THE KING OF KINGS AND HEIR TO DAVID’S THRONE FOREVER.

Religions not centred on Jesus as Lord do not preach his gospel of salvation (Mt. 5 v 13, 23 v 13). They are not led by his Spirit nor hear his voice but submit to the self-justified dogma of church lawyers (Lk. 16 v 15, 19-29). The promised gifts and fruits of God’s Spirit are fake or missing (Lk. 6 v 45-49).

They copy a method that used to work and dress the ‘dry bones’ with carnal, religious feelings, stirred up by music, ceremony and ritual (Mt. 15 v 8-20). Their defence is “we have so-and-so as our founder (Jn. 8 v 39-42)!” It is a form of ancestor worship. The Lord’s answer is the same as to the Pharisees.

Like the churches in Revelation 2 & 3, most have not heeded Jesus’ rebuke so they have withered and corrupted (Jn. 15 v 6). They rationalize their lack by amending the straight truth of the Bible (Mt. 21 v 23-46, Eph. 4 v 14-24) with false logic that makes a mockery of God’s words (Mt. 12 v 31-40, Mk. 7 v 6-9, 13, Jn. 17 v 19-21). These inexcusable errors make our versions ambiguous.

The Epistles are full of warnings and corrections to churches who were following self-important leaders who set themselves up as superior lords. They dull the first love of the saved by making them self-conscious (Gal. 3). Instead of transforming human attitudes into those of Christ (Jn. 6 v 63, Lk. 18 v 10-14) proud men conform Jesus to humanistic thinking. They debase men of God instead of empathising and learning their lessons (Php. 2 v 5-8).

Scriptures that do not ring true are such bad mistranslations that they must be deliberate yet many seem blind to their flaws (Rom. 8 v 7, 10 v 13, Col. 2 v 8). Guessers ignore the facts and say Jesus was rejected because he was the illegitimate son of a carpenter (1 Cor. 11 v 14, Lk. 4 v 16-22).

In fact everyone knew (Jn. 1 v 45-49) that immediately after David’s heir Jacob died, to ensure David’s royal line continued to the Messiah, a marriage covenant was made between his eldest child Mary and his nearest kinsman (Ruth 4 v 3-5). Instead of divorcing her for adultery Joseph accepted the child as his (Mt. 1 v 18-25).

Jesus’ genealogy proved that he was the legal heir to David’s throne and therefore the expected Messiah (Lk. 7 v 6-8, Jn. 7 v 45). This was the one thing that his legalistic enemies could not dispute (Jn. 7 v 42, 52). Their only basis for rejecting him was their assumption that he was not born in Bethlehem as all the babes of his age had been on Herod’s death list (Mt. 2 v 16).

Matthew says his genealogy, of the promised ones, is that of Jesus. Luke says that God is his father but the public assumed that it was Joseph the son of Heli, his legally recorded father (Lk. 2 v 5, 3 v 22-23, 4 v 22). But the guessers say Luke’s genealogy is that of Mary (Gen. 3 v 15). Why? Luke does not mention Mary or any of the women that the royal line depended on.

The Messiah had to be of David’s blood, but not Solomon’s (1 Kg. 9 v 4-7, 11 v 7-11), yet still the heir to his throne (2 Sam. 7 v 16, Ps. 89 v 4, 29, 36, Is. 9 v 7). Hence the vital story of Ruth. The keys to unlocking the New Testament are in the Old (1 Cor. 10 v 11). Every book in the Bible gives us more information about Jesus (Lk. 24 v 44-48). The so called Apocrypha and Gnostic texts do the reverse.

Like Elimelech, King Jeconiah, the last true king of Judah, had no surviving seed (Jer. 22 v 28-30). Matthew and Luke show that his title passed to Shealtiel, a descendent of David’s son Nathan.

Inheritance, especially land, had to stay within a tribe and family. If sold it had to be returned in the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25 v 23-28). Family unity and care is very important to the Father (Gen. 12 v 3,  Lev. 19 v 34, Mt. 10 v 32-42).

The oldest son inherited his father’s rank and titles. As the head of the family, he sustained their dependants so he inherited double the portion of the other sons (Deut. 21 v 15-17, Ex. 13 v 2, Heb. 5 v 5-10). Jesus and not his brothers provided for his widowed mother and dependants (Jn. 2 v 2-5, 19 v 26-27).

If a man had only a surviving daughter, she could not inherit the titles and land of her father. But if she married a blood relative who could legally claim her father’s estate (Num. 27 v 8-11, 36 v 6), her father’s titles and wealth passed to her first born son. He became his grand-father’s legally ‘acquired’ or assir son. She and her husband inherited from his father and nothing from her father (Ruth 4 v 4-6). This practice was legally robust and quite common. At first many did not accept the young Solomon as king. He knew that if his disbarred older brother Adonijah married David’s young widow he would claim the throne for their first born son (1 Kg. 1 v 52, 2 v 15-24).

Once understood the odd account in the book of Ruth becomes clear. Elimelech’s sons all died, so his nearest male kin had to buy his lands and support his family (Ruth 2 v 20). His oldest brother refused to marry his daughter (in-law) Ruth (Deut. 25 v 5-10, Ruth 4 v 9-15) so his younger middle aged brother Boaz married her. Their first born son Obed became Elimelech’s legal assir son and heir. Elimelech wife Naomi nursed Obed as her son (Ruth 4 v 16-17).

