Either Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, or Israel Can't Have One

Haggai 2:23 "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts."

When reading and studying the Bible, the genealogy of the kings of Judah can seem boring and not of much importance. The Bible also gives details about these kings such as how many children they had and their names. All of this information is of critical importance when establishing who can be the messiah of Israel.

All of the scriptures are important, and God did not put scriptures in the Bible as filler. The conclusion of following the genealogy of the kings of Judah and the New Testament leads to the fact that either Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah or Israel cannot have one.

The clear line of the Messiah starts with king David. God promised king David that the Messiah would come through him. A direct descendant of David would sit on the throne as king in an everlasting kingdom. Although David would have many sons, God narrowed the Messianic line through one of David's sons. The line would go through the son who would build the temple or as it is also called, the house of God. David's son who built the temple is the one to follow for the messianic line.

2 Samuel 7:12 "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. (13) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: (15) But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (16) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."

This promise to David was not just a statement by God, but it was recorded in the Bible as a covenant. A covenant is a solemn oath and is very serious with God. God links His holiness to the fulfillment of this covenant He made with David. God cannot base the covenant on anything greater than His holiness. The very character of God was at stake to uphold this covenant. The promise was being upheld by God. It was God's responsibility to bring the Messiah and establish the kingdom forever.

Psalm 89:34 "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. (35) Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."

The covenant that God made with David was that David's house would remain forever. He would have a descendant who would sit as king on this throne forever. This was an incredible promise that God made to David. In fact, the Messiah and David are closely linked in the Bible. On several occasions in the Bible, God was speaking of the Messiah in the name of king David. Hosea 3:5 is a good example of this. At the time of the prophet Hosea, king David was already dead about 300 years, and now he has been dead for 3000 years. Yet, the prophet says that in the time period known as the latter days, the Jews would return to God and seek David their king. The reference to David their king is really directed toward the Messiah, of whom David is a type.

Hosea 3:5 "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days."

The Bible develops that this covenant with king David was not only for Israel, but the kingdom of the Messiah would include the entire world. All the world would come under the direct authority of David's greatest Son, the Messiah of Israel. David, in Psalm 72, shows the fullness of the covenant God made with him. This Psalm shows that the Messiah was to rule all the earth and not only Israel. In Psalm 72, David is speaking of the Messiah in the name of Solomon.

Psalm 72:1 "A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. (7) In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (8) He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (9) They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. (10) The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. (11) Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him."

The Bible records that David had 19 named sons and additional ones unnamed. His son Solomon followed David as king and built the temple. The Messianic line continued through Solomon.

1 Chronicles 3:1 "Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:(2) The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: (3) The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. (4) These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.(5) And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel: (6) Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, (7) And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (8) And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.(9) These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines,"

There is no doubt that the Messianic line went through Solomon because he was king and built the temple or as it also called, the house of the LORD. According to 2 Samuel 7:13, the son who built the temple would produce the Messiah, so Solomon's line is critical and has to be studied very closely. Solomon knew of the covenant and that the Messiah was coming through his line:

1 Kings 5:3 "Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. (4) But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. (5) And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name."

By building the house of the LORD, Solomon becomes a type of the Messiah. Solomon is the son of David, the first in the line leading to the Messiah. Like the Messiah, Solomon will build the house of the LORD. The difference is that the Messiah's temple and kingdom will never pass away.

The Bible lists only Rehoboam as the son of Solomon. There is no indication whatsoever of any other sons of Solomon. Because of the importance of Solomon's genealogy with the Messiah, it is clear that the messianic line went through Rehoboam. There is no other conclusion, but that the Messianic line is following the kings of Judah. The line goes all the way through Jeconiah and his grandson Zerubbabel. The Bible does mention that Solomon had two daughters, 1 Kings 4:11,15.

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, but the Bible lists only one son for him, Rehoboam: 1Chronicles 3:10 "And Solomon's son was Rehoboam." The scriptures then list that Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters and gives the numbers of his wives. It tells us what he did with his children.

2 Chronicles 11:21 "And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) (22) And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. (23) And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance."

The Bible mentioned what David did with his sons, 1 Chronicles 18:17 "...and the sons of David were chief about the king". There is no mention whatsoever of Solomon having more than one son. When Solomon set-up the authority structure of his kingdom, no sons were mentioned.

1 Kings 9:22 "But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. (23) These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work."

The Bible gives great detail about David's wives and sons. Solomon's wives are listed in detail along with Rehoboam's sons and wives. However, Rehoboam is the only son listed for Solomon. The Bible limits the Messianic line from David to Solomon to Rehoboam. The fact the Bible lists only one son for Solomon leads to two conclusions. The first is that although Solomon had hundreds of wives, Rehoboam was the only son. The second is the Bible is focusing on Rehoboam as the messianic line. In either case, there is no doubt that the Messiah came through Rehoboam's line.

The Bible gives the progression of the weakening of David's kingdom and how God dealt with the rebellion against Him. The first thing to happen was that after Solomon died the kingdom was divided in two because of the sin of Solomon and the people. The kingdom was divided into two sections, Israel and Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel with 10 tribes was given to Jeroboam, and Rehoboam was given the southern kingdom with two tribes. Jeroboam was not a son of Solomon nor was he a descendant of king David. He was one of Solomon's top leaders who was appointed the governor of a section of Israel.

When Solomon died, Jeroboam became the king of Israel while Rehoboam became the king of Judah. The messianic line followed Rehoboam and not Jeroboam. As the kings and people continued to rebel against God, the judgments became progressively worse on the kingdom. The first major judgment on the messianic line was the dividing the kingdom. This division as found in 1 Kings 11 follows:

1 Kings 11:31 "And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (32) (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) (33)Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. (34) Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: (35) But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. (36) And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there."

The rebellion against God by the kings started with Solomon and reached a climax with king Manasseh. This king did everything to provoke God's wrath against the kingly line and the people of Judah. Manasseh worshipped the pagan gods and sacrificed his own children to their images. He led the people of Judah to the same pagan worship.

The result of this rebellion against the God of Israel by Manasseh and the people was God promised to send judgment. This judgment included the destruction of the nation and Jerusalem. The judgment was set during the time of Manasseh and was not reversed.

2 Kings 21:10 "And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, (11) Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: (12) Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. (13) And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. (14) And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; (15) Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day."

