God’s Promise – Christ – Sermon 19 July, 2015

God’s Promise – Christ
2 Samuel 7:1-14
When King David had secured peace within his kingdom and with the surrounding nations, he desired to honour God by building a “house” for him in Jerusalem. In the ancient world a god was truly established when he had a fitting home. The temple that David decided to build for the Lord was to replace the tent that had sheltered the Ark of the Covenant since the days at Sinai; he also intended it to be a place of worship, where praise and sacrifices would be offered to God.
Instead of affirming David’s plan, God surprised him by revealing a much geater plan. Through the prophet Nathan, God told King David that he was not to construct a dwelling place for him. Rather, God intended to build a “house” for David, that is, a dynasty that would rule over his people. The Lord declared to David that one of his descendants would always sit on the throne, thus promising to establish David’s house for all time: “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Notice the word play and variety of meanings for the word “house” as God spoke to David through Nathan: palace, (7:1), dwelling (7: 2, 5, 6, 7), temple (7:13), and royal dynasty (7:11, 16).
This promise to David amplified the covenants with Abraham and with Israel at Sinai. God did not expect or require anything of David in return for the promise; it was a grant made freely to King David and his descendants, not a treaty that stipulated obligations.
Solomon succeeded to his father David’s throne, but soon after his death, Israel and Judah, which had been united as one kingdom under David, broke apart. The monarchy was plagued with strife and began to decline under Solomon’s son, King Rehoboam, and his heirs. Two centuries later around 722 B.C. Israel was overcome by Assyria. In 587 the Babylonians wiped out Judah, destroying the temple, burning Jerusalem, and sending many of the city’s inhabitants into exile. Yet memories of the brilliant days of David’s reign lived on in God’s chosen people.
Despite the failings of the kings of Israel, Judah, and his chosen people, God did not retract his promises to them. Instead, he continued to love them steadfastly and to unfold his plan for salvation through the prophets that he sent to them.
The Jewish people recalled the promises God had made to King David, promises of an eternal dynasty and of a kingdom that would last forever. Faced with the disasters and sins of the monarchy that unfolded after the reign of David, they came to hope that these promises would be fulfilled by a future “king” or “Messiah” would be descended from David, a conqueror who would throw off the oppressor’s yoke, restore the kingdom, and establish perfect justice. Jewish expectations were focused on the “David” of the future—a figure who would revive and carry on the glorious reign of David forever.
Many of the OT psalms have royal and messianic effects. Several are quoted in the NT as prophecies about Jesus, who fulfilled Israel’s hopes and yearnings for the rule of one who would truly be God’s anointed king and Messiah. Psalm 89 in particular recounts God’s dealings with Israel and joyously celebrates the absolute and unconditional promise that God made to establish David’s dynasty. Although David and his descendants failed to keep God’s commands and were to be justly punished as a consequence (Psalm 89:31-33), God nevertheless declared,
I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His line shall endure for ever. (89:34-36)
However, in events that seemed to contradict God’s word, Israel fell into disgrace at the hands of a foreign nation; her king was brought down, and it appeared that David’s line had been cut off (Psalm 89:38-45). How could Israel reconcile this destruction with God’s promises? The situation required that God’s promise to David be understood in a new sense—as a description of an ideal king who would one day inherit David’s throne.
Psalm 89 ends with a great cry twisted from the heart of a disappointed yet hopeful people (89:46-52). In anguish, the psalmist implores God to remember his promise and restore his people by sending a righteous king to reign over them again:
Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you did swear to David? (89:49)
The people of Israel were mistaken in their understanding and expectation of a political ruler, yet their faith would finally be vindicated: God would answer their pleas not by restoring the ancient monarchy but by raising up, “great David’s greater son.” A descendant of David would in the end rule as king over all.
God’s promise is summarised in the following four points:
1. I will make your name great
2. I will provide a place for my people
3. I will plant the house/home/dynasty
4. I will give them rest
Following his account of Jesus’ baptism, John the records the first proclamation of Jesus’ messianic identity: “Andrew first found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah Christ” (John 1:41).
Ultimately, God’s promise to David and Israel’s hopes would be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
Though Solomon, David’s son built the desired temple by David, yet God was giving the real promise of building the house of the Lord through His son, our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.
That’s God’s promise which initiated its fulfilment by the coming of Jesus as the son of David.

Krikor Youmshajekian