not born and there you shall die. But the land to which they long to return, there they shall not return. Is this man Coniah a despised broken pot, a vessel no one cares for? Why are he and his children hurled and cast into a land which they do not know." Now, notice verse twenty-eight, why is he and his children hurled and cast out of the land? "Oh, land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord, thus says the Lord, write this man down as childless (RSV)." Now the King James version reads to the point as though he would not have any children. Read verse thirty from the King James version. "Thus saith the Lord write this man childless, a man that shall not prosper his days. For no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, to rule any more in Judah." On the basis of that reading, some have thought that this king did not have any children, but that is not the case. The Revised Standard Version is a better reading on that, write this man down as childless.

Turn to Matthew 1:12. He did have children after he was carried to Babylon. Matthew is giving the genealogy of Jesus, and this shows that Christ is a descendant through this king, Matthew 1:12. You need to underscore Jeconiah, and write by verse twelve Jeremiah 22:30, "And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel." And Zerubbabel the grandson of this king that was carried, Jeconiah or Jehoiachin, was the one that lead the first company of about fifty thousand people back to the land of Israel, as shown in the book of Ezra chapters one and two. Now, do you see the point of Jeremiah 22:30? Write this man as childless. “A man who shall not succeed him in his day, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah.” So according to Jeremiah, the descendants of this king could not reign in Judah, and that by itself would rule out the earthly reign of Christ on the throne of David as talked about by premillennial preachers.

Now notice Jeremiah 23:5-6, "Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch." This is stated, “A shoot out of the stock of Jesse’,in Isaiah 11:1. " and he shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely: And this is the name by which he will be called, The Lord is our Righteousness." No mortal man could fit that description. So God was going to raise up to David a righteous Branch, and what is Christ doing now? He is reigning as king over his kingdom now. He will reign until he conquers all enemies (Hebrews 1:13; I Corinthians 15:24-26).

Let us go to Daniel next. Daniel 7:13-14, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a Son of man." Have you read those references in the handout from the gospel of Matthew where he gives quotations of Christ speaking of himself thirty times in the gospel of Matthew as the Son of man? There is no room for doubt, Daniel is talking about Christ. "There came one like a Son of man, and he came to the Ancient of days, and was presented before him (Christ before God) And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, that shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."

Turn next to Amos. We are not reading the references in the order that they were written. In Amos, 9:11-12, God through Amos spoke of the tabernacle or the house of David being raised up again, at least a hundred and sixty years before the earthly throne of David fell. Amos dates the time of his ministry, in Amos 1:1, "The words of Amos, who was among the shepherdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake." I counted how many years those kings of Judah reigned, from King Uzzriah of Judah to Joash king of Israel and it was more than a hundred and sixty or more years before the throne of David fell completely. God through Amos spoke of David’s throne as being raised about 160 years before it fell.

Back to Amos9:11-12, "In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and repair his breaches, and raise up his ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old. That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all of the nations, who are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this." Write down by that reference Acts 15:12-19, where James at that Jerusalem meeting about circumcision quoted this passage, and in substance it is saying it has been fulfilled because the Gentiles have salvation. So this passage had already been fulfilled. There had already been one raised up to rebuild the house of David as in the Days of old, and that one that had been raised up was Christ

Turn next to the last book of the Old Testament, Zechariah 6:12-13, "And say to him, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold the man whose name is the Branch." Remember Jeremiah 23:5-6, where Christ is called the Branch. "Behold the man whose name is the Branch; for he shall grow up in his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord." What is the temple of the Lord? It is the church, the kingdom of God, I Corinthians 3:16, "If any man destroy the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy and such are you. Christ built the church, the temple of the Lord (Matthew 16:18-19; I Corinthians 3:16; I Timothy 3:14-15). "For he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of Jehovah, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." So the same time that Christ would rule upon his throne he would be a priest upon his throne at the same time, right, according to the reference? In Hebrews chapter seven, the whole chapter is about Christ being our high priest now, and so he is ruling on the throne at the right hand of God now. Hebrews 7:25 says, "Wherefore also he is able to save them to the uttermost them that draw near to God unto him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than heavens; who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people." That would be about what the high priests had to do under the law on that day of annual atonement as given in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. "For this he did once for all when he offered up himself, for the law appointed them high priests having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law appointed the Son, perfected forever more."

