The Prophets Speak

A Prophet Like unto Moses

In Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Moses told the covenanted people of Israel that the LORD (YHVH) their God would raise up unto them a prophet from the midst of them, of their brethren, like unto him, and the people were instructed to hearken unto him.

Moses told them that YHVH would put His words in his mouth and he would speak unto them all that YHVH commands him. And that it would come to pass, that whosoever would not hearken unto YHVH’s words which the prophet would speak in His name, YHVH would require it of him.

Over the centuries that followed, many men were raised up to speak the words of the LORD (YHVH), and this was how YHVH spoke to the children of Israel — through these men.

However, none of these men were quite like Moses, “whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs & wonders” he had performed in the sight of all Israel. (Deuteronomy 34:10-12)

Nonetheless, there were several major & minor prophets that spoke on behalf of YHVH to Israel over the many generations between Moses’ day and the first century of the common era.

This gave the people in the first century reason to anticipate a physical son of David to come on the scene as the Anointed (Christ/Messiah) of God.

The Prophets Speak

In the days of King David, the prophet Nathan spoke to David concerning his physical seed.

In 1 Chronicles 17:3-27 it is promised that YHVH will raise up a seed after David, which shall be of his bowels, who will build a house for Him. He will be a son to YHVH and His throne will be established forever. A parallel passage to this episode is found in 2 Samuel 7.

And Psalm 89 speaks of this promise:

“3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 4 Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.”

“19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. 26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.”

And over the course of the many generations that followed David, there were many sons of David that sat on his throne. Some did right in the sight of the LORD, and some did evil.

Shortly before the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel, there was fear that David’s throne (which sat in the southern kingdom of Judah) would be overthrown. But the house of David was assured by way of the prophet Isaiah that what they feared would not take place. David’s throne would rest secure. (Isaiah 7-8)

And there were many sons of David that continued to reign in their father’s stead.

Then, during the days of the Babylonian captivity, the throne of David was overthrown. The prophet Jeremiah warned of what was coming, that the succession of David’s sons inhabiting his throne would come to an end. (Jeremiah 22)

But then Jeremiah spoke of a future when the LORD would “raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

And later he stated that “…David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel…” (Jeremiah 33:17 ESV)

Also, in the days of the Babylonian captivity, the prophet Ezekiel spoke of a future united kingdom of Israel saying, “And David my servant shall be king over them…” (Ezekiel 37:24)

And the prophet Hosea acknowledges in Hosea 3:4-5:

“4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.”

Thus, reaffirming the notion that the physical seed of David was a qualifying factor for the anointed office of king over Israel, and the children of Israel understood that.

Hence, the reason Zechariah the priest, prophesied at the birth of his son, John the Baptist, that a horn of salvation was being raised in the house of David. (See Luke 1:67-75)

It is clear to me that the words of all of these prophets contribute to the dismantling of the Virgin Birth doctrine. Because there is no way that Jesus/Yeshua would have been accepted by anyone in the first century of the common era as the Anointed (Christ or Messiah) if he had he not been a physical son of David.