I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations. – Psalm 89:4

Today's Scripture Reading (September 29, 2025): Psalm 89

Apparently, all of the Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom can trace their lineage back to one ancient King who ruled over a thousand years ago. King Alfred the Great lived during the last half of the ninth century C.E. Alfred reigned over the West Saxons and the Anglo-Saxons from 871-899 C.E. (If you are a fan of Netflix's "The Last Kingdom," part of that story is about Alfred the Great.) The concept that the royal families of the United Kingdom can trace their lineage back more than twelve centuries boggles my mind. It is also a reminder that all the fighting that has happened during the centuries past, such as the "War of the Roses," was all fought by cousins; they were all descendants of King Alfred. A usurper has never been able to take the throne of England away from Alfred's descendants. Every significant change that has occurred over the years, every King or Queen who dies without an heir, has seen their throne taken by another descendant of King Alfred. I wish that I could trace my lineage back that far. I can trace my patrilineal descent back to the mid-1700s, but I have had no luck getting beyond that point. Although I can get a little further back through some of the women in the family, I'm still nowhere close to the ninth century.

The psalmist argues that God has promised to maintain the lineage of David, making his throne firmly controlled forever. I know, forever is a long time. However, while the main line of David's heirs has been officially declared to be lost after the life of Zerubbabel, who was born during the Babylonian exile, some still maintain that the line of David is still alive today. The current claimant to the throne of David is Rabbi Josef ben Avraham, a Mexican-Israeli Orthodox Rabbi. Is he? I am not sure that anyone really knows.

For Christians, this promise that the throne of David will last forever is fulfilled through the declaration that Jesus, a descendant of David through both his matrilinear and adoptive patrilinear line, reigns over Israel and the rest of the world. The idea that Jesus is King is fitting for a nation that has long considered itself a theocracy, or a country ruled by God.

In faith, we argue that it is Jesus who occupies the Davidic throne, and it is Jesus who will rule from the throne of David forever. His line is established, and he reigns over his church and the world, whether or not we accept that rule.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 49