The Solution of God- Promises to David

Intro

Ben, Married to Ally, Youth and Young Adults director

I love the Old testament.

History

Abrahamic Covenant:

Covenants are agreements and relationships that God establishes with people on the basis is of his divine promises

unconditional agreement that God was going to make his offspring as numerous as the starts and he will be their people.

Read about it Gen 12 and

between Mount Sinai and 2 Samuel a lot takes place

Sinai Covenant:

This was the conditional covenant that God established with the people of Israel

The people will be blessed if they honour God and they will be cursed if they do not obey

Desert:

the people were not obedient to God and they were exiled into the desert for a forty year period with Moses as their leader

Moses dies and a man named Joshua becomes the leaders of the Israelites

they move into the land winning various battles and finally settling in the land that was promised to Moses

Found in the later portion of the book of Joshua where the land is divided amongst the 12 tribesIsrael was divided into the tribes however they began to forget what worship to God looks like.

Judges:

Israel wandered from what they needed to do worship God

This is one of the darkest moments in Israels story as the scriptures say “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

Kingship

After the period of the judges we see this figure named Samuel emerge he is a prophet appointed by God. The people after a great military loss and almost loosing the Arc or the covenant ask Samuel for a king

Kingship was actually permitted under the Law Deuteronomy 17:14-20 however it put strong restrictions around the character that is required, what his power entails, and other rules that all pointed to the reality that this king must honour and fear God

Deuteronomy 17:14–17 ESV

14 “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

Israel's would only truly benefit from a king who was humble, and served God

the people wanted a king but their motives were not pure. however God allowed them to have the kings

in comes Israels Saul

Saul:

Saul is promising candidate: looks handsome, tall, strong, by earthly standards Saul was the perfect candidate to be Israel’s king

The problem is that Saul has some serious character flaws: he is dishonest, full of pride, lacks integrity, and doesn't fear God. this is clearly seen when Saul blatantly disobeys Gods commands while in battle. this is the beginning of the tragic story of Saul’s downfall.

While God apposed Saul he was working already on another king. David

David - insignificant shepherd who was a small young man, he was humble and described as a man after Gods own heart.

Saul initially loved David and they were close but as David rose Saul went mad actually tried to harm and kill David but Dave honoured God and wouldn't hurt or kill Saul although he had the chance.

eventually Saul Dies a tragic death after loosing a battle

David

after the death of Saul we see David rise to power and a call for all the tribe want to unify Israel with David as their king. it is around this time where David Goes before the lord and purposes building the temple. The lord responds this way (as seen in the home work)

2 Samuel 7:11–16 (ESV)

11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

we see God making a covenant with David stating that there will be kings in the linage of David for all of time.

This is messianic promise that is connected to the promise to Abraham - it is the new messianic king that will bring blessings to all of the nations.

Unfortunately we see the pattern that has taken place all through out Israel’s history happen again.

in the midst of the blessing we see davids down fall: Bathsheba, uriah, davids sons, Absaloms rebellion

David became like Saul and pride got in the way and he lost it all

Solomon

David was very advanced in years at this point a nears death and he is passing his kingship to his son Solomon, he concludes the message the same way Moses did with Joshua, calling him to be faith full and serve God alone

upon being crowned king Solomon asks God for one thing and that thing was wisdom this led to him being the wisest and richest

Solomon was able to make the temple that David was talking about.

however unfortunately the same story line of forgetting who gods repeats it self and Solomon turns his back on the God of Israel: wives, concubines, riches and false Gods.

Israel has once again turned its Back on God.

1 Kings 11:31–35 (ESV)

31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, ten tribes.

Problem and Resolution.

over all of Israel’s history God remained Faithful,

The covenants he made with Abraham have already been manifest with the settling in the land. despite Israel being unfaithful

The covenant made with Moses the people broke time and time again. However God still preserves the people and provides a way for them to return to him

The covenant made with David has seen some of it unfold as David has died yet someone remains on the throne

the question we now face is, will God remain faithful in the face of this new wave of disobedience ushered in by Solomons Apostasy