The Bible shows that the Messiah is not just a naturally born king.  His birth is to 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 Lord Jesus will return with the “Clouds of heaven.”  The “Clouds of heaven” is a term for the huge number of saints which return with Him.  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.  Psalm chapter two shows us that King Messiah will be able to declare that the God of Israel is His Father.  This Psalm can only be about the Messiah because His Kingdom is world-wide just not 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 pertained to 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.  Psalm chapter two 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 King 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 saints, the “Clouds 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 King Messiah of Israel

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 to David but to his seed it was conditional.  They failed the conditions and God moved to fulfill the covenant by providing His own Son as the Messiah.  The following Scriptures show the covenant with David’s seed through Solomon was conditional:

1 Kings 2:1-4 “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.”

1 Chronicles 28:6 “And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. (7) Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.”

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 the Lord Jesus.  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.

Zechariah sums up the two comings of the Messiah.  He came the first time lowly with salvation riding a donkey.  At His second coming, His Kingdom will be to the ends of the earth.

“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.” Zechariah 9:9,10

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.  Many of those who 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 only 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.  Only Jesus of Nazareth can be the King Messiah.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name