The young Solomon did not have to wait until the death of his father to sit upon his throne. “When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel” (1 Chron. 23:1). The usurpation of Adonijah, not mentioned in the Book of Chronicles, led to a second enthronement. “They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto Jehovah to be the chief governor.” At this point David’s throne is called “the throne of Jehovah” (1 Chron. 29:22-23). This was a title of exaltation, and it was acknowledged by the Queen of Sheba on the occasion of her visit (2 Chron. 9:8). David’s throne has a place in the ways of God that no other has ever had, or can have. It is the center of divine administration for the earth, and it can only be filled in perfection by the Lord Jesus. It was a sad day for all the nations and for Israel when Jehovah in righteousness was constrained to “make his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground” (Psa. 89:4444Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. (Psalm 89:44)). “The times of the Gentiles” commenced (Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)).
A Twofold Picture
The enthronement of Solomon while David yet lived meant that, for the time being, both reigned together. Thus we have a twofold picture of Christ. David typifies Him as the man of war, and Solomon as the man of peace. Our Lord at His appearing will fulfill the David type in His warrior judgments, and afterwards He will fulfill the Solomon type in His sessional judgments. The white horse is the symbol of the one and the throne is the symbol of the other.
Revelation 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21) gives us a vivid description of our Lord coming forth from heaven in His David character. The white horse is the symbol of victorious power, in contrast to the ass’s colt upon which He rode in the day of His lowly grace (Mark 11:77And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. (Mark 11:7)). His name is Faithful and True, for what He was in testimony for God He will also be in the execution of His judgments. “In righteousness He doth judge and make war” (Rev. 19:1111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)). Here at last we have an unquestionably “righteous war.” Throughout the ages men have striven to keep the Man of God’s choice out of His rights, and God has borne with it! The King’s eyes are “a flame of fire” — holy discernment in wrath — and “on His head are many diadems.” Satan has seven (Rev. 12:33And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (Revelation 12:3)), and the Beast ten (Rev. 13:11And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)), but the King of kings and Lord of lords has “many,” for His glory is without limit. Armies follow Him, also riding “upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” These are the glorified saints, previously “caught up” at His descent into the air (1 Thess. 4:15-17). There is no suggestion of mercy in the terrible vision of Revelation 19. “Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.” The fowls of the heavens are angelically summoned to the greatest feast yet known. Kings, captains, mighty men, and horses go down at the word of Him who rides the white horse. The vast hosts of the Roman group of powers will be impotent before Him, and their leaders, the Beast and the False Prophet, will be “cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
Warrior Judgments
Isaiah 63:1-61Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. (Isaiah 63:1‑6) describes another terrible incident in our Lord’s warrior judgments. He comes up from Edom with garments dyed with the blood of the enemies of His redeemed, that is, Israel. These are the northern and eastern powers that will overrun God’s land in the last crisis (Zech. 14:1-31Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:1‑3)). The groups of Revelation 19 and Isaiah 63 are hostile to each other, each seeking world supremacy, but all are equally opposed to the Christ of God and would frustrate, if they could, the accomplishment of the divine counsels concerning Him. But their schemes are laughable to the Almighty (Psa. 2:44He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)).
There are other fearful incidents in the judgment of the “quick” (living) at the Lord’s appearing upon which we will not dwell. Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of the overthrow of the hordes of Russia and her many allies (or satellites); Isaiah 11:1414But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. (Isaiah 11:14) tells of the judgment of Edom, Moab and Ammon by Jewish instrumentality, and the following Scriptures suggest much more activity of this painful character: Micah 4:13; 5:813Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. (Micah 4:13)
8And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. (Micah 5:8); Ezekiel 25:1414And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 25:14); Zechariah 9:13; 14:1413When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. (Zechariah 9:13)
14And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. (Zechariah 14:14); Psalm 149:6-96Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 149:6‑9). All these prophecies bring home to us the solemn meaning of our Lord’s words, “Those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me” (Luke 19:2727But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:27)).
All Enemies Subdued
David, having subdued all the enemies of Israel round about, bequeathed to Solomon a peaceful throne. Only one military incident is recorded. “Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it” (2 Chron. 8:3). Then there was profound peace during the remainder of his forty years’ reign. “Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river [Euphrates] unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life” (1 Kings 4:21). But Solomon was no believer in disarmament. It is twice repeated, “Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem” (1 Kings 10:26; 2 Chron. 1:14). Truly every type fails! When He who is “greater than Solomon” reigns in Jerusalem, men “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isa. 2:44And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)). His presence will cause “the name of the city from that day” to be Jehovah Shammah — Jehovah is there (Ezek. 48:3535It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there. (Ezekiel 48:35)). “I, saith Jehovah, I will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her” (Zech. 2:55For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (Zechariah 2:5) JND).
Abundance of Peace
At this point it would be a delight to transcribe the whole of Psalm 72, but we refrain. In days of universal distress such as our own, it is refreshing to the spirit to read that psalm. David began it as a prayer for Solomon, but the Spirit of God soon led him far beyond his immediate successor to the One who will bring all blessing in and establish it upon immutable foundations. David begins with righteousness (in both king and subordinate rulers), and in his seventh verse he arrives at peace — “abundance of peace as long as the moon endureth.” Justice for all, every oppressor broken in pieces, all enemies subjugated, kings from afar bowing low at the feet of David’s greater Son, widespread prosperity, city life purified and made healthy, and men everywhere calling Him blessed — these are the themes of which the psalmist wrote with joy. We need not wonder that he turned to praise. “Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory: Amen and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” This does not mean that David never prayed after he wrote Psalm 72. What is meant is that from his standpoint as a saint with an earthly calling, he could ask nothing beyond an earth filled with righteousness, peace, and glory under the rule of the Man of God’s pleasure. Heavenly saints look for much more — a “vast universe of bliss,” of which Christ will be “the Center ... and Sun.”
W. W. Fereday (adapted)