How Is David Related to Jesus? It’s Not About Genealogy

The Bible is full of mysteries. One of those mysteries is the relationship between David and Jesus. Many Christians are well-aware of the fact that David and Jesus are related but are unaware of the spiritual significance of that relationship. Most are aware that many generations after King David (the second King of Israel) passed away, Jesus was born to Mary who married David’s descendant, Joseph.

Matthew 1:1-17 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David… David was the father of Solomon… Solomon the father of Rehoboam… Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah…

The genealogy recorded in the Book of Matthew records no actual blood relationship between David and Jesus. So then, how is David related to Jesus and what is the spiritual significance of it? It is not really about genealogy, it is about prophecy.

Understanding How David Is Related to Jesus

Jesus said “the Scriptures…testify about Me” (NIV, Jn 5:39) and there are many scriptures recorded about King David and the history of his life. Then, according to Jesus’ word, these scriptures about King David actually testify about Jesus. So, how is it that the scriptures about David are actually testifying about Christ Jesus? There is a prophetical relationship between David and Jesus. God created David and had him live a specific life, with specific and meaningful events, approximately 1000 years in advance of Jesus’ coming to the Earth. Then, God had the prophets of the old testament teach that Jesus would be born on the Earth and reign on David’s throne (see Isa 9:6). Since Jesus did not become the official king of Israel and He did not inherit the role of King David, nor is there any record of Him receiving the actual seat that King David sat on, the fulfillment of the words “He will reign on David’s throne” (NIV, Isa 9:6) is not the literal fulfillment we might have expected. If it’s not literal, how can we understand how David is related to Jesus? By examining some of the key characteristics of David’s throne and comparing them to Jesus’ ministry we can come to understand that there is a prophetical relationship between David and Jesus. There are specific and meaningful events in David’s life that actually represent specific and meaningful events in the life of Christ Jesus, who carries out God’s redemption work in the flesh.

David’s Throne Shows Us About Jesus’ Redemption Work While He is on the Earth in the Flesh

David was anointed king at the age of 30. This specific and meaningful event in the life of David is recorded in the Bible because it is important for our salvation in some way. It represents a specific and meaningful event in the life of Christ.

2 Samuel 5:3-4 …they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

Luke 3:23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph…

Jesus began His ministry at the age of 30. The knowledge that Jesus began His ministry at the age of 30 is not going to save us; yet, because this detail is important for our salvation in some way, Luke recorded this specific detail in the Bible. It is through this detail that we can see how David is actually related to Jesus. Just as David began to reign as king over his people at the age of 30, so Jesus began to reign as Christ over His people at the age of 30. The baptism He underwent was His being anointed as “King” (see Lk 3:21-22; Lk 4:14-18).

Believers might say, “Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords from eternity to eternity. How can you claim that He was anointed at His baptism?” The Bible absolutely testifies that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords from eternity to eternity (see Rev 17:14; 1 Ti 6:15; Jer 10:10; 1 Ti 1:17). But, His being anointed by His baptism shows that reigning on David’s throne specifically refers to the time when He carries out the redemption work on the earth in human form, as opposed to the time He carries out the redemption work in Heaven in His spiritual form.

This is how David is related to Jesus: God created David and had him live a specific life in advance of Jesus’ coming to the Earth and then taught us that Jesus would reign on David’s throne. The prophetic characteristics of David’s throne reveal the characteristics of Christ so that humankind can recognize Him when He comes to the Earth as a human being. The Scriptures testify about Christ and the prophecy hidden in King David’s throne is one of many prophecies that Christ fulfills.

The Duration of the Throne of David is Related to Jesus’ Second Coming

The prophecies of Scripture are the only testimony humanity has to identify Christ. Since Peter walked with Jesus and witnessed Him fulfill the prophecies, he testified that humankind can rely on the scriptures to identify who Christ is.

2 Peter 1:19-22 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it… you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things… prophets, though human, spoke from God…

If Jesus had come without fulfilling the prophecies, no one would have been able to recognize Jesus as the Christ. If no one recognizes Him, no one can believe in Him. Jesus must fulfill the prophecies of the Bible. If Christ must prophetically “reign on David’s throne” (NIV, Isa 9:6) and “reigning on David’s throne” refers to the time He carries out His ministry in the flesh, then Christ must spend 40 years on the Earth as a man.

2 Samuel 5:3-4 …David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

2000 years ago Jesus was baptized at the age of 30 and began His ministry, but He was crucified at the age of 33. From the time Jesus began His ministry to the time He was crucified was only about 3 years. It seems like He did not fulfill the prophecy, but the scriptures explain.

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time…

2000 years ago, Jesus left the prophecy of King David’s throne only partially completed and intended to return a second time to fully complete it. He did not complete all 40 years of His ministry at once. He completed only the first 3 years, at His first coming, and Christ, Himself, will come a second time and complete the remaining 37 years to completely fulfill the prophecy of King David’s throne.

Christ must return to the earth as a man, with a new name(see Rev 3:11-12). This prophecy is “completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it” (NIV, 2 Pe 1:19).

David is Prophetically Related to Jesus in Many Ways

There are many other prophetical points that show how David is related to Jesus, including Zion – the City of David (see 2 Sa 5:7; He 12:22-23) and the New Covenant (see Isa 55:3). Understanding how David is related to Jesus enables us who are living in this age to realize and recognize the Second Coming Christ and receive God’s blessing.

Hosea 3:5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.

The prophecy says if we want to come to the Lord and His blessings in the last days we must seek the Lord our God who comes to the Earth in the flesh as the Spiritual King David. The prophetical points in David’s life provide a completely reliable testimony so we can receive the Second Coming Christ and be saved through the ministry Christ completes in the flesh in the last days.

It is Christ Ahnsahnghong who has completely  fulfilled the prophecies in this age, including the completion of the throne of David. He was born in 1918, was baptized at the age of 30, and carried out His ministry of preaching the New Covenant to humanity for 37 years. Surely He is the Spiritual King David we must now seek for our salvation.