When the judgment decree was set by God nothing could change it. Manasseh was taken captive and chained. In his affliction, he cried out to God. He repented of the wickedness he had done and led Israel into; however, Manasseh's repentance did not annul the judgment decree. Manasseh's repentance follows:

2 Chronicles 33:12 "And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (13) And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God."

Israel had a tremendous revival under king Josiah. Josiah led Israel to cleanse the land of paganism and restore the Passover. The Bible says that Josiah turned to God with all his heart and soul. Even with this tremendous turning back to God, this could not change the judgment decree upon Judah. The decree was set because of the sin of Manasseh. Repentance by king Josiah could not alter this decree.

2 Kings 23:26 "Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. (27) And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there."

When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews captive to Babylon, this happened because of the judgment decree made during the reign of Manasseh.

2 Kings 24:3 "Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;"

The next king of Judah to bring judgment on the messianic line was Jeconiah. He is also called Coniah and Jehoiachin. All three names Jeconiah, Coniah and Jehoiachin refer to the same king of Judah. Jeconiah was an evil king and God was outraged with him. During Jeconiah's reign, God judged the kingly line with a curse. The curse was that no descendant of Jeconiah would sit as king of Israel. Jeconiah had children, but the prophet Jeremiah said consider him childless. Jeconiah was removed as king and replaced with his uncle Zedekiah.

Jeremiah 22:24 "As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (29) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. (30) Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon and was taken prisoner. All of the king's sons were killed by the Babylonians. The combination of the curse on the kingly line and the killing of all Zedekiah's sons, ended the line from Solomon through Rehoboam. From 606 BC when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon ended the kingdom of Judah, there has not been a king to sit on the throne of David. No son of David since that time has sat as the king of Israel.

Jeremiah 52:10 "And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah."

Zerubbabel as a type of Messiah

Although Jeconiah's descendants were cursed in that they could not sit on the throne as the king of Israel, clear messianic promises were made to Jeconiah's grandson, Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel returned from the Babylonian captivity with Ezra and helped rebuild the temple. Because he was a direct descendant of David, Solomon and Rehoboam, he was eligible to sit as king. The scriptures are clear, from Zerubbabel's genealogy, that he is from king David through Rehoboam and Jeconiah. Zerubbabel's genealogy follows:

1 Chronicles 3:10 "And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, (11) Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,(12) Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, (13) Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, (14) Amon his son, Josiah his son.(15) And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. (16) And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. (17) And the sons of Jeconiah: Assir, Salathiel his son, (18) Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. (19) And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah,"

However, the kingdom was taken away from the Jews, and Israel was under the authority of a foreign power. Zerubbabel was recognized only as the governor and not the king of Israel. The curse was in effect as Zerubbabel did not sit as the king of Israel.

Haggai 1:1 "In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,"

There is no scripture in the Bible to indicate that the curse was lifted off Jeconiah's descendants which would include his grandson, Zerubbabel. Although the curse was not lifted off Jeconiah's descendants, clear messianic promises were made to Zerubbabel by the prophet Haggai. The prophet Haggai shows a direct link between Zerubbabel and the Messiah. The Messiah is being addressed and described by Haggai under the name of Zerubbabel. By addressing the Messiah in the name of Zerubbabel, a clear messianic link was established from David, Solomon, Rehoboam and Jeconiah to Zerubbabel. The scriptures by Haggai follows:

Haggai 2:21 "Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; (22) And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (23) In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts."

The above scriptures could not have been about Zerubbabel, but have to be directly related to the Messiah. There are several indicators in Haggai 2:21-23 which completely rule out Zerubbabel. In his day, God did not shake the heavens and earth. The kingdoms of the Gentiles were not overthrown. Zerubbabel was never made as a signet as he never was the king of Israel but only a governor of Judah. The person of the Messiah is God's signet. This promise by God was to show that although the kingdom was taken away, under the Messiah it would be restored. All of this awaits for a time in the future and the rule of the King Messiah. The key is the Messiah is addressed as Zerubbabel. This means the messianic line is continuing through him.

God will shake the heavens and the earth at the time the messianic kingdom is being set up. The Bible refers to this time as the Day of the LORD.

Isaiah 13:9 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (10) For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. (13) Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger."

During the Day of the LORD the nations of the earth will be united in an attempt to destroy Israel and take Jerusalem. This event will trigger the coming of the Messiah to overthrow these nations and set up His everlasting Kingdom over all the earth. The Messiah will stand on the Mt of Olives and destroy the armies that are trying to destroy Jerusalem. With His Divine power, He will annihilate these armies. The prophet Zechariah shows this:

Zechariah 14:1 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof (12) And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. (9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. (16) And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.(17) And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."

Only three people are addressed as the Messiah: David, Solomon and Zerubbabel. They are all of the kingly line and all become a type of the Messiah. Zerubbabel was addressed as the Messiah in Haggai 2:23. Solomon was addressed as the Messiah in Psalm 72 and David was addressed in several places as the Messiah. One example from Ezekiel follows:

Ezekiel 34:23 "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd."

The Messianic line runs from David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel to the Messiah. There is no place in the Bible which shows the curse on the kingly line has been lifted. Because of the curse, anyone born of a human father and claiming to be the Messiah will have the curse of Jeconiah to block such a claim. The Messiah of Israel cannot have a human father.

King Messiah is Not a Mere Man

The Bible shows that the Messiah is not just a naturally born king. His birth will be supernatural. He is not to be viewed as merely a great general or political leader. He existed before His birth. The Messiah will come directly from heaven to set up His universal, everlasting Kingdom. King Messiah is not elected nor is He appointed. He will not be the head of any political organization like the United Nations. His Kingdom will be established on earth by God's supernatural power. The prophet Daniel shows the supernatural origin of the Messiah:

Daniel 7:9 "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (13) I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

The Messiah will use His supernatural power to destroy the nations of the world gathered together to crush Israel and Jerusalem. After destroying the nations of the world, He will then establish His Kingdom over all the earth. He will build the Messianic temple in Jerusalem and reign over the entire earth from this temple (Zechariah 6:12,13 and Jeremiah 23:5,6). Everything about the Messiah is supernatural. Zechariah gives details to the awesome coming of the Messiah to establish His Kingdom on earth.

