The Prince

David Hill (10 Mar 2000) "The Prince"

The last several passages of Ezekial (40-), are the most difficult passages in the Word for Christian Theologians.

They include the restitution of the Davidic Throne and the restitution of the Levitical Priesthood, including the Sacrifices and the Temple.

Now, for some reason, most scholars don't have a problem with the rebuilding of the Temple. And even the return of the Levitical priesthood itself they understand. But the sacrifices as recorded in Ezekial they have alot of problems with. I have posted on this already months ago, and won't go into it here except to reiterate, that these sacrifices were never able to cleanse someone from sin (as even the rabbi's so admit), but they were used to remove guilt. Hence Peter's words that they supplied, "The answer of a clear conscience towards God." He says this concerning baptism, which replaces the sacrifices during the Church age.

So, even with this, the concept that scholars have the most difficulty with in Ezekial, is the individual described as 'the prince.'

There are three possible interpretations of this passage. One is that this is Yeshuah Himself. However, this can clearly be proven wrong from the context. First off, when Yeshuah returns and sets up His Kingdom, He is described as Shining like the Sun. A casual reading of these chapters shows that this prince has no such glory. Second, Yeshuah, when He returns, will enter in through the East gate, and this is reserved for Him alone, and even this prince is not allowed this same priveledge, again showing that he is far inferior to the Son of God. The next two reasons will be discussed below.

The second interpretation of this individual is that he is Ressurected King David. Now first off, King David died and his body returned to ashes. In Hebrews he is mentioned by name as being a citizen of the New Jerusalem. This citizenship is synonomous with a ressurected body (still future). When a person dies, his body is, "Sown in Corruption" and it is "raised in Incorruption". When King David is ressurected, it will be in a glorified body. A casual reading of the passage will show that this individual is not in a glorified body.

For this prince is shown offering sin offerings for himself. This is something that neither Yeshuah Messiah, nor King David in a glorified body will ever do, for king david will no longer sin come that day. And again, this prince is seen having sons, that he gives an inheiritance to. Again, "In the Ressurection they no longer marry or are given in marriage." Hence, when King David is ressurected, he will no longer have kids (at least not during 'the ressurection' or the millenium) as this individual does. This also rules out Yeshuah as well.

If king david is ressusitated (not ressurected) into his old mortal body, then this could be him. However, again he is shown as being a citizen of the new Jerusalem, and hence will be receiving a glorified body, not mortal.

The only other interpretation that makes sense, that takes all the Scriptures into account, is that this is one of King David's descendants, who lives through the tribulation, and enters the Millenium as a mortal, who is then exalted to the possition of prince over Israel (and hence the mortal world). This means that he will be sitting on the throne of David, which we know belongs to Yeshuah, so he must be appointed to this possition by Yeshuah Himself. There is no doubt that the Throne of David is the one pictured in these passages, and this is the EXACT SAME SCENARIO AS THE MALE CHILD IN REVELATION. The Scripture is perfectly uninted in this testimony, with no differences.

Except one. In Revelation 12 we showed that the male child was destined to come from the Tribe of Ephraim, as the 13th star (which rules out king david as the prince). However, in accordance with God's promise to David, which is recorded in 2 Sam and the Psalms, this individual must in fact be descended from the tribe of Judah, specifically from King David himself. And this by the way shows why he is called 'prince' and not 'king' for King David will undoubtedly have a prominent possition amoung the immortals, and the title of prince would not be fitting of him. But it is appropriate of one of his descendants. This title also shows this individuals submission to Yeshuah Messiah as well.

But, to get back to the Ephraim-Judah thing, how is it possible that this individual is shown as being from Judah in Ezekial, and from Ephraim in Revelation. We have only to turn back a couple of chapters in Ezekial to find our answer. For in chapter 37, God states that he would take the Sceptor from Judah and his fellows, and the Sceptor from Joseph (same as Ephraim) and his fellows, and join these two sticks together and they will become one stick, thus ending the animosity between the two ("Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Juday will no longer vex Ephraim"). First off, this Scepter is the Ancestral Sceptor of the first born, and is synonomous with the individual himself. So, how is God going to accomplish this 'miricle'?

There is an ancient practice that is still used today to join together two different peoples. A man from one tribe, marries a woman from another tribe, and the son born of the union is the completion of the union, joining both peoples together. Hence, someone from Judah will marry a woman from Ephraim, and the Son born, will become this 'one stick'. In this way, both Judah and Ephraim can recognize and claim this individual as belonging to them and serve him as prince, and this will end the civil war that started over 2700 years ago.

And this is the testimony of the Word concerning this individual. There are more passages that I will go into tomorrow. But to end this here, one of the reasons that people assume that this prince is king david, is because this individual is named David in Ezekial 37 as well as in Jerimiah. However, when you consider all the facts, and all the Scriptures that touch upon this subject, it is clear that the reason why this person is named 'david' in the Scriptures, is because, well, his name IS David...