Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - The Enemies Plan or Gods?
Sometimes the plans of the enemy are the very thing that reveals in even greater majesty the plan of God. When Satan attacked the king of Israel and was able to pull him completely into rebellion, God responded with something even greater.
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:So there are three things that happen at this time that indicate that the kingdom of God, which has started at Mount Sinai, okay, when God gave them the law and God is their king, and now he was going to take them right into the land and that was going to be the kingdom right in the land, the promised land, with God is the king. Okay, and mediators ruling, like Moses and Joshua, and so forth. Well, that kingdom, which is what we know is the kingdom of God, vanished from history in 587 BC, when Babylon destroyed the temple, destroyed Jerusalem and dispersed the Jewish people, taking many into captivity in Babylon. So it was in existence for about 900 years or so. The kingdom of God was actually on earth. Now it disappears from earth and there's three evidences that it disappeared from earth at that time, all given during the period of the exile. For example, in Ezekiel 8 through 11,. Ezekiel 8 through 11,.
Speaker 2:It traces the departure of the Shekinah glory from the temple, the departure of the Shekinah glory from the temple, from the temple, the departure of the shekinah glory from the temple. So the shekinah glory was a visible manifestation of god, it was in the most holy place. If you let's just say you were the high priest and you had to go in every year and you know, offer atonement on the day of atonement and you put the blood on the ark of the covenant on okay, where the angels, the two cherubim, were on top of it, right with wings covering their heads and God significantly enthroned above. Okay, if you'd gone into that room, it would be like a bright light, smoky cloud. I don't know how to explain all that, but basically that's what it would be like A super bright light, that's all cloud and inside the room this was a visible manifestation of God's presence with them, of God's presence with the nation Israel. Well, in Ezekiel 8-11, ezekiel sees a vision of the Shekinah glory departing from the temple, which is what happened in 587 BC, and it traces it in four moves as the Shekinah glory leaves. And one of the moves is interesting because the Shekinah glory pauses and looks back like reticent to leave, not wanting to leave. But this is the first evidence that the kingdom of God that was on earth at that time went invisible. It left earth.
Speaker 2:The second evidence is Jeremiah 22. We can look at that one, jeremiah 22. This is the near end of the Davidic dynasty, jeremiah 22. So, like I said the house of David is Davidic dynasty, jeremiah 22. So, like I said, the house of David is in Judah, in the southern kingdom, and God promised in the Davidic covenant this is an eternal house, not like a man to sit on the throne right.
Speaker 2:But in Jeremiah 22, you read it sounds like this is it? It's over? Like God is done with his Davidic covenant. That's the way it sounds. Like this, is it? It's over? Like God is done with his Davidic covenant. That's the way it sounds. So Jeremiah 22, 24 says I mean, this is a scary moment. Okay, is God going back on his promises, his covenant promises? Verse 24,.
Speaker 2:As I live, declares the Lord, even though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, wore a signet ring on my right hand. In other words, he's the rightful heir to David's throne. This is the guy, coniah. Okay, he says. Yet I would pull you off, like I'm done with you, and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hands of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. I will hurl you and your mother who bore you, into another country where you were not born and there you will die. That's not exactly like the life you're hoping for, he says verse 27,. But as for the land to which they desire to return, they will not return to it Verse 28,.
Speaker 2:Is this man, coniah Jeconiah, that king, the Davidic line king? Is he a despised, shattered jar? Is he an undesirable vessel? Why have he and his descendants been hurled out of the land? Why have they been cast into a land they had not known? Oh, land, land, land. Hear the word of the Lord. You know, listen, israel, listen. Thus says the Lord, write this man down, childless. And you start to think what there's not going to. If he's childless, there's not going to be anybody who could be the heir of the Davidic throne. Right, that's the way you think as you read this. A man who will not prosper in his days, for no man of his descendants will prosper, sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah, and you think this is the end. I mean this is the end. I mean God is done with the house of David. That's what it sounds like at a cursory reading. A lot of Christmases.
Speaker 2:I go through this passage because I like to tie it into Matthew 1 and the genealogy of Joseph and that ultimately leads to Messiah and how David is. Because David's in this line David is. If you read further the story of Coniah, he did have sons but none of them sat on the throne. And that was the intent of this passage, that none of them would sit on the throne. But the line does continue, kind of like a thread, but it continues down into the time of Mary and David right In the New Testament, and David's in this line.
Speaker 2:The problem is is that David's not qualified. He can't sit on the throne because he's a descendant of this guy who was cursed Coniah. So nobody who's a direct lineal descendant of Coniah can sit on the throne. And Joseph is in this line. Did I say Mary and David? Mary and Joseph? Sorry, joseph is in this line. Did I say Mary and David? Mary and Joseph? Sorry, joseph is in this line.
Speaker 2:So Joseph, while he's in the throne line, he can't exercise the rights because he's under a curse. If Jesus was the natural son of Joseph, he would also be under the curse. But the New Testament resolves this by reminding us of Isaiah 7.14, that he would be born of a virgin. So he didn't have Joseph as his biological father and therefore he avoids this curse. And when he's adopted by Joseph under adoption laws, he receives throne rights as well as the right to exercise them, which is what makes Jesus so unique and why the New Testament opens with this story, this story which mentions Coniah.
Speaker 2:In Matthew 1, coniah is mentioned and all of our minds are supposed to be on Jeremiah 22 and remembering what God said to that house at the time of the exile here, and what he said was dangerous. But God, like a brilliant chess player, right. He makes this move of the virgin birth and he brings in adoption. I mean, what was Joseph going to do? He was going to divorce her, send her away. Remember, the angel said no, no, no, no, because it was absolutely essential that Joseph marry Mary so he could pass on his throne rights to the virgin-born one. That had to happen.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.