Zechariah 14:1 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle... (3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof... (5)...and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (12)And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. (9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."

The Bible shows the supernatural coming of the King Messiah and it also shows His supernatural birth. The Messiah, the one who will rule the nations with a rod of iron, will have God as His Father. King Messiah will be able to declare that the God of Israel is His Father. This is recorded in Psalm 2. This Psalm can only be about the Messiah because His Kingdom is worldwide not just limited to Israel. The Messiah's Kingdom will go to the uttermost parts of the earth. None of the kings of Judah or Israel could claim that God was their father. David's father was Jesse and Solomon's father was David.

Psalm 2:6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (10) Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth."

The prophet Isaiah explains that the birth of the Messiah will be supernatural by an almah, virgin, conceiving a son. The promise of the virgin conceiving a son was not made to the nation but specifically to the house of David. The house of David is the kingly line from which the Messiah was to come. The house of David continued the covenant. The promise in Isaiah 7:14 had to do with the King of Israel.

Isaiah 7:13 "And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? (14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

2 Samuel 7:18 "Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? (19) And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? (25) And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said."

2 Chronicles 21:7 "Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever."

In Isaiah 9:6,7 the promise of the coming Messiah was made in reference to a child that is born. (See our presentation, Isaiah 9:6 for a detailed study). Psalm 2, which shows that King Messiah is to be the Son of God ties in so beautifully with Isaiah 9:6. Together both these scriptures show that the Messiah is going to be born as the Son of God. According to Isaiah 9:6, the Messiah will be called the, "Mighty God."

The Messiah was to come as a child, and yet at the same time He was supernatural. This is how the virgin birth ties in. Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 7:14 give a complete picture of the Messiah's supernatural coming as a child. This child is to rule the world in an everlasting kingdom. Only King Messiah is to have such a kingdom. No king of Judah was promised to rule forever.

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7)Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

The Branch of David, the Messiah is to rule the earth with justice. This is one of the hallmarks of the Messiah's rule, universal justice in all the earth. This never happened under any of the kings of Judah, and it awaits the supernatural coming of the Messiah to set up His kingdom over all the earth:

Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

At the Messiah's first coming He would come supernaturally through the virgin birth as a child. At the second coming, the Messiah will also come supernaturally, as the prophet Daniel says with the clouds, saints, of heaven.

Daniel 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah

The New Testament opens with the genealogy of the Lord Jesus. His genealogy is perfect to be the Messiah. He is the son of David through Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel. He is eligible to be the king of Israel because He is of the Messianic line. The genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth follows:

Matthew 1:1 "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (6) And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; (7) And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; (11) And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: (12) And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; (13) And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;"

The Bible then shows that this genealogy was only for Jesus' adopted father, but that He was really the Son of God through the virgin birth. Just as the Tanakh (Old Testament) showed with the curse of Jeconiah that it was impossible for the Messiah to have a natural father, so Jesus of Nazareth's Father was God, Psalm 2:7. The New Testament shows the supernatural first coming of the Messiah:

Matthew 1:18 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. (20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

The birth of Jesus of Nazareth follows the exact path needed to overcome the curse of Jeconiah and yet be entitled to be the Messiah. The promise for David's seed to sit on the throne was conditional. The covenant was eternal but to David's seed it was conditional. They failed the conditions and God moved to fulfill the covenant by providing His own Son as the Messiah.

1Kings 2:1 "Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, (3) And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: (4) That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel."

Psalms 132:12 "If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore."

The kingly line from Solomon on failed to keep the statutes and commandments of the LORD. Because of this failure, the LORD was free to send His Son born of a virgin to reign as King Messiah. Jesus of Nazareth's mother was also from the line of David, but not through Solomon. God fulfilled the covenant to David, through the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

The second phase of the supernatural coming of the Messiah will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. He will return with the clouds of heaven, the saints, just as the prophet Daniel wrote. When Jesus stood before the high priest, He claimed that Daniel 7:13 referred to Him and His second coming. He was condemned to die because He claimed to be the Son of God according to Daniel 7:13. The Lord's account before the high priest follows:

Matthew 26:63 "But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. (64) Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (65) Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy."

At the first coming, the Messiah was born as the Son of God and came lowly with salvation. This was fulfilled at the first coming of Jesus of Nazareth. At the second coming of the Messiah, He will come in awesome glory and set up His Kingdom over the entire earth. This will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus, when He fulfills Daniel 7:13,14. The two comings of the Messiah are summed up by the prophet Zechariah:

Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (10) And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."

About 40 years after the death of the Lord Jesus, God sealed that no one can claim to be the Messiah of Israel without the curse on the genealogy. The genealogy of the Messiah goes from David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel. With the destruction of Israel and Jerusalem, the records to prove the genealogy were destroyed. The link to Rehoboam was ended. Any would-be Messiah will have to be traced back to Zerubbabel and be virgin born. He then will have to come with the clouds of heaven to supernaturally set up the everlasting kingdom.

The Bible warns of a false messiah who shall appear just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. This false Messiah is commonly known as the anti-christ or as Daniel calls him the Beast, Daniel 7:11,19. He will be a political messiah that will have a supernatural element to him. Although the Bible says the false messiah will use lying signs and wonders to fool the masses, he will not be the Son of God as Psalm 2:7 demands, nor will he come with the clouds of heaven as Daniel 7:13,14 requires.

All those that reject the need for the true Messiah to be the only begotten Son of God, will succumb to this false messiah. The Lord Jesus warned of the results for rejecting Him:

John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."

The perfect candidate for the Messiah of Israel is Jesus of Nazareth. He has all the credentials to be the King of Israel. At the conclusion of the present church age when Jews and Gentiles are one in the Messiah, Jesus will return in Divine supernatural power and set up His everlasting kingdom. This kingdom will be centered in Jerusalem. From the world events which are now transpiring around Jerusalem, the second coming of the Lord Jesus does not appear to be too far in the future, Zechariah 14:1-5.

The genealogy of God's Messiah is David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Jeconiah to Zerubbabel to Jesus of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of God. Either Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, or Israel can't have one.

The Curse of Jeconiah and the Virgin Birth

To the unbeliever, the very concept of a virgin birth is difficult to believe and understand. However, the following facts will clearly establish that the virgin birth of the Messiah had become a biblical necessity. It had become impossible for the Messiah to have an earthly father and, as a result, he could only have a heavenly Father.

