Kings and Covenants

I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Abrahamic: People, Property, Progeny (Circumcision)

Genesis 12:1–3 ESV

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Mosaic: If you obey my voice and keep my covenant you will be a special treasure, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. (Tablets)

Exodus 19:5–6 ESV

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Davidic: Your Kingdom will reign forever (Temple)

2 Samuel 7:12–17 ESV

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. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 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, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

This promise is fulfilled in the New Testament in Christ.

Luke 1:30–33 ESV

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 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.”

New: Your sins will be forgiven (Jesus)

Jeremiah 31:31–34 ESV

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The Abrahamic Covenant drives the entire redemption narrative that undergirds the entire Bible. Every covenant after Abraham is a subsidiary of God’s original promise to the Jewish founding Father. God promised Abraham that from his lineage would come one to bless all nations. God promised David that from his lineage would come a king who would reign for all of time. Both of these promises are fulfilled in Christ.

The Mission of David

Saul was the current king of Israel in 1 Sam 17. He had come to power therough a spiritually controversial decision: the people defied God and said we want a King. Saul was their selection, chosen primarily by outward factors: handsome and a head taller; looks like a warrior and a king. His heart was not right for God, and only 3 chapters later he sins intentionally, terribly, and publicly. He is rejected by God, and “a man after God’s heart” is chosen: David. A boy no younger than 16-17 is annointed as king, but wont take his rightful place for many years. David knows Saul, but Saul has never heard of him. It is my belief, that the first time they ever meet is on the battlefield.

David is a shephard boy. A while back, the High Priest Samuel had come to his house and annointed him to be King.

The Mission of Christ

David is a type for Christ.

When Jesse trotted out all of his sons before Samuel, thinking to annoint them king, the Lord said …

1 Samuel 16:10 ESV

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

But David writes about that memorable day, saying

1 Chronicles 28:4 ESV

Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.

David is a type. A Man and king meant to prepare us for the Messiah - the promised one. Promised? When? To Whom? Promised to Abraham thousands of years before: the blessing to all the families of the earth. Promised to David thousands of years before: the king who would reign forever. Who was a sketch of what was to come so that when he arrived we might know him! As if to say “welcome! we’ve been expecting you!”

David was anointed to be the king of God’s people from a young age, Jesus at birth Angels announced that he was the Son of God and at his death a sign read king of the Jews .

David was a man after the heart of God, and Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”

David was from a poor family, Jesus was raised the son of a carpenter.

David and Jesus were both from Bethlehem.

Both of them were overlooked by most because of unappealing physical stature.

David was the a shephard by trade, and Jesus cared for and protected his spiritual flock.

David slew a lion and saved a lamb out of its mouth; Jesus was both powerful lion and sacrificial lamb.

As a boy, David fought an evil enemy to save the people of God from destruction. Jesus won the victory over Sin and Death to give the people of God eternal life.

David was the first King of Jerusalem and Jesus awaits the time when he will usher in the New Jerusalem, the New Heavens, and the New Earth where he will reign as the only King forever.

CONCLUSION:

Final Statement: The Mission of God, the Mission of David, and the Mission of Christ all align. God wants to bring his people back into a relationship with him. David was a picture of the King that was to come. Jesus of Nazareth filled that portrait became the only King forever.

David’s mission was the glory of God that day on the battlefield with Goliath.

Jesus’ mission was the glory of God that day on the cross with thieves.

My mission MUST BE the glory of God today with my life.

FINAL PRAYER

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