The Definition
What is the Davidic Kingdom? God promised King David that one of his descendants would reign as King forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Jesus was born in the line of David. Jesus isn’t yet reigning on His earthly Davidic throne during this Church Age. He will fulfill that promise during His Millennial reign and on into eternity.
A Descendant of King David
King David of Israel reigned for forty years, about one thousand years before Jesus was born. After God had established David as King, David looked around and noticed he lived in a house of cedar, while the Lord God lived among them in a tent (2 Samuel 7:2). So, he told God he planned to build a house, a temple, dedicated to the Lord.
But God said He hadn’t yet lived in a house and told David he shouldn’t be the one to build it. David, as a warrior, had spilled too much blood. Instead, David’s son Samuel would build God’s temple.
An Eternal King from David’s House
However, God told David He had big plans for David’s house. Nathan, the prophet, gave God’s message to David:
“The Lord declares to you that He will instead bring about a house for you” (2 Samuel 7:11).
God used a play on words. He didn’t mean He’d build David a house to live in on earth; God meant David’s house, i.e., an ancestor of David—the Messiah–would have ruling authority over the world—forever! God said:
“Your house and dominion will endure before Me (the Lord) forever, and your throne will be established by the Lord forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
Jesus is Descended from King David
Jesus’ genealogy lists King David as one of Jesus’ ancestors:
“ Jesse was the father of David the king. David the king was the father of Solomon, by her who had been the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba)…. And Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:6, 16).
Luke also tells us that King David is in Jesus’ ancestry (Luke 3:31).
God will give Jesus David’s Throne
“But the angel said to her (Mary)…Listen, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).
Jesus’ eleven disciples asked Jesus, immediately before Jesus ascended to heaven, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). But Jesus answered, saying it wasn’t for them to know the times that God sets.
Jesus Doesn’t Reign on David’s Throne During this Church Age
Jesus won’t Reign from David’s Throne During the Tribulation Either.
It isn’t until after the trumpet judgments have sounded near the end of the tribulation that “there were loud voices in heaven” announcing Jesus’ reign:
“The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
And the twenty-four elders, representing the previously raptured believers now in heaven at the end of the Church Age, join with the heavenly voices and praise God for ‘beginning’ His reign (when Jesus returns to earth ‘after’ the tribulation) (Revelation 11:16-17).
Jesus Begins His Eternal Reign After the Tribulation
At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns from heaven and comes to earth on a white horse to defeat His enemies and begin His Davidic reign over the earth, as announced in Revelation 19:16:
“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Jesus will Reign for a Millennium and then On into Eternity
Jesus will reign for one thousand years. This reign is also known as the Millennium. Then at the end of the thousand years, Satan will lead the rebels on Earth in one last revolt. Then after they’re defeated, Jesus’ reign over the world on David’s throne will extend into and throughout eternity.
Read “Who is the Overcomer in Revelation” here.