It was understandable that people could look at destroyed Judah and Jerusalem and think it would never return. It was a destroyed “ghost town.” How could it ever come back from its destruction? Even the palaces were destroyed when they used the house construction material to try to protect them from the Babylonians. Of course it failed.
But God says he will indeed bring them back. Once again they will sing with joy and shout to the Lord. They will praise him once again. And once again their children will marry freely in the land their land will be a place where shepherds raise their sheep and goats.
There’s more.
God makes the promise that he will put a king on David’s throne. In fact he says there will always be a king on David’s throne and there will always be the Levitical priests before him. They will be “innumerable.
“For this is what the LORD says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel. The Levitical priests will never fail to have a man always before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to make sacrifices (v. 18)…So too I will make the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister to Me innumerable” (v. 22).
It certainly was fulfilled different than anyone could have thought.
The Scriptures say that Jesus was the fulfillment of this Scripture and since he is the son of David (which is emphasized so strongly in Matthew 1), and that he lives forever, he will always be the king on David’s throne. We also see that Jesus is the fulfillment of the priesthood (Heb 7-10) and again, since he never dies, his priesthood is permanent.
So what does it mean when he says the descendants are “innumerable.”
The New Testament also says that God’s people are now “priests before God.” Since all people now have direct access to God through Jesus Christ, we minister to God directly through him. We do this by declaring his praises, offering our lives as living sacrifices, and through worship. And in this sense the “priests” which are all those who worship Jesus truly are innumerable.
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Heb 13:15-16).
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 2:4)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Pet 2:9)
But what about “kings” of David’s lineage?
Revelation says this:
6 and has made us to be a kingdom [some manuscripts say “kings”] and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Revelation 1:6)
This is not as clear in Scripture as Jeremiah and here in Revelation are the only time we see this theme. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of David on the throne. But if we take these two Scriptures, then in a sense we are not only priests but leaders and rulers in the kingdom of God, to bring righteousness and justice to the earth.
That doesn’t mean we sit on literal thrones and rule. But rather that our influence is like that of a king to bring righteousness and justice into whatever part of society we are placed. That is business, family, or more. It’s to apply the kingdom of God within the midst of our influence.
And it’s true. We almost every day have the choice whether to lead with righteousness, justice and holiness. This is true in our work decisions, family decisions, choices for integrity and more.
This is definitely one I need to sit and dwell on a bit more. Priests minister to the heart of God. But “kings” minister for the peace of the people. How am I bringing or not bringing this to my sphere of influence? To be in leadership is not a place for privilege, but a place of influence and responsibility for the blessing of others. And sometimes that means making very difficult decisions.