No Earthly Throne
—Three key “throne” prophecies
Is Jesus going to be demoted from his heavenly throne to a throne here on earth? It cannot happen. There are three prophetic statements which Christ would break if he were to reign on David’s throne in earthly Jerusalem.
1 Christ Will Be a Priest on His Throne
The Messiah was going to be both a king and a Priest on this throne, not a king only. There are two prophecies that make this fact clear. First let us look at those two prophecies then we will see how they preclude a reign of Christ on an earthly throne.
Psalms 110:4
"Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec."
Melchisedec was king of Salem and a priest of God (Genesis 14:18). When the Psalmist likens the Messiah to Melchizedec he is saying that Messiah will be both king and priest.
Zechariah 6:12-13
"He will be a, priest on his throne."
At the time this was spoken the king was Zerubbabel and the priest was Joshua. As In all of Israel’s history the offices of king and priest were held by different persons. But the Branch (the Messiah) would fill both offices. He would be a priest on his throne. He would be both priest and king.
The Hebrew writer has much to say about this matter of Christ being, after the order of Melchisedec, both a king and priest in Hebrews chapters 5 to 8. His conclusion is that "if Christ were on earth he would not be a priest" (Hebrews 8:4).
The reason for this conclusion Is very simple. Christ was of the wrong tribe to be a priest on earth! He was of the tribe of Judah. To be a priest on earth he would have to be of the tribe of Levi. Jesus was not a Levite, so he could not be a priest an earth. If Christ could not be a priest an earth, yet had to be a priest on his throne It follows that his throne could not be on earth.
It’s simple matters like this that the premillennialist overlooks. But now let me show you another simple fact that again makes impossible an earthly throne of Christ .
2 Christ is Jehoiachin’s Descendant
There is a prophecy concerning the throne of David which addresses king Jehoiachin, the second last king to sit on David’s throne.
Jeremiah 22:28-30
"No man of his descendants will prosper sitting an the throne of David or ruling again in Judah"
Christ is a descendant of Jehoiachin and no descendant of Jehoiachin can prosper on David's throne in Jerusalem.
King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah and Coniah) was the last king but one to sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem. He was one of the wicked kings and so the Lord says that none of his descendants will prosper sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah.
Jehoiachin was subsequently carried off with his people into captivity by the Babylonians. They put his uncle Zedekiah on the throne, prior to their destroying Jerusalem.
When the remnant of Judah returned to Jerusalem after the 70 year exile, Jehoiachin’s grandson Zerubbabel led Judah. However Zerubbabel did not restore David’s throne or sit on it. He was not in any sense a king. He is called "governor of Judah" (Haggai 2:2).
Now Jesus was a descendant of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) through Shealtiel and Zerubbabel . You can see that fact in his genealogy in Matthew 1:12 or Luke 3:27.
Do you see the significance? Jesus is a descendant of Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah or Coniah). No descendant of that man could prosper on the throne of David in Jerusalem. So if Jesus reigns on David’s throne in Jerusalem he cannot prosper. It is so written in Jeremiah, and the scripture cannot be broken.
The only way that Jesus can sit on David’s throne and prosper is to reign on that throne in heaven, and that’s exactly what he is doing right now.
3 Christ Reigns When David Sleeps
Another prophecy says that Christ is to reign when David is asleep with his fathers.
2Samuel 7:12-16
"When... you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you... I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever".
This shows that Christ would reign while David was asleep with his fathers. In the Millennium (say the premillennialists) David is not going to be dead, but alive and well as one of the resurrected Old Testament saints.
If Christ is to reign while David is dead, and David will not be dead in the Millennial kingdom, then it stands to reason that Christ will not reign in the Millennial kingdom. His reign is in heaven.