For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
This is one of the many foretastes of the coming Kingdom. From the inception, or rather, conception, of this infant, He was a king. As the magi said in Matthew 2:2, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” He was born king.
When we talk of Jesus reigning from David’s throne, we certainly cannot mean his physical chair. The tree that comprised that piece of physical furniture has most certainly rotted away to dust by now, and any interpretation of this must mean symbolically what he sat upon (as God would not be particularly interested in a literal chair anyway).
But Paul describes what thrones are.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Colossians 1:16
A throne is a spiritual reality that exists in the heavens. Indeed, man was created to rule over the Earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). This is, in fact, the very first command given to man. So, when any man rules, even though it may resemble a physical throne, it is by nature a heavenly thing, whether divine by God’s right or in submission to the father of lies.
It is said of Jesus that the government will be upon His shoulders. This reminds us of the pieces of furniture for the tabernacle of Moses which had to be carried upon the shoulders of the priests. The government itself is something spiritual, which Paul says was given by God (Romans 13:4).
But, to understand what it means for Jesus to sit upon David’s throne, we must understand what David’s throne was.
It was in Jerusalem, yes, but it was a throne given by God (as all government) that represented the head of His people, Israel. Today, the church is Israel, not in replacement theology, but in one-new-man theology, where some of natural Israel has been broken off to make room for the Gentiles who are being saved. Therefore, Israel is the root of the church, that is, the true, believing Israel. The day will come when all Israel will be saved, when it is that the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in.
But, the throne of David was the throne over God’s Kingdom. A certain dimension of the Kingdom of God was endued in Adam in the first commandment of God to men. The heavens belong to the Lord, but the Earth He has given into the hands of men. Again, God sanctified a people through the Exodus from Egypt (symbolizing the world), and another measure of authority was given to David to rule over the people as a man after God’s own heart. Promises were made to David by the Lord, because of His faithfulness (Hebrews 11:6), and so it was this throne, this rulership, which was His throne. Psalm 89:14, indicates that righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne. God has a throne, and it is not expected that a physical throne is in view.
So, when we understand that Christ will sit on David’s throne, while it is true that God has always had special plans for Jerusalem. The Lord dwells in Zion (Joel 3:21). Yet, David’s throne is the special rulership over God’s Israel that God allowed David dominion over. This is the nature and meaning of Kingdom.
This throne, then, is the primary object of Isaiah 9’s reference of David’s throne. Whether or not there is ever a physical manifestation of that Kingdom is a completely separate issue, but the issue of the Kingdom is settled forever in the heavens, that it is a Kingdom of the heavens.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1 Corinthians 15:50