The Old Testament prophecies told of one who would come as a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18) and of a faithful priest (1 Samuel 2:35). Messiah, though, would fill three offices, and God’s covenant with David tells of the kingly office of Messiah: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13). David would have a son and many descendants who would sit on the throne in Jerusalem. But an eternal kingdom with a king who himself is eternal is here depicted.
In his genealogy, Matthew acknowledged Messiah as David’s descendant: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). An additional nine times does Matthew refer to Jesus as the son of David. The Messianic kingdom is mentioned almost 50 times in Matthew’s Gospel depending upon how one interprets certain texts. John Gill, who preached in the same pulpit as Spurgeon, explained, “Nothing is more common in the Jewish writings, than for “the son of David” to stand alone for the Messiah; it would be endless to cite or refer to all the testimonies of this kind.” Clearly, something is going on with this title. Clearly, we are being pointed to the One who has ruled, does rule, and will rule and in whose eternal kingdom we, his children, have the privilege of living. Peter writes about this which is ours: “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter. 1:4,5). And, after his two verses that tell of Messiah as prophet and priest, Isaac Watts sings of Messiah’s kingship:
We honor our exalted King;
How sweet are his commands!
He guards our souls from hell and sin
By his almighty hands.
Hosannah to his glorious name,
Who saves by diff’rent ways!
His mercies lay a sovereign claim
To our immortal praise. –Isaac Watts (18th century)