The central tenet of the popular doctrine of premillenialism is that Christ, though King by right, is not now King in fact. This teaching holds that when He returns He will set up a thousand year earthly kingdom and sit on the literal throne of David as King of kings. But the Bible teaches that everlasting peace will come to the world only after Christ returns and sits upon the throne of David in Jerusalem and establishes His historic kingdom on earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6) (Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth. 159).

Thus, we inquire, When and where is Christ to sit on the throne of David?

What It Is

First, let’s find out what the throne of David is. Is it a literal chair, or is it a figure (metonymy) for rule? When Solomon was anointed king of Israel, David his father exulted, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!" (1 Kings 1:48) Thus, the inspired historian records, "Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established" (1 Kings 2:12). Obviously, the throne of Solomon and the throne of David are one and the same.

But the writer of First Chronicles reports of this same occasion, "Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him" (1 Chronicles 29:23). Did Solomon sit on two different chairs as king? He "sat on the throne of his father David," and he "sat on the throne of the LORD." Obviously, the throne of David and the throne of the Lord are one and the same, and, rather than literally designating a physical chair, "throne" is used to suggest that to which it is related, rule.

This is parallel to Matthew 23:1-2. The Master declared, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat." Did they sit in a literal chair Moses had sat on 1500 years earlier? Of course not! They occupied the role Moses occupied, teacher of Israel. So the throne of David simply refers to rule given by and in behalf of the Lord, a rule David exercised in Old Testament Israel.

When?

The Old Testament prophesied that a descendant of David would sit on David’s throne and rule forever. This was first stated as a promise to David by Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 17:11-15). The Lord specifically promised:

When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.... And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13,16).

Solomon, David’s son, did indeed build a house for the Lord, the temple, and ruled on his father’s throne all his life. But because he allowed his wives to introduce idolatry into Israel, God gave all but the tribe if Judah to Solomon’s servant Jeroboam after Solomon’s son Rehoboam ascended the throne. Solomon’s rule was not established forever.

Thus, sometime later, when the rule of the lineage of David was cast down, Ethan the Ezrahite lamented that the Lord had not fulfilled His promise to establish the throne of David forever (Psalm 89:3-4,28-39, 49). The promise that a descendant of David would rule on his throne forever was not fulfilled in Solomon.

So, Isaiah magnificently prophesied:

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear a Son, he revealed to the wondering virgin concerning this Child, who was indeed of the lineage of David:

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:32-33).

Therefore, on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the apostle Peter proclaimed of David to a stunned audience of devout Jews:

Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses (Acts 2:30-32).

The conclusion is inescapable. When Christ was raised from the dead, He sat on David’s throne. Either He now sits on David’s throne, or He has not been raised from the dead. To deny that Jesus Christ now sits on the throne of David is to deny His resurrection from the dead. It is infidelity.

When God "raised Him from the dead," He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come (Ephesians 1:20-21).

Christ now sits with His Father on His throne (Revelation 3:21), the throne of David. If Jesus Christ is to have a different future rule on this earth, He will be demoted, for His present position is "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."

Where?

Christ cannot rule on David’s throne in literal Jerusalem. Jeremiah the prophet thus condemned Coniah (Jeconiah) King of Judah for his disobedience to the Lord:

Thus says the LORD:
Write this man down as childless,
A man who shall not prosper in his days;
For none of his descendants shall prosper,
Sitting on the throne of David,
And ruling anymore in Judah (Jeremiah 22:30).

Jeconiah was not literally childless, for Jesus’ descent from David is traced through him (Matthew 1:12-15). But he was childless in the way the prophet specified. No descendant of Jeconiah can ever prosper sitting on the throne of David ruling in Judah. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah and obviously within its territory.

The rule of Christ is completely unique in several ways. One of these is that He is both king and high priest. This could not be in ancient Israel. Kings were of the tribe of Judah; priests were from Levi. But Zechariah prophesied that Christ would "be a priest on His throne" (Zechariah 6:12-13).

The priesthood of Christ, as well as His descent from Jeconiah, eliminates the possibility of His ruling on earth. "For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood" (Hebrews 7:14). "For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law" (Hebrews 8:4). Rather, He is a priest in heaven, where His throne, the throne of the Lord, is (Acts 7:49).

Conclusion

The Lord Jesus Christ presently reigns in heaven on the throne of David, the throne of the Lord, and is by right and in fact "King of kings and Lord of Lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). Let all the earth bow before Him in faith and obedience in recognition of His divine majesty.