Needless to say that, with God, all things are possible. When the LORD promised Abraham and Sarah a son, this was Abraham's reaction. Genesis 17:17 states:

"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?"

Well, Sarah did in fact, bear a son named Isaac just as the LORD had promised and it was through this promised son Isaac that Almighty God established his covenant (Genesis 17:19-21, Leviticus 26:42). A miraculous birth between a hundred year old man and a ninety year old woman! So, why couldn't a virgin birth be possible for Almighty God?

In order to explain that the virgin birth of the Messiah had become necessary it is important to start at the beginning, with King David. God loved David so much that he vowed to David that his seed would endure forever. It would be through King David that the Messiah, the King, Savior and judge of the world would come. In the following verses, the LORD God refers to David:

2Samuel 7:12-13: "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. (13) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever."

Psalms 89:35-36: "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."

Psalms 132:11: "The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne."

God’s promise to David was unconditional because He stated that He would not turn from it (Psalms 132:11). However, God’s promise to David’s sons was not eternal. It was a promise made with provisions, contingencies and stipulations. Psalms 132:12 states:

"If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore."

In this verse, Almighty God indicates that David’s children would sit upon the throne for evermore ‘IF AND ONLY IF’ they obeyed the covenant and testimony that He would teach them. Also, God’s promise including these provisions would come through Solomon who was one of David’s many sons (1Chronicles 3:1-9). He was the designated son of David who was to build the temple. Here is the explanation: The idea to build the temple originally belonged to David and he had wanted to build it. However, according to the LORD, there had been too much blood on David's hands since he had been a man of war. In 1Chronicles 22:7-10, David tells Solomon what the LORD told him:

"And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: (8) But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. (9) Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. (10) He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever."

According to this passage, David instructed Solomon that God would provide him a son who would build the temple. The LORD would establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. Although it was David’s son Solomon that Almighty God requested the temple would be built, the LORD also indicated that the throne of his kingdom would be established forever provided Solomon and his sons met the contingencies indicated in Psalms 132:12. Further verification of this is as follows: In 1Kings chapter 8, the temple that Solomon built was inaugurated. At the time of the inauguration of the temple, King Solomon prayed to the LORD and asked him for verification of His promise that He made with his father David. He requested that the LORD would verify that, through him, there should not fail a man to sit upon the throne of Israel. 1Kings 8:22-28 states:

"And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: (23) And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: (24) Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. (25) Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. (26) And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. (27) But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (28) Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:"

Solomon's prayer ends in 1Kings 8:54. It would be in 1Kings chapter 9, the following chapter, in which the LORD God would reply to Solomon's prayer. 1Kings 9:1-5 states:

"And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, (2) That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. (3) And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. (4) And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: (5) Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel."

In the above passage, God placed contingencies upon Solomon and his descendants. These provisions were that they would be required to follow His statutes and His judgments. These were requirements that had to be met. If they were met, then and only then would the LORD establish the throne of Solomon's kingdom upon Israel forever (also see Psalms 132:12). Even David, before he died, advised his son Solomon in the following manner. 1Kings 2:1-4 states:

"Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, (2) I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; (3) And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: (4) That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel."

It is clear that Solomon and his sons were required to keep all of the statutes, commandments, judgments and testimonies of Almighty God in order for their kingdom to be established forever (Psalms 132:12, 1Kings 2:1-4, 1Kings 9:1-5). Beginning with Solomon, did he meet those provisions and contingencies? Did he pass the test? Did he meet the requirements set forth by the LORD in 1Kings 9:1-5 and Psalms 132:12? Did he follow his father David’s advice in 1Kings 2:1-4? 1Kings 11:1-10 supplies the answer:

"But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; (2) Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. (3) And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. (4) For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (5) For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. (6) And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. (7) Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. (8) And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (9) And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice. (10) And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded."

According to the above passage, Solomon failed miserably. When he became old, he turned to the gods of the heathen. As a result of Solomon’s spiritual failures and sin in turning to other gods, the LORD God of Israel punished Solomon and his only son Rehoboam. Solomon’s kingdom became rent in two (the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah). Jeroboam, the son of Nebat (not a son of David) became the king of Israel (1Kings 11:26, 1Kings 12:20). Rehoboam, became the first king of Judah (1Kings 12:1,27). 1Kings 11:11-13 confirms God’s immediate punishment upon Solomon that was ultimately passed on to his son Rehoboam:

"Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. (12) Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. (13) Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."

Although the Messianic line was to continue from David through Solomon, it could only continue through Rehoboam, Solomon’s only son (1Chronicles 3:10). Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was not a son of David. Although he was the first king of Israel after Solomon, the bloodline of the kings of Israel must be discarded and considered ineligible since they did not come from the Davidic line (through David). If Solomon had any other sons besides Rehoboam, the word of God would certainly have indicated this important fact. It is important to keep in mind that the bible goes out of its way to mention the fact that Solomon had two daughters (Taphath, 1Kings 4:11) and (Basmath, 1Kings 4:15). So why wouldn’t it mention the fact that Solomon had other sons besides Rehoboam? Therefore, it can only be concluded that Solomon had only one son. As a result, Rehoboam and his descendants (the kings of Judah) are the primary focus of attention as this presentation continues.

It is important to keep in mind that not only did Solomon fail the provisions and stipulations set forth by the LORD God of Israel, but so did many of the kings of Judah who sat on the throne after him. Regarding the last nine kings of Judah, seven of them did evil in the sight of the LORD. Ahaz did evil in the sight of the LORD (2Kings 16:2-3). So did Manasseh (2Kings 21:1-6), Amon (2Kings 21:19-21), Jehoahaz (2Kings 23:31-32), Jehoiakim (2Kings 23:36-37), Jehoiachin a/k/a Jeconiah (2Kings 24:8-9) and Zedekiah (2Kings 24:17-19). Zedekiah was the last king of Judah.

Only two of the last nine kings of Judah did right in the sight of the LORD. They were Hezekiah (2Kings 18:1-3) and Josiah (2Kings 22:1-2). In fact, King Josiah did all he could do to restore Judah to righteousness and purge it from its sin. According to the scriptures, he was the greatest of all of the kings of Judah. 2Kings 23:25-27 states:

"And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. (26) Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. (27) And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there."