So Christ is our high priest now, and he is ruling now over his kingdom, the kingdom of God. Remember again that statement made by the angel Gabriel, “God shall give 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.” Now, we have read these Old Testament references, and I think that nearly all these references are listed in the outline. But please, get these references down in such a way that you will be able to deal with the throne of David. There is no reason why, you can not do a good job of teaching others about the throne of David.

Turn to your outline. The first point is that David did not have a throne. God raised him up as king over Israel, but the throne was God’s. Put down there I Kings 1:32-34, where Solomon was anointed king under an emergency situation, and a second time in I Chronicles 29:22-23. Call attention to the fact that the throne is called David's throne in the same sense as the Old Testament law is spoken of as Moses' law.

Ephesians 1:19-23 is a very important reference. God wanted the Ephesian brethren to know more about the great power of God that he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead for above all authority and dominion. Ephesians 1:19, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places." Notice verse twenty-one. "Far above all rule and authority, and power, and dominion, and every thing that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And then he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." But look at verse twenty-one, "Far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every thing that is that named." Now, how could a person reason with any good sense and reason that Christ needs to come back to earth and reign on earth, when he is reigning at the right hand of God far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, every thing that is named not only in this world, but also that which is to come. And again Hebrews 1:13 quotes from Psalms 110:1, "Which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" So write down also by number three, Hebrews 1:13, Psalms 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14. The next point is about Amos prophesied that the tabernacle of David would be raised up. And that earthly throne has never been raised up. For all practical purposes the earthly throne of David fell in 597 B.C. So nearly six hundred years, plus two thousand years, and that earthly throne has not been raised up and it will not be raised up. No earthly throne of David was to be raised up, but the throne was raised up in Christ. Number four, Isaiah said that Christ would reign on the throne of David forever in that passage, we read from Isaiah 9:6-8.

Number five, Gabriel told Mary that God would give Jesus the throne of David, and he would reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom, there shall be no end. And remember we read those references from Isaiah about the new Israel of God that would be made up of Jews and Gentiles, that the land of Israel would not be able to hold all of the new Israel of God. And then those New Testament references -- Romans 2:28-29, you would do well to memorize that passage. "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly in the flesh; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart and not of the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." In Colossians two, the writer talks about how that they had been circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, when they put off that old man of sin, “having been buried with him in baptism, wherein we are also raised with him through the operation of God who raised him from the dead.” And then in Philippians chapter three, beginning with verse two, the writer is warning the Philippians about the false teachers who were trying to bind circumcision, and keeping requirements of the law on the Philippians. And he said, "Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the circumcision." And that last definition tells who they were, those trying to bind fleshly circumcision. Some of the versions read, “beware of the mutilators”. "For we are the circumcision We are God’s circumcised people, the people that belong to the Lord, the new Israel of God who worship God in spirit, and “have no confidence in the flesh”, meaning not expecting salvation on the basis of fleshly descendants like the Jews had been fleshly descendents of Abraham through his son Isaac and through Isaac’s son Jacob.

On Jeremiah 22:24-30 make the connection to Matthew 1:12 and emphasize that Christ is the fulfillment of all those Old Testament references. There are many false doctrines, but I do not know of any false doctrine that conflicts with more plain Old Testament/New Testament teaching than the doctrine of Premillennialism. And so Christ is now ruling at the right hand of God, far above all rule and authority and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also that which is to come as we read from Ephesians 1:21. Jeremiah also said that God would raise up to David a righteous Branch. And that is the passage (Jeremiah 23:5-6), and he is now reigning over his kingdom, and he will reign at the right hand of God until he comes in that second advent (Hebrews 9:28) to raise the dead (I Thessalonians 4:16-5:9; I Corinthians 15:50-58; John 5:28-29), and to judge the world (John 5:22; Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 25:30-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-10), and to deliver up the kingdom to God (I Corinthians 15:24-26). And the doctrine of Premillennialism is false from beginning to end. It is based primarily on a wrong interpretation of Revelation 20:1-6; I Thessalonians 4:16, and Matthew 24:40-41. I believe we have given the right meaning of all of these references. Please give a careful reading to the outline entitled, Two Great Resurrections. And especially verse six, "Blessed are they that hath part in the first resurrection: On such the second death hath no power." Well, that first resurrection is the resurrection in Christ. And you need to give careful attention to the words of Jesus as given in John 5:24-25.

