The End of The Line

"Is this man Coniah (Jehoiachin) a despised, broken idol – a vessel in which is no pleasure? Why are they cast out, he and his descendants, and cast into a land which they do not know? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the LORD: 'Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days, for none of his descendants shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah.'" ( Jeremiah 22:28-30)

The southern kingdom of Judah had degenerated into an abomination in God's sight. It was very religious and conducted the temple rituals but as a mere cover for superstition, idolatry, immorality and injustice. The announcement by Jeremiah on the Lord's behalf concerning Jehoiachin (also known as Coniah) seems as though the king will bear the brunt of the coming Judgement. For him and his descendents there would be no promise of a return to the privilege position of the throne. It is recorded in 1 Chronicles 3:17, 18 that he had seven sons. As far as the Lord was concerned Jehoiachin was the end of the line.

This raises an interesting question.

It's recorded that the Lord God gave a promise to David through the prophet Nathan. This took place after David had become King and had triumphed over his enemies. The land was at peace. The promise included, ". . . your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." (2 Samuel 7:16) David was overwhelmed. We are told he went and sat before the Lord and shared his heart and expressed his gratitude. David said in part, "Now, O LORD God, the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as you have said. So let your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of your servant David be established before you.'" (2 Samuel 7:25-26) Was God about to annul that promise? Impossible! What then was to take place? This is of huge significance.

The end of the line through Solomon culminated with Jehoiachin. This means that one of the other sons of David and Bathsheba are in contention. But which son? Has any been designated?

It's one of the ironies of history that two sets of genealogies have been maintained. These are found in the Brit Hadesha (New Testament). The writings of Matthew and Luke give the line of two claimants from the loins of David. One deals with the genealogy of Yeshua from the line of Solomon (Matthew 1:1-17), the other from Nathan, (Luke 3:23-38). These two converge in the marriage of Joseph and Miriam (Mary).

This, however, raises another interesting point.

If Yeshua is the natural born son of Joseph and Miriam then he is excluded from sitting on the Davidic throne because of the curse on Jehoiachin. With this in view, how could the angel, Gabriel, give Miriam the following assurance? "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call his name Yeshua (Jesus) . He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the LORD God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:31-33)

Two other options present themselves. Either Miriam had a son illegitimately with another descendant of David, or her son would be conceived miraculously. The record points to the miraculous. The angel Gabriel spoke with Miriam saying, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women." (Luke 1:28) Miriam's conception would require God's intervention.

Such an event is actually prefigured within the Tenach. In Genesis chapter three is recorded a terrible catastrophe for Humanity by Adam, its federal head. He and Eve rebelled against the command of God. That set a pattern for their descendants ever since. God, however, promised to intervene. It was a promise to all Humanity for all time. To the one called the Serpent the Lord said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15) This judgement was to come to pass through a woman. It was a declaration of intent by God. Notice the wording. It is the woman's offspring, indicating a single person, that will do the crushing. The implication is that Adam's male children are by-passed in giving birth to the one who will crush the Serpent's head.

Scripture takes us across the centuries to the word of God through Isaiah. The prophet confronted king Ahaz with a word from the Lord. In spite of the king's reluctance to believe God's promise, Isaiah still delivered it. Whilst there may well have been an immediate application, there is clearly a future promise inherent in the wording. "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign; Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:13-14) Notice, that in a world that was male dominant, there is no intimation of a male's involvement. Here again the Lord is having written into His word the principle of the miraculous.

The Davidic line through Solomon reaches its end with Joseph. The birth of Yeshua through the line of Nathan also ends with Mary. This is because the miraculous birth only applies to Yeshua. All the other children have the genes of Joseph in them. (Matthew 1:25a). This means, that if the Scripture is true in relation to the future rule of a member of the Davidic dynasty, (See Isaiah 2:1-5; 9:6-7) it has to be Yeshua. He alone has the credentials. His human genes have come through the non-cursed line of the woman. He is the one to whom Genesis and the prophet Isaiah point.

How can this be? It requires him to be still alive. This is the testimony of the Christian faith and the Jewish Scriptures. Isaiah 53 which is seen as the substitutionary passage of the Lord's servant also refers to his resurrection and continuing life. ". . . he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the labour of his soul, and be satisfied." (Isaiah 53:10-11)

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