Replies

And thus Greek philosophy and Gnosticism masquerade as Christianity.

Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and not of this world (John 18:36).

Yep. The rabbis were well-acquainted with the term "the Kingdom (i.e., the Rule) of Heaven/God." It refers to accepting the rule of the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in one's heart--and since God is not of this world, neither is His Kingdom/Rule.

However, Messiah Himself said that there would be a day when the Kingdom, which now only those who have been born in the Spirit can truly see (John 3:3), would be restored to Israel (Acts 1:6ff). The same Zechariah who prophesied of the great King-Priest also prophesied that one day all the Gentile nations would come to Jerusalem every Feast of Tabernacles in order to worship Israel's King (Zec. 14:16ff).

Scripture teaches that Christ will do neither of these things while on the earth.

No it doesn't--it just teaches that He is currently officiating in the Tabernacle of Heaven.

We know from Jeremiah 22:24-30 that no descendant Jehoiachin will ever again rule from the physical throne of David. Jesus is one of his descendants through both Joseph and Mary.

Actually, no He isn't. Joseph was His adopted father, so while He gains the legal right to the throne through him, He doesn't receive the blood-curse on Jehoiachin's descendants. Mary was of the line of David, but through his son Nathan rather than through the royal line, and was not descended from Jehoiachin.

The virgin-birth actually sidesteps the curse very neatly.

Anyway, you're effectively calling the angel Gabriel a liar, since he told Mary that her son would be given "the throne of his father, David" (Luke 1:32). The last time I checked, David's throne wasn't in Heaven.

We also know from Hebrews 7:14 and Hebrews 8:4 that Christ could not function as high priest while on the earth because He is not descended from the priestly tribe.

Heb. 8:4 says that Yeshua "would not be a priest at all" on the earth because He isn't a Levite, and yes, His priesthood is currently set in the Heavenly Tabernacle. Neither can He rule on David's throne in Heaven, as already noted. The only true solution, and the only one that doesn't simply ignore all of the prophets, is that He will return and bring His priesthood with Him and reign on David's throne.

Btw, speaking of kings and priests and the promises thereof:

Jer 33:17 For thus says the LORD: David shall never want a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;
Jer 33:18 neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to burn meal offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
Jer 33:19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 33:20 Thus says the LORD: If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that there shall not be day and night in their season;
Jer 33:21 then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
Jer 33:22 As the army of the sky can’t be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites who minister to me.

Note the plurals, and note that you yourself have said that Yeshua is not a Levite. It seems that God has not quite finished with Aaron's line, but will keep His promise to Phineas that, "Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace: and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel" (Num. 25:12f).

If you had done your homework in the first 3/4ths of the Bible, you would not so misunderstand the last quarter of it.

Shalom!