The Bible teaches that the righteous and the wicked are going to be raised at the same time. Four times in the sixth chapter of the gospel of John, Jesus said I will raise up him at the last day. And so the righteous are going to be raised up the same time that the wicked are raised up. That will be the last day. The last day is coming. And when that last day comes, Jesus says the heavens and the earth will melt with fervent heat. Turn to II Peter chapter three beginning with verse ten, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:4-9 that that day should not overtake you as a thief. Christians are to watch and be sober and be prepared. II Peter 3:10 reads, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

The Bible teaches that Christ is just going to come one more time. Hebrews 9:27-28 “It is appointed men once to die, but after this the judgment” And then it talks about how Christ will appear “a second time apart from sin to them that wait for him unto salvation”. That is a good reference that you need to remember. Hebrews 9:27-28, "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this cometh judgment: So Christ also having been offered to bear the sins of many; shall appear a second time." Now, some of our brethren are talking about Christ coming in the destruction of Jerusalem. Well, the Bible says he is coming a second time, “apart from sin to them that wait for him unto salvation.” So he is coming for the righteous at the same time. In John, Jesus taught that those who believed and obey him will have a spiritual resurrection (John 5:24-25). In the same chapter that Jesus talked about the spiritual resurrection that he would give (John 5:24-25) he also talked about a physical, bodily resurrection "Marvel not at this, for the hour cometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation."

Now, turn to Ezekiel chapter eighteen. Even the Old Testament showed very plainly that those who hear and obey will live in a spiritual sense. God raised up Ezekiel as a prophet among the exiles in Babylon, and they were blaming everything on their fathers. Verse two of chapter eighteen reads, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?" They were blaming their captivity on their fathers, and saying that all of their suffering was because of their ancestors. They were saying in substance that they inherited the iniquities of their fathers.

Now let us pick up at Ezekiel 18:19, "Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all of my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live." It does not mean that he is going to live eternally on earth, but he will have spiritual life. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Isaiah 59:12) The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." But notice carefully. "But if the wicked turn from all the sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die." Are there any people living on earth that are several thousand years old? All get old physically and die. The passage is talking about the man who turns to the Lord and does that which is lawful and right, that he will have spiritual life. He shall not die. He shall not be separated from God because of his sin because he repented and turned to the Lord. (Isaiah 59:1-2, 55:6-7) "None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him, in his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, Meaning do I in the context. Do I have any pleasure of man being separated from me because of his sins? “saith the Lord Jehovah and not rather that he should return from his way." Notice return from his way. When a man is doing that which he wants to do, it is nearly always the wrong way, so return from his way and live. And remember how Jesus taught the same thing, Matthew 16:24, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." A man has got to return from his way and follow Christ.

Ezekiel 18:24-25, "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and commiteth iniquity and doeth according to all of the abominations as the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered. And in his trespass, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die." So the righteous in old age can turn away from the Lord and go contrary to the way of the Lord, and it says that all those righteous deeds that he had done in his former days will not be remembered. “In the sins that he has sinned, in them shall he die.”

Are there any questions that you would like to ask me? I will appreciate e-mails from you. If there is anything that I have not made clear or anything that I have said that you see differently, please send me an e-mail about it. And I hope all of you will give careful attention to all of these references and be able to see that Premillennialism is false from beginning to end. It is based primarily on a wrong interpretation of I Thessalonians 4:16 and Revelation 20:6, and Matthew 24:40-41. The first resurrection of Revelation 20:6 is a spiritual resurrection in Christ (John 5:24-25; Ephesians 2:1-6; Romans 6:3-7; Colossians 2:11-12) and as stated, "Blessed and holy is he that shares in the first resurrection. All who obey Christ and live faithfully share in that first resurrection in Christ. "Over such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years." A thousand years is not a literal thousand years. We will not go into any details, but in some other reference it is used to refer to the whole or complete. The second death is plainly stated in Revelation 20:14, "And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death even the lake of fire.” Faithful Christian people are not going to be cast into the lake of fire. And so verse six of those who have a part in the first resurrection, over them the second death will have no power. The second death is eternal hell. It is also stated in Revelation 21:8, "But as for the cowardly, the fearful, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." So hell is the second death as spoken of in these scriptures. I think this will be the appropriate place for us to stop for this evening. Thank you for your good attention.