Kingdom of God, Part 3: The Mediatorial Kingdom in OT Prophecy.

Class Outline:

Thursday September 10, 2026

 

Main idea: Though the glory of God departed from the kingdom of God in history due to rebellion of its people, the prophets confirmed that God will complete what He promised and the kingdom of God will come, and their words confirm our own hope.

 

Intro:

 

The prophets fill the vacancy left by the failed kingdom and failed rulers. The King will come and establish both His throne (justice and righteousness) and kingdom. 

 

As the glory of God leaves Israel so Babylon rises as the great Gentile power, which falls to Persia, which falls to Greece, which falls to Rome into which Messiah finally comes and proclaims: 

 

MAT 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

 

No one ever asks Him (or John) what kingdom they mean, nor do they go to any trouble to define it.

 

Prophecy is fulfilled according to its normal meaning. 

 

The OT prophets saw the Messianic Kingdom established in future history having its roots anchored in the past. 

 

Though the glory left Israel (Eze 8-11) the promise to Abraham and David will never be canceled (PSA 89:3-4). 

 

PSA 89:3-4

"I have made a covenant with My chosen;

I have sworn to David My servant,

4 I will establish your seed forever

And build up your throne to all generations." Selah.

 

PSA 89:27-29

"I also shall make him My firstborn,

The highest of the kings of the earth.

28 "My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,

And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.

29 "So I will establish his descendants forever

And his throne as the days of heaven.

 

The historical kingdom and ruler will be fulfilled according to the prophets. 

 

The Prophets see the coming realm. 

 

It is the house of David (AMO 9:11). 

 

AMO 9:11

"In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David,

And wall up its breaches;

I will also raise up its ruins

And rebuild it as in the days of old;

 

Temporarily interrupted but not extinguished (Davidic Covenant). 

 

PSA 89:30-37

"If his sons forsake My law

And do not walk in My judgments,

31 If they violate My statutes

And do not keep My commandments,

32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod

And their iniquity with stripes.

33 "But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,

Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.

34 "My covenant I will not violate,

Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.

35 "Once I have sworn by My holiness;

I will not lie to David.

36 "His descendants shall endure forever

And his throne as the sun before Me.

37 "It shall be established forever like the moon,

And the witness in the sky is faithful." Selah.

 

The established kingdom will be in Jerusalem, in the land and in history. 

 

The kingdom will be Israel (JER 31:10) where the dispersed will be gathered.

 

The kingdom will destroy and supplant the historical powers [times of the Gentiles] (DAN 2:44). 

 

Covenants: Abrahamic, Davidic, Mosaic, New. 

 

Abrahamic: unconditional - innumerable family by natural generation; historical continuity through divine protection; title to a definite land; blessing to the world (GEN 12:1-3; GEN 13:16; GEN 15:3-5). 

 

Davidic: unconditional - essentially a reaffirmation of the promise to Abraham, but with the further provision that the regal rights would permanently come from the house of David (2SA 7:1-16; 1CH 17:14). 

 

Mosaic: conditional - Israel would be established in the promised land, enjoying the blessings of her regal rights as long as the nation obeyed the voice of God in the Mosaic Law (EXO 19:5-6). 

 

New covenant: unconditional - new only in relation to the Mosaic Law. 

 

Having lost the promises in the Mosaic due to their failure to keep it, the New covenant gives the same blessings through a covenant that is fully met by God’s own grace and power (JER 31:33-34). 

 

God gave this covenant by His love (JER 31:3), despite their deplorable condition (JER 30:12). 

 

It is as guaranteed and stable as the universe itself (JER 31:35-37).

 

It is also solidly embedded in a historical context (the land of Judah, JER 31:23; the hills of Samaria, JER 31:5; the rebuilt Jerusalem, JER 31:38-40; the people will enjoy blessings (JER 31:23-24). 

 

It will right all wrongs, establish perfect justice, create a kingdom where all citizens know the Lord, and righteousness will be established in every corner. 

 

The Prophets See the Coming Ruler of the kingdom

 

He is truly human: born of a virgin (ISA 9:6); like unto a “son of man” (DAN 7:13); wounded, bruised, thirsts, is laid in the “dust of death” (PSA 22:15). 

 

He is more than a man: God with us (ISA 7:14); Mighty God (ISA 9:6); Yahweh (ZEC 14:16-17); self-identifies as the Lord of Hosts (ISA 44:6). 

 

He is not a mystery but solves a mystery: How could God complete what He promised to mankind? 

 

A suffering Servant, man of sorrows, weeping, dying and yet the very Prince of Israel who will be the ultimate glory of God in victory (ISA 11:1-10). 

 

ISA 11:1-10

 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,

And He will not judge by what His eyes see,

Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor,

And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;

And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

 

6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;

And a little boy will lead them.

7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den.

9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord

As the waters cover the sea.

 

10 Then in that day

The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,

Who will stand as a signal for the peoples;

And His resting place will be glorious.

 

He will be perfectly righteous, rule the earth, the government will rest on His shoulders. Micah sees Him ruling in the strength of Yahweh while being great unto the ends of the earth. Yet He suffers, dies, is forsaken. 

 

The Prophets confirm God’s promise despite the many who rejected it (and continue to). 

 

The kingdom is coming, no matter what anyone does or says. 

 

It comes suddenly and supernaturally, and it will be visible and tangible. (the NT reiterates this)

 

The world and the earth are not going to be what our hearts desire until the Lord comes. 

 

We are all in need of grace: Prophetic doom is never far from prophetic light. 

 

The prophets always showed that the Lord was going to keep His promise to Israel and forgive all who repented. 

 

This is also our witness: we fail, come up short, yet the mercy of God is our hope; the cross of Christ is our redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

 

We are not bringing in the kingdom but inviting others in.