Shadows of Messiah

Text 1 Chronicles 3 Time 08 07 20 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom) 

I want us to look tonight at 1 Chronicles 3. Let me begin by saying that when we read the Bible there are three offices we need to know about and remember. I refer to prophets, priests and kings. Prophets are those who spoke to the people on God's behalf, men like Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and Jonah. Priests are those who represented the people to God, men like Aaron and Ezra and such people. Kings, of course, are the leaders of God's people, often pictured as shepherds looking after sheep. Now God wants us to know about these three offices as they help us understand the work of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. He is the ultimate prophet, priest and king. 

When we come to 1 Chronicles 3 we have another list. This time it is made up largely of kings or those related to kings. What I want to do is to look at its three sections, one by one, and I want us to see what it teaches us about the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. The way to learn from the chapter is to see the types or shadows it contains. 

In Chapter 7 of the Westminster Confession on the covenant, it says in part 5 that 

"This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying Christ to come, which were for that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation, and is called the Old Testament." 

So in the Old Testament we are looking for promises and prophecies and the way sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb and other types and ordinances point to Christ. Typewriters and printing blocks are rather old fashioned these days but most of you have seen a typewriter or printing materials. You know that the type is in mirror form but when the inked piece of metal comes into contact with the paper it produces the correct type - a letter or some other mark. So in the Old Testament there are types that help us form a picture of Christ. The word type really means to hit or an impression. Think of the way an image is stamped on a coin say. The Old Testament is full of such material. Or think of how you sometimes will see a person's shadow approaching before you see them. The Old Testament is full of shadows of Christ. Here are hazy photos and pictures that point to the real thing. 

1. Consider David's many sons and these shadows of Messiah false and true 

In verses 1-9 we are told about David's sons. Most of them are just names but in two or three cases we know a little more. What I want us to do this evening is to consider two of those mentioned and see what they teach us about the Lord Jesus - first negatively and then positively. 

1. Consider Absalom and Adonijah false kings 

1-4a These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah. These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. 

So six sons and in most cases we know nothing more about them. However, from elsewhere we learn that in the case of Amnon and Absalom, Amnon fell in love with his sister Tamar (mentioned in verse 9) and ended up raping her. He was then killed by Absalom in revenge. David tried to discipline Absalom over this but very ineffectively and Absalom went on to rebel against his father and have himself installed as king. It is only by the providence of God that Absalom was defeated and David reinstated. Adonijah's rebellion came at the time of David's death. He too was a false king. The two of them remind us that there are false Messiahs and they must be rejected. 

Absalom was a rebel and a usurper. We read in 1 Samuel of how he first insinuated himself into the good favour of the people and then at a moment of his choosing he struck out against David and for a while was apparently king in Jerusalem while David had to flee. 

In 2 Samuel 14:25 we read of Absalom that In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. However, his beauty was a mere physical beauty, unlike that of the Lord Jesus. Eventually, like Jesus he met his death, hanging on a tree where he was pierced. Whereas Jesus's death brings life, however, that of Absalom brought no such thing. Jesus rose from the dead, Absalom remained in his grave. 

In 2 Samuel 18:18 we read that During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day. Jesus also ensured that he would be remembered by instituting the Lord's Supper. He has many children though - all who trust in him and remember him. 

As for Adonijah, he is similar to Absalom in many ways. In 1 Kings 1:6 it says of him that His father had never rebuked him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom. In both those ways then he was like Absalom. His rebellion came at the very end of David's life and was put down by Solomon. He died at the altar but again not in the life giving way that Jesus died. No, he died for his own sins and was buried. 

Both Absalom and Adonijah tried to inveigle themselves with people by sleeping with women close to David. False Messiahs and false teachers will always try and win over the elect if they can. Beware of such false teachers and false Messiahs. 

2. Consider Solomon the true king 

4b-9 David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan (in honour of the prophet perhaps) and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet (perhaps the first one died young) - nine in all. All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister. 

Here are another 13 men and a sister, Tamar. Again most of them we know nothing about. But then there is Solomon, the man who succeeded David and became the greatest of Israel's kings. The Son of David, he is a picture or shadow of the coming Messiah. 

In this same book you read words spoken of Solomon that clearly have a wider application to Christ. In 17:12, 13 you read 

He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 

Also in 22:9, 10 God says to David 

But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. 

Solomon's very name then points to Christ. The name means peace. He was also called Jedidiah, beloved of the LORD. Solomon's reign was very much a reign of peace. It is Jesus alone who can bring peace with God and peace in our hearts. he is the Prince of Peace. 

Solomon is famous for his wisdom, which again points us to Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God. Paul says he has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption and that in him are found all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:24; Colossians 2:3). 

Solomon is also famous for building the Temple and extending the kingdom to its greatest extent, which points us to the way Christ builds his church and extends his kingdom. 