As this passage points out, even though Josiah did all he could to restore Judah to uprightness, the LORD did not turn from his fierceness and great wrath against Judah because of all the provocations of Manasseh. Some may take the position that repentance from the Judaic kings soothed the wrath of Almighty God. However, this was not the case. As an example, 2Chronicles 33:10-16 illustrates that king Manasseh (who reigned prior to Josiah) had previously repented:

"And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. (11) Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. (12) And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (13) And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. (14) Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. (15) And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. (16) And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel."

2Kings 23:25-27 indicates that in spite of Manasseh’s repentance for his sins in the above passage coupled with Josiah doing everything possible to purge the land from its altars and idols, God’s wrath remained kindled against Judah for all that Manasseh had done. Although Manasseh repented, it can be concluded that the repentance of any of the other kings of Judah also did not soothe the LORD’S fierce anger.

The scriptures are clear that many of the sons of David, beginning with Solomon, did evil in the sight of the LORD and turned to other gods. The words and stipulations of Almighty God are also clear (1Kings 9:1-5, Psalms 132:12) and the LORD is certainly a God of his word. Solomon and many of the kings of Judah failed the requirements of 1Kings 9:1-5 and Psalms 132:12. The LORD’S stipulations to Solomon and the kings of Judah were certainly not met. Although the LORD God gave David’s sons these stipulations, to claim that He would allow the Messianic line to continue through Solomon would be a claim made without merit. It would also be a conclusion that would defy and challenge the very fabric of the word of God by claiming that His words are untrue. Even though some of the kings of Judah repented for their sins, God’s anger remained kindled against the kingly line of Judah as is illustrated in the case of King Manasseh.

Jeconiah a/k/a Jehoiachin 

Regarding Jeconiah, (who is also referred to as Jehoiachin and Coniah), 2Kings 24:8 teaches that he was eighteen years old when he began to reign and he reigned a total of three months. 2Kings 24:9-16 states that he was taken away captive into Babylon by the king of Babylon. 2Kings 25:27 reveals that he was in prison for a total of thirty-seven years before being released by Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign. Although these are interesting historical matters to note, the words of Almighty God regarding Jeconiah have an even greater significance. It is in Jeremiah 22:24-30 where the LORD announces a curse on Jeconiah and his seed (sons). It states:

"As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (25) And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. (26) And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. (27) But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. (28) Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? (29) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. (30) Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."

It is absolutely critical to understand this curse on Jeconiah and his seed. First of all, v. 28 "wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed" tells us that the LORD recognized the fact that Jeconiah would have sons, which he did (1Chronicles 3:17-24). It is in v. 30 "no man of 'his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah" that is of utmost significance. This passage clearly illustrates that although Jeconiah would have descendants, the LORD would not recognize them as eligible to sit upon the throne of David.

Zedekiah

The scriptures reveal that Zedekiah, the last earthly king of Judah, took Jeconiah's place on the throne as king of Judah and reigned for eleven years (2Kings 24:15-18, Jeremiah 52:1). When he rebelled against the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 52:3), the Chaldean armies pursued him and overtook him (Jeremiah 52:8). Jeremiah 52:9-10 states:

"Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. (10) And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah."

The situation we now have is this: All of Zedekiah's sons were killed at Riblah (Jeremiah 52:10) and Jeconiah's seed was cursed by Almighty God as not being eligible to sit upon the throne of David (Jeremiah 22:24-30). So, who can be the progenitor of the Messiah? Does Israel have an earthly candidate who would qualify? If so, do the Hebrew scriptures provide the name of such an individual? The answer is no. Therefore, the only logical conclusion that can be made is this: the Messiah would not come from the royal line of David through Solomon. He must be born of a virgin.

The Annointing of Zerubbabel

After all of Zedekiah’s sons were killed at Riblah (Jeremiah 52:10) and God cursed the sons of Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24-30), Israel was sent into captivity by the king of Babylon for a total of seventy years. This was written by the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 25:11 which states:

"And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."

After this period of exile, Israel returned from its captivity. At the time of this occurrence, the book of Ezra identifies an individual called "the prince of Judah". Ezra 1:8 states:

"Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah."

In this verse, an individual by the name of "Sheshbazzar" is identified as "the prince of Judah". Sheshbazzar is the Babylonian name for Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was Jeconiah's grandson (1Chronicles 3:17-19). In fact, the name of Zerubbabel is the first name mentioned in a listing of hundreds of names of people that came out of the captivity from Babylon and returned to Israel (Ezra 2:2, Nehemiah 7:6-7). Was Almighty God attempting to tell us something? It is the genealogy of Zerubbabel that is established in 1Chronicles 3:19 and which extends all the way through 1Chronicles 3:24. It is also the only lineage given in the Hebrew scriptures for an individual coming out of the exile from Babylon providing such detail. Additionally, it is the lineage provided for a cursed kingly line beginning with Jeconiah (1Chronicles 3:17, Jeremiah 22:30). In other words, Zerubbabel, called the "prince of Judah", comes from a cursed seed (1Chronicles 3:17-19, Jeremiah 22:30).

With respect to genealogy, it was a major and critical issue when the people of Israel returned from captivity. In fact, it had been the utmost of all issues concerning the priesthood when Israel returned. Ezra 2:62 states:

"These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood."

In other words, those that claimed to be of the priestly line were required to substantiate their positions with verifiable genealogy. If they could not substantiate their positions by genealogy, they were considered as polluted and were discarded from the priesthood. If Israel required the members of their priesthood to provide their eligibility through their genealogy, should not the same standard apply for its Messiah?

Since Jeconiah's seed is cursed (Jeremiah 22:24-30) and Zerubbabel is Jeconiah's grandson (1Chronicles 3:17-19), it is certainly reasonable to conclude that Zerubbabel's seed would also be cursed. So, how would Almighty God resolve this issue? Zechariah 4:6 provides us with the answer:

"This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."

According to Zechariah 4:6, it would be by God’s spirit through which this matter would be resolved. So, let us find out how the rightful Messiah would come:

Matthew 1:18: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."

