Key Verse: Ezekiel 37:25

25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.

As discussed in last blog entry, Israel returned to her homeland and re-established as a nation fulfiling part of the prophecy of Ezekiel 37 and we all withness this fulfillment in recent world history. However, God also says in Ezekiel 37:25 that David will be their prince forever. When I studied this passage, my question is whether the person David the king David who had ruled over Israel before or Jesus Christ, the Messiah who is considered the seed of David in terms of flesh. To answer this question, I researched on the related scriptures on Eze37:25. By the way, interpreting the Bible with the Bible is a good method to understand the Bible. Althoguh the Bible is composed of 69 books and written by many authors in different times, the ultimate author of the Bible is God himself. Therefore, the Bible is consitent in theme and complimentary in different parts of the Bible. As Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As a matter of fact, after Jesus' crucification, believers became sad and discouraged. Many of them thought that this was the end of Jesus' ministry and so were their hope. Then, the resurrected Jesus studied the Bible with two discouraged disciples who were explaining to them what these events really meant in Luke 24:26-27. Notice that Jesus used various books of the Bible in the study:

26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Let's return to our study of who the everlasting ruler is. Please refer to 2 Samuel 7:8-17,

8 "Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. " 'The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me ; your throne will be established forever.' "

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

God revealed to prophet Nathan that through an offspring of David, God will establish his kingdom (verse 12) and his throne will last forever (verse 13). In verse 14, God also reveals that he (David's offspring) will be God's son and God will be his father. Therefore, we can see that it is the seed of David, Jesus Christ the Messiah who extends the throne of David forever and Jesus Christ is called the Son of God. Friends, when we put our trust in Jesus, we can also enter the kingdom of God which lasts to eternity! Please note that before this revelation to prophet Nathan, God has also revealed to Abraham, the forefather of David in Genesis 17:5 and 18:18,

17:5 No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

18:18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

I hope all mankind will receive the everlasting blessings from God promised to father Abraham. Friends, you know that this promise is confirmed to all who put their trust in Jesus in John 3:16,

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

To close, I want to point out part of a verse in the referenced scripture (2 Samuel 7:14 ) which says "...When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men." Notice that Jesus, born in human flesh, has been tempted in every way and even by the devil, but did not fall into temptation and sinned (Hebrews 4:15). He was punished by God on our behalf such that we who trust in Jesus will satisfy God's demand of justice (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

Isaiah 53:5-6

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Jesus Christ is indeed worthy and qualified to be our everlasting ruler who is Word became flesh and came to the world (John 1:14).

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Let us read together the popular Christmas scriptures in Isaiah 9:6-7 with joy and gratefullness.

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.