The Davidic Covenant

I. the Occasion

Why David wanted to build a temple

God’s review of history

David compares his house with God’s. God does not compare his house with anyone’s.

God reminds David that in the many centuries since Israel entered the Promised land, God never demanded a better house.

the “tent” was built originally as a practical measure. When the Tabernacle was built, Israel was still living in tents. God’s house needed to be able to move with them.

God often demanded that the people live better; He glorified himself not with a house, but through upholding the Mosaic Covenant.

So God’s plan for his glory wasn’t a house, it was people.

Other passages reveal more information

God was pleased with David’s heart (1 Kings 8:17-18).

1 Kings 8:17–18 NKJV

Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.

God did not want his temple built by a man of war ( 1 Chron 22:7-8)

1 Chronicles 22:7–8 NKJV

And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.

This is not a judgment condemning David for his warmongering. His wars were necessary and right

It is rather the recognition that war makes him unavoidably ritually unclean, and that God wishes his temple to be built in purity.

II. Promises to David himself

review of God’s existing remarkable support of David

Made you ruler

Cut off your enemies

Made you a great name

Promise of rest from all his enemies

David himself will die in peace

III. Promise to Israel ties it with previous covenants

Permanent and eternal inheritance of the land

Ties with Abrahamic Covenant Gen 13:14-15

Genesis 13:14–15 NKJV

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

Ties with Mosaic Covenant (Deut 30:1-8 )

Deuteronomy 30:1–8 NKJV

“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. “Also the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you will again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today.

Freedom from wicked oppressors forever.

IV. Promises to David’s Descendants generally

Play on word “house” requires a succession of children, in the absence of any of them being immortal.

The house built is obviously the one Solomon built.

There have only been two (and a half) temples, ever.

The Second Temple was built not by a Son of David

Solomon built the first temple. (Acts 7:47)

Acts 7:47 NKJV

But Solomon built Him a house.

When Jesus used this language he was obvious speaking metaphorically, while God is here speaking literally (John 2:19-21)

John 2:19–21 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

A special relationship with God

Chastening without abandonment

Remember how God removed his authorization for Saul to remain as King (1 Sam 15)

Solomon experienced this (1 Kings 11:4, 9-13)

in the latter part of his reign he had adversaries (1 Kings 11:14, 23)

Jereboam was incited to rule over the Northern Kingdom by God through the prophet Ahijah (1 Kings 11:29-40)

When Rehoboam took the throne, he botched a politically sensitive conversation and the northern kingdom revolted. Permanently. 1 Kings 12

V. Promises that only Jesus can fulfill

Solomon did not and could never fulfill everything God had promised to David

He wasn’t ever promised immortality, thus other sons must inherit the throne for God to keep his word.

Israel was still going to be exiled from her land according to the Mosaic Covenant, yet God promised a permanent settlement in the Davidic

Logically, sooner or later one of David’s sons was going to sin so terribly, that God would have no choice but to judge him. Since he promised to never remove the Sons of David, the only way to do this was to remove Israel from the land entirely.

Since God promised a permanent throne, the only way to guarantee this is if one of his descendants finally lives forever.

God promised to give David an eternal house, an eternal throne, and an eternal kingdom; but to David’s son he only promised a throne and a kingdom

Jesus was the son of David (Luke 3) by his mother through the virgin birth. Mary was descended from Nathan, one of David’s other sons.

Jesus inherited the legal right to the throne of David from Joseph, who was the Son of David through Solomon. As Jesus had no earthly father, he got full legal rights to the throne, and no other man could counter that claim by saying he was Jesus’ father.

But Joseph, as the rightful heir, was also descended from Jeconiah, who was cursed by God to never have any of his descendants on the throne. (Jeremiah 22:28-30 )

Jesus, therefore, as the rightful Son of David risen from the Dead, is the final Son of David who will reign forever. (Luke 1:32-33) He avoided the curse of Jeconiah, as he is not Solomon’s Son. Yet he inherits Solomon’s eternal throne and kingdom; and he is of the house of David.

Luke 1:32–33 NKJV

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.”