Luke 1:32-33: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Joseph, Mary's husband, was a descendent of Jeconiah and Zerubbabel (Matthew 1:12). Therefore, Joseph’s seed was also cursed. In other words, if Joseph were the biological father of Jesus, Jesus would be disqualified as the Messiah because he would fall under the curse of Jeconiah (Matthew 1:12, Jeremiah 22:24-30). This is how the LORD resolved this issue: The Holy Ghost descended upon Mary who conceived. As a result, there was a virgin birth of the Messiah. Jesus' actual Father is the King of Israel, Almighty God Himself (Isaiah 33:22). What more of a qualified father could the Messiah have? Jesus is the son of David, but not through Joseph, through Mary (Luke 3:23,31). Through Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:16) God’s everlasting promise to David was fulfilled in accordance to Zechariah 4:6: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."

Zechariah 4:7 continues: "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."

According to Zechariah 4:7 it would be Zerubbabel who would bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto the great mountain of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is identified as ‘the mountain’ or ‘holy mountain’ in the following passages: Isaiah 2:3, Isaiah 66:20, Jeremiah 26:18, Daniel 9:16, Micah 4:2, Zechariah 8:3, Joel 3:17. John 1:17 states:

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

In Zechariah 12:10, which explains the developments just prior to the establishment of the Messianic reign, it states:

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

Though Zechariah 4:7 indicates that it would be Zerubbabel who would bring forth the headstone that would supply the grace, John 1:17 indicates that Jesus would be the one who would supply the grace. Zechariah 12:10 also illustrates that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will mourn for the one that was pierced in that day when God pours upon them the ‘spirit of grace’. Who is the one who was pierced? John 19:33-34 provides the answer:

"But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: (34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water."

Isaiah 28:16 advises: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

Unfortunately, it is also written that the Jews would reject the headstone providing such grace. Psalms 118:22 states:

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."

Isaiah 53:2-3 specifically states that the suffering servant would be rejected and despised by his own people:

"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

In fulfillment of Psalms 118:22 and Isaiah 53:2,3, John 1:11 states with respect to Jesus:

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." 

Zechariah 4:8-9 continues: "Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (9) The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you."

It is important to note that the above passage confirms the fact that Zerubbabel was instrumental in the building of the second temple after the people of Israel returned from their captivity from Babylon. However, Zechariah the prophet provides us with an interesting connection between Zechariah 4:8-9 where Zerubbabel lays the foundation of the house and the Branch of David, the Messiah, who will do the same. Zechariah 6:12 states:

"Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD."

This conditional promise with its provisions was originally given to David through Solomon as previously indicated in 1Chronicles 22:9-10. As a reminder, the LORD God told David:

"Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. (10) He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever."

Because of Solomon’s failures in his sin (1Kings 11:1-10) as well as many of the sins of the kings of Judah, the LORD fulfilled the promise that he made to David through the Messiah instead of through Solomon and his sons. It is the Messiah who will, according to the above passage, "give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He will build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever." The Messiah is the ‘Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6) who will establish peace forever (Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 11:6-10) who will build the temple of the LORD (Zechariah 6:12) and who would be the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:32-33, John 3:16). As a result of Solomon’s failures, there has been constant unrest and war in Israel and the LORD took away the temple (1Kings 9:6-9). Through the Messiah, peace will be restored and the temple will be built. He will accomplish whatever Solomon and his sons failed to accomplish. He would not only be the Son of God, but also the ‘son of David’.

As a reminder, how would Almighty God do this? Zechariah 4:6 reveals that it would be 'not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts’.

Prior to and during the exile at Babylon, it had been universally recognized by traditional Jewish and Christian scholars that in a number of key references, the future Messianic king is actually called ‘David’ in the scriptures (Jeremiah 30:8-9, Ezekiel 34:20-24, Ezekiel 37:24-25 and Hosea 3:5). After the return from the exile, it has now become apparent that the future Messianic king is, at times, referred to and called ‘Zerubbabel’ (Zechariah 4:6-10). Haggai 2:21-23 lends further support for this position. It states:

"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; (22) And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (23) In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts."

Zerubbabel, Jeconiah's grandson, was certainly made ‘as a signet’ and was to provide the genealogical pathway to the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. When the LORD cursed Jeconiah and his seed, he specifically stated that he removed Jeconiah ‘as the signet’ upon his right hand (Jeremiah 22:24). Who did the LORD place ‘as the signet’ upon his right hand? According to Haggai 2:23 it was Zerubbabel, Jeconiah’s grandson. To further add, Haggai 2:21-22 states that through Zerubbabel the LORD would destroy the kingdoms of the heathen and overthrow their chariots and those that ride in them. However, Zerubbabel himself never accomplished this. It would be the Messiah who would overthrow the chariots and the horses of the kingdoms of the heathen and those that ride in them (Zechariah 9:9-10, Micah 5:2,4,10). It is of further interest to note that the overthrowing of the kingdoms of the earth is a responsibility set aside strictly for the Branch of David, the Messiah. Jeremiah 23:5 states:

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." (Also see Jeremiah 33:15-16 and Isaiah 11:1-4).

In summary, Almighty God has cursed the seed of Jeconiah. Zerubbabel, Jeconiah’s grandson, was placed ‘as the signet’ on Almighty God’s right hand. By accomplishing this, the LORD has ‘closed the doors’ on anyone who would claim the throne of David except for His only-begotten Son. Zerubbabel, the one who is anointed to provide the genealogical direction to the Messiah is subject to the curse of his grandfather (Jeremiah 22:30). His seed is also cursed. Only God’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin, can claim the throne of David as the Messiah, the eternal King of Kings. Jesus is both the Son of the Highest, the King of Israel Himself (Isaiah 33:22), and the son of David, through Heli, Mary’s father (Luke 3:23,31).

Mary - Mother of Jesus

The lineage of Mary the mother of Jesus is listed in Luke 3:23-38. The individual by the name of Heli (Luke 3:23) was Mary’s father. As a result Joseph, Mary’s husband, was considered Heli’s son-in-law. Mary was a descendent of David, but not from David through Solomon, from David through Nathan. Because of the sins of Solomon, not only was he eliminated from the paternal line to the Messiah, but he was also eliminated from the maternal line. The lineage of Mary bears further interest. In Luke 3:27, she is listed as a descendent of Zerubbabel the son of Salathiel. In Matthew 1:12, Joseph is also listed as a descendent of Zerubbabel the son of Salathiel. Salathiel was the son of Jeconiah (1Chronicles 3:17). Well, because of the curse of Jeconiah, Joseph could not be the progenitor of the Messiah because his seed would have been cursed (Matthew 1:12, Jeremiah 22:30). Since the curse of Jeconiah speaks only of men (Jeremiah 22:30), and women do not have seed (sperm), Mary would not fall under the curse of Jeconiah. There is another logical conclusion to be made: Since Mary was a woman she would not qualify to sit upon the throne of David. Therefore Mary and all other women could not possibly be the subjects of Jeremiah 22:24-30, specifically verse 30 which states: "no ‘MAN’ of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah." The curse of Jeconiah only applies to men and does could not affect her.

