God's Covenant With David
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Introduction
Introduction
In this series, “Making Sense of the Bible”, we will be looking at what I believe are some of the most important passages of scripture.
I believe this series will help us make greater sense of the over–arching story of scripture and further understand God’s purposes for our lives.
Review: We’ve looked at Creation in Genesis 1-2 and the “Creation Mandate, God mandate for man to contribute to the common good and human flourishing. In this God is glorified.
We also looked at Genesis 3 and the Fall of Man. Man was tempted to rebel against God and the curse of sin entered the world. We are under the judgment of God needed to be saved. In this message, we saw God’s promise of deliverance to come from the “seed of woman”.
We looked at how God moved his redemptive purposes forward with Abraham and the people he formed. We also learned that God’s dealings with man would now be by faith.
Last week we looked at how in order to govern his people God gave the Law through Moses. This Law would be life–giving and provide the necessary boundaries for God’s people to live under his blessings.
Today, we will look at how God established his reign under a king who’s reign would be immediate and also eternal.
God, Israel’s King
God, Israel’s King
God’s intent was to be the sovereign king over his people.
The Law would establish this rule and it would be mediated by judges.
The last great judge was Samuel.
Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
This was a rejection of the kingship of God.
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
Even though God forewarned the people of the type of king they would get, they insisted.
Saul was a train-wreck!
He took up the priestly role of Samuel when he offered sacrifices to God at Gilgal.
Saul was not repentant whatsoever.
He disobeyed God's command to destroy the Amalekites completely by sparing the life of King Agag. / Herem.
He spared the best of the animals instead of destroying them.He lost faith in God / consulted a medium / necromancy.
He wanted to kill David / was jealous of David.
David, Israel’s King
David, Israel’s King
The Lord sent Samuel to anoint a new king over Israel.
And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
David, A Man After God’s Heart
David, A Man After God’s Heart
This new king would be a man “after God’s own heart”.
This was revealed to Saul after he unlawfully offered a sacrifice.
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
When Samuel under the Lord’s direction goes to anoint a new king, this is reiterated:
So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
What does it mean that David was a man after God’s own heart?
David was obedient.
And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
David loved God’s word.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.
David loved God’s presence.
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
It would be some time before David would assume his kingship.
In the waiting:
David would slay Goliath and become a great warrior.
He would arouse the jealousy of Saul and run for his life.
He would spare Saul’s life, refusing to “touch God’s anointed”.
When Saul died and David assumed the kingdom, it would be Israel’s “golden age”.
Transition: God established an incredible covenant with David.
God’s Covenant With David
God’s Covenant With David
Under the prosperity of David’s kingdom, he desires to “build a house” for God.
God rejects David’s offer because he is a man of war, yet, he makes a promise to David.
Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”
Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”
But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.
“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will 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 his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
The covenant God makes with David:
The throne of his descendants kingdom will be forever.
There will always be a king over God’s people who has descended from David.
This would be fulfilled for the remainder of the Old Testament.
Every kingdom needs a king. God has always desired mankind to be his vice-regent in the earth.
Transition: Yet, this “forever” king and throne was yet to come.
Jesus, The Eternal King
Jesus, The Eternal King
This promised, eternal king would be the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The prophets would predict this coming king:
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
We see the direct descendancy of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel:
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
The apostle Paul made this clear when proclaiming Christ:
And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant.
Transition: Let’s look at the reign of Christ now and in the future.
Jesus, The King’s Reign
Jesus, The King’s Reign
Jesus came and preached “the gospel of the kingdom”.
Yet, he made it known this kingdom was a different kind in the immediate.
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
“The kingdom of God is within you.”
KEY: Jesus obedience to the Father’s will, his death and resurrection to redeem humanity has qualified him to assume the reign of God.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This reign is not currently “territorial”.
It is within the hearts of those who acknowledge who He us and what He has accomplished.
We willingly submit to his lordship.
Yet, positionally, Jesus is Lord over all and all will one day acknowledge this.
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Jesus’ reign will be fully realized at the end of the age with his second coming.
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
God’s desire has always been to govern his people, with mankind serving as co–regent over creation.
Sin infringed upon man faithfully submitting to God’s authority.
Yet, God still desires man to be a co–laborer in extending his glory over the earth.
He allowed his people, Israel, to temporarily have a king to govern.
Early in Israel’s monarchy, he chose David as king and made a promise: a great, eternal king would be his descendant.
This king rules in the hearts and lives of all who follow him in faith and believe the gospel.
This king will justly and righteously rule the eternal heaven and earth, in sharp contrast to Israel’s kings!
This king is Jesus Christ!