In the same way; Shealtiel was Jeconiah’s legally begotten son (Mt. 1 v 12) as the son of his closest relative Neri (Lk. 3 v 27) and the widow of his son Zedekiah (1 Chr. 3 v 16). Scholars are confused on this subject because they have been distracted by the wrong assumptions of others. They admit they do not know what the term ‘assir’ son means, yet analysis of the genealogies in which it occurs confirm it.

Matthew 1 lists 13 kings of his 14 generations from Babylon to Christ, as Neri was untitled. He also discounts the kings descended from Joram’s youngest son Ahaziah (2 Chr. 22 v 1). His true heir was the baby son of his eldest slain son. Uzziah was the great grandson of Joram’s first born son, so  legally his ‘begotten’ heir.

Shealtiel’s royal title, lands and possessions passed down to Jacob, the son of Matthan. He had a juvenile daughter called Mary but he died with no male heir so Joseph was similarly ‘begotten’ by Jacob (Mt. 1 v 16-20) as his closest surviving male relative. However Joseph was not the heir to David’s throne but the coming Mesiah had to be (2 Sam. 7 v 12-16, Is. 9 v 6-7).

Jacob’s titles could only continue through to his daughter’s first born son if she married his nearest relative. Therefore a marriage contract was immediately made between Mary and Joseph before they could live together (Mt. 1 v 18-25, Lk. 1 v 27). Mary’s first born son became Jacob’s assir son and heir instead of Joseph (Ruth 4 v 4-6, 10, Mt. 1 v 16, 18-19). Jesus’ legal father was recorded as Jacob (not Joseph). He is the eternal heir to David’s throne (Mt. 21 v 9-16).

The life we inherit from Adam dies because he sold his heavenly inheritance for a mortal one (Gen. 25 v 33-34, Lk. 3 v 38, Rom. 9 v 13). Jesus is Adam’s near kinsman (1 Cor. 15 v 22, 48-50, Heb. 2 v 6-17): only as the Bride of Christ do we inherit life from Jesus’ family instead of Adam’s death (Rom. 7, Php. 4 v 19, Col. 2 v. 3, 6-10). Live every day as expecting to be ‘married away’ from this dying world (2 Th. 2 v 7-12, Rev. 7 v 9-15). Those who reject him as Lord will be left behind with their preferred king (Jn. 19 v 14-15) for seven terribly evil years (Dan. 9 v 26-27, Rev. 12 v 9-12, 13 v 4-6).

The down grading of Jesus extends into our translations. At a family wedding in Cana he is presented as aloof, indifferent and rude to his mother (Jn. 2 v 4)! A disaster occurred: the wine ran out. Joseph was dead so Mary turned to Jesus as the head of the family and provider for its dependants (Lk. 19 v 25, Jn. 19 v 27). He replied; “Madam, what do you expect me to do for you? I have not an hour to do it!”

A miracle of course (Jn. 1 v 32-34, 41, 2 v 5)!

His 3 1/2 year ministry had just started (Lk. 3 v 22)  so “My hour is not yet come” is nonsense. He had not begun his ‘Father’s business’ in his 13 th year at Passover (Lk. 2 v 42-51). This odd event now makes sense. “ Why did you search for me? Did you not know that (on my coming of age) I must be involved with my legal father’s (Jacob) affairs”. They had not considered the matter that he informed them of as it did not involve them.

The lawyers took a long time to check the temple records for a very good reason (Mt. 1 & Lk. 3). When his right to Jacob’s title and estate was proved the temple rulers  (Jn. 3 v 10, 7 v 46-51), who remembered Zacharias’ prophesy (Lk. 1 v 67-79), asked him the obvious question: “are you the Messiah?” His answers amazed them (Luke 2 v 46-47). He was the heir to David’s throne and Zerubbabel’s wealth via his legal father Jacob yet he returned to Joseph’s house and submitted to his authority (Gal. 4 v 1).

The wise men, Herod, Pilot, the Samaritans, the Jews, little children, blind men, beggars (Mt. 20 v 31); all knew he was the heir to David’s throne (Mt. 21 v 5, 9, 27 v 29). The correct legal charge Pilate posted on Jesus’ gallows stated; ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews’ (Jn. 19 v 19-24). He said “Shall I crucify your King?” The corrupt lawyers (Mk. 15 v 1, 9-14) also knew but they replied “We have no king but Caesar” (Is. 9 v 16-17).

The Apostles first saw Jesus as the promised Messiah (Mk. 8 v 29-33, Jn. 1 v 41; not as Is. 53 v 3) then after his resurrection as “My Lord and my God,” but when revealed as the King they fell at his feet (Mt. 17 v 6, Rev. 1 v 17-18). When he returns to rule over the Earth, all left alive will fall at his feet.

Jesus is the visible person of the infinite God who is the Father of all life (Josh. 5 v 13-15, Mt. 26 v 63-64, Jn. 8 v 56-58, 10 v 30, Heb. 1 v 2-8), yet he took upon himself the form of a servant (Jn. 6 v 38-40, 62, Php. 2 v 6-10). For our transgressions he was cursed as if smitten by God. He was rejected and despised by men but now he is exalted as the Lord of all creation. At his name every creature must bow with fear and trembling. And he shall reign for ever and ever: HALLELUJAH!

You who do not see him as precious have been warned (Lk. 12 v 4-5, 1 Pt. 2 v 7-8). Kiss the Son lest he be offended by you (Ps. 2 v 7-12, Rom. 9 v 15).

And his children (Is. 9 v 6-7)? We train to rule with him.