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As God’s representatives, the Old Testament prophets functioned as social commentators and visionaries. Not only did they convey damning judgments on society’s shortcomings, but they offered compelling visions of a better world to come. Through warnings and pleas, they sought to transform how people lived, reminding them of God’s plan for their lives.
Central to their messages was the expectation of a unique Ruler, a Messiah, who would establish God’s kingdom in the world. The prophets did not invent this expectation; it already existed as a long-standing tradition in ancient Israel. The divine promise of a future King begins in the book of Genesis and is traced in the biblical narrative to David’s appointment as the second king of Israel. As Psalm 72 reveals, from David’s dynasty will come a unique King who will rule over the whole earth in righteousness.
David’s reign marks the beginning of a remarkable dynasty with close ties to Jerusalem, where God’s earthly sanctuary was set up. The creation of the Davidic dynasty is part of God’s salvation plan, but this development merely heralds something much more significant to come. This is evident as we follow the history of ancient Israel. Beginning with Solomon, the record of the Davidic dynasty’s rule over Jerusalem is essentially one of failure, with occasional hints toward something better in the future.
An appreciation of the importance of the Davidic dynasty is essential for understanding the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. The prophets recalled God’s promises from the past and emphasized their fulfillment in the future. We see this vividly illustrated in the book of Isaiah, which addresses the deficiencies of the kings of Judah and the people of Jerusalem around the end of the eighth century BC. As a collection of prophetic oracles given during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the book of Isaiah predicts God’s punishment of the city’s inhabitants for their superficial piety and lack of adherence to God’s values. Notably, the prophet Isaiah announces judgment but also looks with confidence to God’s transformation of Jerusalem into a city characterized by peace, prosperity, and righteousness.
To grasp Isaiah’s prophetic announcements accurately, we must appreciate that he foresees two stages in the restoration of a corrupt and divinely rejected Jerusalem. First, Isaiah foretells how the city will be restored under the direction of a Persian king named Cyrus. He will initiate the city’s reconstruction after its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Remarkably, Isaiah portrays Cyrus as a gentile precursor to a Jewish Messiah, speaking of him as the Lord’s anointed (45:1). The word messiah is derived from the Hebrew noun meaning “anointed one.”
Second, looking beyond Cyrus’ restoration of Jerusalem, Isaiah predicts an even greater restoration of the city that will involve the re-creation of the earth (65:17–25). Isaiah depicts this new Jerusalem as a place of everlasting joy, promising fullness of life (35:5–10). Importantly, citizenship in the new Jerusalem is not confined to future generations but will be experienced by God’s people who pass from this life to the next. Isaiah’s prophecies associate the new Jerusalem with eternal life and the eradication of death (25:6–9). With these prophetic hopes, the book of Isaiah’s overall message is a forerunner to the vision of the new Jerusalem witnessed by the Apostle John at the end of Revelation.
Significantly, just as Cyrus facilitated the restoration of an earthly Jerusalem, a unique Davidic King will enable the creation of a new Jerusalem. Isaiah alludes to this King in chapters 9 and 11, anticipating that He will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). According to Isaiah, He will reign “on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (v. 7).
Importantly, this remarkable King is portrayed in Isaiah 52:13–53:12 as God’s “servant,” who suffers vicariously. The Servant-King is punished for the iniquities and transgressions of other people, enabling them to be reconciled to God. Despite the Servant’s unjust punishment, God will ultimately vindicate Him and exalt Him to a position of honor.
Isaiah’s predictions about the Servant- King come to fulfillment in the life of Jesus Christ. Reading from Isaiah 61:1–2, Jesus Christ proclaimed to those attending the synagogue in Nazareth, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Like Isaiah, the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel anticipate the coming of an exceptional Davidic King who will fulfill God’s promises and establish His kingdom. In Jeremiah, the prophet speaks of a coming Ruler from David’s line who will reign with wisdom and justice. Jeremiah 23:5–6 declares:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord> is our righteousness.’”
Speaking against the background of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah highlights the expectation of a righteous descendant of David who will bring salvation and security to the people of Israel.
In a complementary way, Ezekiel envisions a Shepherd-King who will lead and care for God’s people. In Ezekiel 34:23–24, God promises: “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.” As this quotation illustrates, Ezekiel portrays the future Davidic King as a Good Shepherd who will guide and protect the flock, ensuring their well-being (see John 10:14–18).
The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel contribute in different ways to the overarching theme of a Messiah from the line of David, who will play a central role in God’s redemptive plan for the world. Significantly, these prophetic oracles are fulfilled in Jesus Christ through His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and future return. As the Old Testament prophets predicted, while God’s kingdom is already being established, this process will come to completion only with the construction of the new Jerusalem on a renewed earth, marking the climax of God’s redemptive plan.