“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
Jeremiah 33:14-16 (ESV)
Much of this chapter in Jeremiah looks forward to a time when God will restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem. Speaking through Jeremiah, God declared that a time was coming when he would fulfill the promise made to Israel concerning a descendant of David who would rule with justice and righteousness. This chapter also refers to the restoration of the people to the land where they would dwell in peace and prosperity.
So, has this promise been fulfilled, or is it one that is still in the future? The Jews did return from the exile that Jeremiah had also foretold. And they surely hoped that was the beginning of its fulfillment. But over 500 years later, when Jesus came, they were still looking forward to it. And now, 2,000 years later, it still seems unfulfilled.
But is that true? Is this a promise whose fulfillment is still to come? Or has it been fulfilled? There is not yet a physical kingdom ruled by a descendant of David. But there is an eternal kingdom where a son of David now sits on his throne and reigns.
Reigning over an Eternal Kingdom
Mary was told that the child she would bear would take the throne of his father David, and would reign over an eternal kingdom (Luke 1:31-33). Jesus claimed that He had come to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17). He also told Pilate that He was a king, but His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). And Paul refers to Christ reigning until death is destroyed and the kingdom is delivered to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-26).
I do not know all that the future holds. But I am thankful to be included in the Lord’s kingdom, a kingdom that will never end. The kingdom that Jeremiah and the other prophets foretold and that Jesus established. A kingdom that includes both Jews and Gentiles, all who call on the name of the Lord (Rom. 10:11-13).
