Upon capturing Jerusalem from the Jebusites, King
David immediately made it the capital of his empire. Soon afterward,
David brought the ark to Jerusalem and erected it in a simple tent within sight of his own cedar palace.
The contrast between the Lord’s humble tent and David’s beautiful cedar house brought conviction on the king. It seemed incongruous that the God whom David served should dwell in a tent, while he resided in a cedar house. Consequently, the king dreamed of constructing a beautiful temple to house the ark of God. But instead, God promised to build a house for David. This promise is contained in what is known as the Davidic Covenant.
Its Circumstance
David wisely confided in Nathan the prophet, “I dwell in an house of cedar,but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains” (2 Sam. 7:2). Nathan instructed David, “Do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee” (v. 3).
However, the Lord intervened and instructed Nathan to tell David He had never asked anyone to build Him a house,let alone David (vv. 4–7). Nathan was to rehearse David’s life before him, reminding him that God had elevated him from shepherd to king, given him victory over his enemies, and made his name great among the nations (vv. 8–9). Nathan told David that God would provide a permanent home for Israel and give the people rest from all their enemies (vv. 10–11).
Lastly, he conveyed God’s promise to make a house for David (v. 11).Because he shed blood as a man of war, David would not be allowed to build God a house (1 Chr. 28:3).
Its Content
Nathan went on to reveal the major provisions of the Davidic Covenant. They expand and develop the “seed” promise found in the Abrahamic Covenant.
God informed Abraham that Sarah would give birth to a son: “I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her:yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her” (Gen. 17:16). Then He said, “Thou shalt call his name Isaac:and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him” (v. 19).
Thus the promise would go through Isaac to Isaac’s son Jacob (Gen. 28:13–15),then be narrowed to the tribe of Judah(Gen. 49:10) and finally narrowed further to the house of David (2 Sam. 7:12).
Within the Davidic Covenant are four major promises. They deal with a house, temple, throne, and kingdom.
House. The first promise deals with David’s house (physical descendants).David’s own son would sit on his throne as king of Israel after his death:
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thine own body (2 Sam. 7:12).
David’s son Solomon was God’s choice to succeed David as king (1 Ki. 1:30).
Temple. The second promise deals with the temple David wanted to build for God. David would not be allowed to build it; but his son Solomon would: “He shall build an house for my name” (2 Sam. 7:13).
Throne. The third promise deals with the throne (royal authority) of David and Solomon. God said, “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2Sam. 7:13, cf. v. 16). The promise is that Solomon’s throne, not his seed, would be established forever. Christ did not come through Solomon’s line, which was cutoff at Coniah (Jeconiah). God said of Coniah, “No man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jer. 22:30).
Christ was born of Mary, a direct descendant of David’s son Nathan (cf. Lk. 3:23–31). Joseph, Jesus’ legal father, was a direct descendant of Solomon, through whom the throne legally passed to Christ (cf. Mt. 1:6, 16).
During his lifetime, Solomon fell into sin and was severely punished for his transgression. But the Lord did not dethrone Solomon or take the kingdom from him (1 Ki. 11:1–11), for the sake of his father, David. Neither would God remove His mercy (loving kindness) from Solomon as He did from Saul.
Kingdom. The fourth promise deals with David’s kingdom: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever” (2 Sam. 7:16). This pledge did not guarantee that the rule of the Davidic family would be uninterrupted. Although David’s kingdom has been inoperative for centuries, this promise, nevertheless, guarantees its existence forever. David’s kingdom will be reestablished at a time of God’s choosing (Acts 1:6–7). This promise also guarantees that no other family will ever displace David’s line as the royal family of Israel.
(We'll continue next week with the remainder of this article.)
 David M. Levy is the director of International Ministries for The Friends of Israel.
|