In the Song of Solomon he is the Bridegroom who loves and cares for his Bride, the church. 

Having said all that, it is true, of course, that Solomon falls short of the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly in the way that he in later life turned from the faith. A good way of contrasting the two would be perhaps to quote Isaiah 53:11 which says of Messiah After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied and Ecclesiastes 2:11 where Solomon says, and I think in part from personal experience Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. 

There are many false Messiahs. Pray people will not be fooled. Pray they will know the true Messiah. 

2. Note David's many descendants who were kings; more shadows of Messiah false and true 

The second part of I Chronicles 3 runs from verse 10 to verse 16 and what we have here is a complete list of kings who reigned over Judah, from Solomon to the exile. Mostly it is fathers but at the end two brothers and an uncle and nephew. They are ancestors of Messiah. 

Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Jehoram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, Josiah his son. The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth. The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah. 

There are 19 kings altogether. A similar list can be found in Matthew 1 at the beginning of the New Testament. Now the thing about these kings is that they can be divided into good kings and bad kings. We know from elsewhere that nine of them were good and ten of them were bad. In the case of Manasseh, he was a bad king but in this book it is revealed that he did repent in the end. 

Otherwise, the good kings were Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah (also known as Uzziah), Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah and the bad kings were Rehoboam, Abijah his son ... Jehoram, Ahaziah ... Ahaz ... Manasseh, Amon ... The sons of Josiah: (Johanan the firstborn only mentioned here), Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third,) Shallum the fourth also known as Jehoahaz. The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah. 

The way to benefit from this passage, as with the last one, is to think of the bad kings and the way they show what Messiah is not like and of the good ones and the way they faintly show what Messiah is like. 

1. Learn from the bad kings 

The first of these is Rehoboam who was proud and arrogant - so unlike Messiah who is full of meekness and humility. Several of them reigned only a short time, thankfully, (Abijah 3 years ... Ahaziah 1 year ... Amon 2 years ... Shallum or Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin only three months each). What a contrast with the everlasting king. Manasseh reigned the longest of any of the kings and engaged in all sorts of idolatry on a vast scale. The others were promoters of idolatry. Ahaz even sent instructions to build idol in Jerusalem he had seen in Damscus. He is typical. In 2 Kings 16 it says of him that (2-4) Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree. 

2. Learn from the good kings 

Then there are the good kings - Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah. 

• Asa who (1 Kings 15:11-13) did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 
• Jehoshaphat is a peacemaker who tries to work with Ahab. Before they go into battle he is eager to consult the Lord. Ahab provides all sorts of prophets who are supposed to help them but Jehoshaphat says (1 Kings 22:7) Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of? an so Micaiah is brought in who Ahab clearly hates
• The early life of Joash who becomes king as a child at a very dark time in Israel's history points to Christ too as does Josiah, another boy king. In his time there was a great reformation and revival. Just as he brought the people back to the Bible and re-established the Temple so Christ brings us back to God's Word, he is God's Word and establishes his people forever. 
• There is only time to mention one more king Hezekiah, Judah's greatest king after Solomon. At one point Hezekiah is told he is going to die but he prays and is preserved, a very obvious picture of how Christ actually died but then by God's decree rose again on the third day. Think too of how Hezekiah saved his people from attack by spreading things out before the Lord in the Temple just as Christ now prays for his own in heaven. 

A lot more could be said and, of course, even in the case of Hezekiah, they fell well short of perfection and so leave us longing for true Messiah. Azariah (Uzziah) is an interesting story as although he is a good king, at one point he decides he is going to offer incense in the Temple. He is punished for this with leprosy, which excluded him entirely from the Temple as this was the work only of priests. It is only Christ who unites the offices of King and priest together in himself. 

All this should help us to focus more and more on Jesus Christ and his greatness. 

3. Consider David's descendants after the exile and the darker shadows of Messiah 

The last section of the chapter is from verse 17-24. Here we have (17) The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive: captive that is to the Babylonians. Here they are 

Shealtiel his son (legally, actually a nephew), Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah. 

The sons of Pedaiah: 

Zerubbabel and Shimei. 

The sons of Zerubbabel: 

Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister. There were also five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed. 

The descendants of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, 

and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shekaniah. 

The descendants of Shekaniah: 

Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat - six in all. 

The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam - three in all. 

The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani - seven in all. 

Now the main thing here is that these are pretty obscure names. There are nearly 40 names but apart from Shealtiel and Zerubbabel we know nothing about them. They were no longer considered kings and what is charted here is the seeming demise of the line of David so that by the time of Joseph and Mary, even though in the line of David, they are not only not kings but not important at all. Forgotten. Obscure. And so when Jesus is born, he really is a root out of dry ground. Yes, he is the rightful heir to the throne of David but there appears to be no throne to inherit, no kingship to take up. 

When we focus on Christ we focus not only on seeing that he is God but that he is a man and is full of sympathy for us.