The word ‘zera’ in Hebrew is usually translated as ‘seed’. However, it can, at times, be translated as ‘child’ or ‘offspring’. Two examples are provided in Leviticus 22:13 and 1Samuel 1:11.

When sin first entered into the world in Genesis chapter 3, it was Adam and Eve that disobeyed the LORD and ate of the fruit of the tree. It was the serpent who tempted Eve (Genesis 3:13). As a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, the LORD cast them out from the garden and out of his presence (Genesis 3:24). Before doing this, it is interesting to take notice of the words of the LORD God in Genesis 3:14-15, which states:

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: (15) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

In this passage, the Hebrew word ‘zera’ is used with reference to the ‘seed of the woman’. It would be through the seed (child) of the woman in which the LORD God would reconcile mankind unto Himself and in which sin would be defeated. Jesus the Messiah provided the victory over sin at Calvary nearly two thousand years ago. It is through his shed blood by which mankind is reconciled to God. No one else can rightfully claim the throne of David. Isaiah 52:15: "So shall he sprinkle many nations."

Galatians 4:4: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law."

Haggai 2:21-23

(The Anointing of Zerubbabel and the Virgin Birth)

Haggai 2:21-23 "Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; (22) And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (23) In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts."

The anointing of Zerubbabel according to Haggai 2:21-23 has been addressed in two presentations on this web site: "The Curse of Jeconiah and the Virgin Birth" presentation, as well as the "Either Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah or Israel Can't Have One" presentation. Both illustrate the major significance of Haggai 2:21-23 with respect to identifying Israel's only true Messiah. Haggai 2:21-23, coupled with the curse of Jeconiah in Jeremiah 22:24-30, leads to the critical conclusion that the Messiah could not have an earthly father, and would therefore have to be born of a virgin. This presentation highlights how critical Haggai 2:21-23 is in identifying who can be the Messiah of Israel.

According to Jeremiah 22:24-30, Jeconiah's seed (descendants) were cursed by Almighty God as they were declared ineligible to sit upon the throne of David:

Jeremiah 22:24-30 "As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah (Jeconiah) the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (25) And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah (26) And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. Jeremiah (27) But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return (28) Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? (29) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. (30) Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."

Jeremiah 22:30 specifically illustrates that Jeconiah's seed (physical descendants) are ineligible to sit upon the throne of David. Additionally, according to 1Chronicles 3:17-19, Zerubbabel was king Jeconiah's grandson (his physical descendant):

1Chronicles 3:17-19 "And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son, (18) Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. (19) And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:"

As a result, unless the curse on Jeconiah was lifted, Zerubbabel's seed (descendants) would also be declared ineligible to sit on the throne of David as king of Israel since they would also be cursed. Therefore, since there is no scriptural indication that this curse was lifted, the Messiah could not be the physical descendant of Zerubbabel.

Although Jeconiah's seed was cursed by Almighty God, king David had many other sons whose descendants would qualify to sit upon the throne of David as King Messiah. For example, though Rehoboam was Solomon's only son (1Chronicles 3:10), Rehoboam himself had twenty eight sons (2Chronicles 11:21). These twenty eight sons could very well have had descendants who would qualify to sit upon the throne of David as the king of Israel. Though this may be the case, the primary concern for the unbeliever in the virgin birth of the Messiah is that there is no qualified progenitor to the Messiah mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures after the return from the exile to Babylon. Secondly, and most importantly, Haggai 2:21-23 and the anointing of Zerubbabel provides the genealogical direction as well as full assurance for the believers in Jesus as the Messiah that there is no possible way the true Messiah could have an earthly father.

In a number of scriptural passages prior to the return from the exile to Babylon, the Messiah was addressed as 'David' (Jeremiah 30:9, Ezekiel 34:24, Ezekiel 37:24-25, Hosea 3:5). The applicable scriptures follow:

Jeremiah 30:9 "But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."

Ezekiel 34:24 "And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it."

Ezekiel 37:24-25 "And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. (25) And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever."

Hosea 3:5 "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days."

In Psalm chapter 72, the Messiah was addressed as 'Solomon'. A few applicable verses follow:

Psalm 72:1-8 [[[A Psalm] for Solomon.]] "Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. (2) He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. (3) The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. (4) He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. (5) They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. (6) He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. (7) In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (8)He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

All of the verses in Psalm 72 apply to the Messiah. Solomon never had a kingdom from sea to sea (Psalm 72:8) and did not reign in peace 'as long as the moon endureth' (Psalm 72:7). As a result of Solomon's sin in turning to other gods, the LORD God of Israel rent Solomon's kingdom in two (1Kings 11:1-13). It is the Messiah who would have a kingdom from sea to sea (Daniel 7:13-14, Micah 5:4, Zechariah 9:9-10) and it is the Messiah who would bring in peace forever (Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 2:4, Isaiah 11:9-10, Micah 4:3, Micah 5:5, etc.).

The reason why the word of God spoke of the Messiah as 'David' and as 'Solomon' in the scriptures is that the Messiah would come from the line of David through Solomon.

Haggai 2:21-23 addresses the Messiah as 'Zerubbabel'. This passage is a Messianic passage and does not apply to Zerubbabel's lifetime. Since Zerubbabel was Jeconiah's grandson and his seed would also be cursed (1Chronicles 3:17-19) and since the curse of Jeconiah was not lifted or released, (as there is no scriptural support), it would therefore be impossible to qualify a future messiah who would have an earthly father.

Haggai 2:21-23 (Shows the only path to the Messiah)

For the believer in Jesus as the Messiah, Haggai 2:21-23 provides ultimate assurance and confidence that they are anchored in the truth. For the unbeliever, this passage provides a major problem by which they can provide no logical solution.

There are three (3) aspects of Haggai 2:21-23 that will illustrate the fact that it refers to the Messiah and not Zerubbabel. They are as follows:

1). Shaking the heavens and the earth (vs. 21) did not occur during Zerubbabel's lifetime. This will occur during the day of the LORD, when the nations of the earth come against Jerusalem and the LORD intervenes to execute judgment.

2). Overthrowing the throne of kingdoms, destroying the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen, overthrowing the chariots and those that ride in them (vs. 22) all refer to the Messiah executing judgment and justice in the earth. Additionally, overthrowing the horses and their riders (vs. 22) refers to the ultimate defeat of the heathen nations that come against Jerusalem.

3). Zerubbabel himself was never made as a signet (vs. 23). 

1. Shaking the heavens and the earth

Besides Haggai 2:21, the shaking of the heavens and the earth is mentioned in three other scriptures. They are Isaiah 13:13, Joel 3:16 and Haggai 2:6. The applicable scriptures follow:

Isaiah 13:13 "Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger."

Joel 3:16 "The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel."

Haggai 2:6 "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;"

The day of the LORD is identified in Zechariah 14:1-4 when all nations come against Jerusalem to battle and the Messiah, the Branch of David, intervenes to save Israel from total destruction. This is an event that has not yet occurred in our history. Zechariah 14:1-4 states:

Zechariah 14:1-4 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west,"

When the prophet Isaiah writes about the shaking of the heavens and the earth in chapter 13, verse 13, it is clear from Isaiah 13:6 and Isaiah 13:9 that this will occur on the day of the LORD. This remains a future event according to Zechariah 14:1-4:

Isaiah 13:6 "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty."

Isaiah 13:9 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it."

Isaiah 13:13 "Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger."

Joel 3:16 also refers to a shaking of the heavens and the earth. Joel 3:14 (two verses prior) confirms that this shaking of the heavens and the earth will occur on the day of the LORD. Once again, this is a future event:

Joel 3:14 "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

Joel 3:16 "The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel."

The conclusion: shaking the heavens and the earth will occur on the day of the LORD, a future event. Therefore, Haggai 2:21-23 refers to the Messiah and does not refer to Zerubbabel as he died approximately twenty-five hundred years ago.

2. Overthrowing the throne of kingdoms, etc.

Overthrowing the throne of kingdoms, destroying the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen, overthrowing the chariots and those that ride in them, the horses and their riders coming down, every one by the sword of his brother (Haggai 2:22) are all connected to the Messiah. Here are the applicable scriptures:

Micah 5:7,10 "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. (10) And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots"

Zechariah 9:9-10 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (10) And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."

3. Zerubbabel, not a signet

As previously illustrated, it is clear that the Messianic King is actually called 'David' and 'Solomon' in a number of passages. Since shaking the heavens and the earth will occur during the day of the LORD (a future event), the following will further illustrate that the Messianic King is actually called 'Zerubbabel' after the return from the exile to Babylon.

Though Jeconiah was removed as the signet upon Almighty God's right hand according to Jeremiah 22:24, his grandson Zerubbabel was made as the signet (Haggai 2:23):

Jeconiah 22:24 (Regarding Jeconiah) "As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;"

Haggai 2:23 (Regarding Zerubbabel) "In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts."

The signet represents all of the power and authority of the king. Zerubbabel was only a governor (Haggai 2:21) and was never the king of Israel. He never sat upon the throne of David. During Zerubbabel's lifetime, God did not shake the heavens and the earth. The shaking of the heavens and the earth as well as the destruction of the nations that come against Jerusalem will be a responsibility set aside strictly for the Messiah. This will occur in the future. Jeremiah 23:5 confirms:

Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

By making Zerubbabel the signet, Almighty God has now closed the doors on any impostor who would claim the throne of David who has an earthly father. Only Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin, can rightfully claim the throne of David. Joseph, Mary's husband, was from the line of David through Solomon through Jeconiah through Zerubbabel (see Matthew 1:6-16). If Joseph were the biological father of Jesus, Jesus would be disqualified to sit upon the throne of David because of the curse of Jeconiah. As a result of this curse, the LORD intervened and became the Father of the Messiah Himself. What more qualified Father could the Messiah have but the LORD God, the King of Israel Himself (Isaiah 33:22)?

Through the virgin birth, Jesus qualifies! Jesus is the Son of God through the virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 1:26-35, Psalm 2:6-7, Isaiah 7:14). Jesus is the son of David because Mary was the daughter of Heli, a descendant of David (Luke 3:23,31).

The anointing of Zerubbabel, Jeconiah's grandson, according to Haggai 2:21-23 provides the direction and the arrow to the Messiah. This prevents anyone from attempting to go around the curse of Jeconiah in order to find other candidates who could be the progenitor of the Messiah. Thus, the believers in Jesus as the Messiah are anchored in the truth because the Messiah is called 'Zerubbabel' in Haggai 2:21-23.

The fulfillment of God's promise to David (2Samuel 7:12-16, Psalm 89:35-36, Psalm 132:11) is provided in the New Testament when the Messiah was born of a virgin. These are the critical passages for the believer in Jesus as the Messiah since he was born of a virgin and, according to these scriptures, the only way that the Messiah could come into the world is if He was born of a virgin. There is no possible way in which a qualified messiah can come naturally into the world because Zerubbabel comes from a cursed line (1Chronicles 3:17-19, Jeremiah 22:30).

The Bible states that some day the nation of Israel will crown a so-called messiah who has an earthly father. This individual will have a polluted and cursed genealogy and thus be considered antimessiah or antichrist. In John 5:43, Jesus said:

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."

Though many will accept this false messiah (as it is written), this presentation comes with the hope that many will remember these scriptural facts and only recognize the one true Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who will some day come with the saints, the clouds of heaven, according to Daniel 7:13-14:

Daniel 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."

The Messiah coming with the saints, the clouds of heaven, according to Daniel 7:13-14, is the exact way the Bible describes the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Zechariah 14:5 illustrates the LORD coming 'with the saints' to rescue the children of Israel while Revelation 19:11-16 (specifically verse 14) reveals His return with the armies of heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean. The applicable scriptures follow:

Zechariah 14:5 "And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee."

Revelation 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus."