STUDY THEME: COVENANTS OF GRACE 10-27-02                                      "PROMISING A RIGHTEOUS RULER.                                                               2 SAMUEL 7: 8-11, 12-16; PS. 89:1-4; ISAIAH 9:6-7.

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO 2 SAMUEL.

TEACHER READ 2 SAMUEL 7: 1-7.

The lesson this Sunday is the last one in our series of four which we have been studying about God making covenants with various persons in the O.T in preparation for sending His Son into the world. The first covenant we studied was made to Noah. It was an unconditional covenant in which God promised never to again destroy the earth by a flood. We have noted throughout this study that while each covenant was initiated by God and given to one person, the ultimate fulfillment always included many others.

The covenant made with Abraham promised to bless all nations through Abraham’s descendent, Jesus Christ. The Covenant with Moses was a conditional covenant calling for Israel to obey God’s commandments.

The lesson this Sunday centers around the prophet Nathan as he is telling David what God is going to do through him in order to send the Savior to the world. Our Scripture studies God’s covenant that He made with David in order to establish David’s kingdom forever. In God’s promise to David, He affirmed David’s family line as His chosen rulers forever. You and I know this resulted in the coming of Jesus Christ who is the true Messiah and true King to come.

Matthew went to great lengths in his Gospel in the N.T. to show that Jesus Christ was a descendant of David. Because, if He could not do so, he, Matthew could not convince his fellow Jews that Jesus Christ was a descendant of David, because if he could not do so, he, Matthew could not convince his fellow Jews that Jesus was indeed their true Messiah.

The suggested "Biblical Truth" is that God’s promise to David of an unending kingdom ultimately pointed to the coming of the Messiah-King to establish God’s rule forever. The suggested "Life Impact" is to help us live under the authority of God’s righteous Ruler, Jesus Christ.

Fully understanding Jesus as King takes us back through time approximately 3000 years. There we focus on a sacred promise made to David, the Anointed king of Israel, and a devotee of Yah-weh—the one, true God. God established a covenant in which He promised that David’s family line would be His chosen rulers forever. By examining the Bible, we are able to see evidence of God’s faithfulness in keeping His promise to David and to identify the royal Descendant to whom God’s promise ultimately pointed.

We read in 1 Samuel 16 to 2 Samuel 5 how David rose form shepherd boy to Israel’s king. A military hero, David began to rule Israel at age 30 and reigned for 40 years. Because of his deep faith in the Lord, he became the standard against which God’s people compared later kings.

David’s political success can be explained in part by the fact that he knew what being a king meant. 2 Samuel 5:12 states: "David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel." Kingship was a means of extending the Lord’s rule, not of forging one’s personal agenda. Moreover, rulers were appointed for the benefit of God’s people. David knew that as he fulfilled his God-given assignment, the Lord would be with him.

David was one of the key people of the O.T. The account of his life is found in 1 Samuel 16:1to 1 Kings 2:11. David’s life falls into three parts: (1) His life before he became king; (2) from the time he became king until his great sin, and (3) from his great sin until his death. The biblical account of the promise of God’s covenant came within the second period of his life. David was at the pinnacle of his success. He had become king not only over his own tribe of Judah but also over all of Israel. He had captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. He had built a palace and had moved the "ark of the covenant" to Jerusalem.

My servant carries several messages. For one thing it reminded David that in spite of his high status as king, he was still a servant of God. Yet the term servant was a term of honor for those who served the Lord. This is an honored title, but at the same time a reminder to David that, though he is king, and surrounded by those who serve him, he too has his servant role in relation to his God.

God reminded David that everything good in his life had happened because God had caused it to happen. God specifically reminded David that he had been only a shepherd until God took him from the sheepfold. The biblical account of David’s anointing by the prophet Samuel emphasizes how Samuel and David’s family would have chosen differently, for although humans look on the outward appearance, God sees the heart. God had taken a shepherd boy and made him ruler over God’s people, over Israel.

I, and possibly you too, can look back over our lives and see how God has guided us. Often small incidents or meetings become the hinges on which our lives are determined. Some may consider them to be no more than coincidences—that we were at certain places at certain times. However, people of faith see these as the providence of God. The Lord reminded David that He had been with David wherever he went. God had defeated his enemies. He had given David a great name. This was amazing! A small nation in a world of superpowers had king known far and wide.

But what God had done for David in the past was small by comparison to what He would do for him in the future. The people of Israel already lived in the Promised Land, but God pointed to the time when they would be planted there in a way never again to be afflicted by the children of wickedness. They had been under attack since the time of the judges, but God promised a time of rest from all thin enemies. But the greatest promise, and the key to the other promises for the future, was God’s word to David that God would make David an house.

David already had his palace. The house God promised to establish for David was a dynasty from which Israel’s kings will come. This choice of David was God’s choice. God initiated this promise and would fulfill it.

God’s promise to David was to be fulfilled after David’s death. Although the word covenant it not used in this passage, it is used in verses such as 2 Samuel 23:5 and Ps. 89:3, which refer to this promise. David and those who followed him saw this promise as a divine covenant.

God began by telling David that He would establish his seed in his kingdom. The most immediate fulfillment of this was the establishment of David’s heir to the throne of Israel as the new king. This was fulfilled in the establishment of Solomon as king. We know this because it was Solomon whom the Lord allowed to build a house for the Lord’s name. This of course was the famous temple of Solomon.

Since God’s name refers to God’s presence, the temple signified the presence of God with Israel. Yet in Solomon’s prayer of dedication in 1 Kings 8:27, he recognized that no building could contain the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth.

The new word in Vs 13 is forever. Promising the kingdom to David’s son is one thing; promising that this kingdom will last forever is something more. Solomon, like David, was mortal. No matter how grand was his reign; he would die. How then could his kingdom last forever? Obviously, seed referred to more than one generation of David’s descendants. The word seed could refer to one descendant or to many. As it happened, there were many generations of David’s offspring who lived and died before the coming of the one King whose kingdom is forever. But for most of the people of the O.T., they understood this to mean than an earthly descendant of David would always reign over Israel.

Vs. 15 shows that one of the meanings of the promise was that the Kingdom of Israel was always to be ruled by one of David’s descendants. Unlike Saul, who left no son to reign after him, David would have an unbroken succession. On a purely earthly level this kept a descendant of David a ruler of the kingdom until the fall of Judah. After the kingdom of Israel divided, the Northern Kingdom had a series of different dynasties as their kings, however, the Southern Kingdom had only descendants of David. Although some of these were evil rulers, they were of David’s line.

God said of the seed of David, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. The rest of verse 14 shows that the immediate reference was to Solomon. He did commit iniquity, and God did chasten him.

God’s promise was based on what God had done, was doing, and would do. The word translated mercy, is a key word in the O.T. because it refers to the central character of the Lord. The word refers to God’s covenant love and faithfulness.

PLEASE TURN TO PSALM 89.

Psalm 89, clearly shows that the covenant with David became the basis for the hope of the Messiah in Israel. Their basic response was praise and gratitude to God for this promise. The true language of faith is praise and thanksgiving, and singing is a basic form of such worship. Thus the psalmist wrote, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.

"Ethan the Ezrahite," to whom this Psalm is ascribed, may have been one of the wise men of Israel who lived during the reign of Solomon. During a time of national crisis when the continuation of the Lord’s covenant with David seemed in serious jeopardy, God inspired Ethan to write this psalm, which in the superscription is called a prayer hymn that extolled the Lord’s faithfulness and petitioned the Lord to remember His covenant. In subsequent years, the psalm surely reminded God’s people of their true hope, which Christians now know pointed ultimately to the Messiah.

One hardly realizes from the opening verses 1-2 that in its full message this psalm laments the seeming downfall of David’s royal line. The psalmist’s joyous confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness caused him to sing of the Lord’s great love forever. The word for love is the same term used in 2 Samuel 7:15, where the Lord promised that His love would never be taken from David’s offspring. This was the Lord’s steadfast, unfailing, covenant love, and the psalmist could not help but sing when he reflected on it.

Not only would he sing of the Lord’s love; the psalmist vowed to tell the people of all generations about the Lord’s faithfulness. "Amen" (which means "Let it be so!") is related to the Hebrew word for faithfulness. It emphasizes being true to one’s nature. The psalmist knew that because the Lord’s nature was truth itself, He would not renege on His covenant promises to David.

These two key words---Love and faithfulness---occur seven times in this psalm. Because they accurately describe the Lord, God’s people of every generation and every nation have reason to live hopefully even when their circumstances are discouraging and difficult. Like the psalmist, we can sing praises to the Lord and tell all who need a true word of hope that the lord’s love stands firm forever.

The words "You said" at the beginning of Vs. 3 are not in the Hebrew text but were added for clarification. The Lord’s declaration in Vs. 3-4 was originally spoken in the past and directly to David himself, and the Lord would repeat and reaffirm His covenant promises to later generations. A covenant was a sacred bond, and the Lord had sworn to David that his family line would be established as the Lord’s chosen rulers forever. David’s throne, that is, his God-given role and authority—would endure through all generations. Has the Lord kept this promise? He has indeed. He fulfilled it by sending Jesus to establish an eternal kingdom of righteousness.

"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom."

When you read the entire psalm, you find that the final section, in vs. 38, begins with "but" and proceeds to describe a situation that seems to disprove the promise to David. Bible students do not know for sure which of the many crises faced by Israel was in the mind of the psalmist; however, the principle applies to any crisis that seems to cast doubt on the fact that the Lord knows and cares for His people.

The greatest test for the Israelites came after their nation was defeated and they were carried into exile. For centuries there was no throne of David and no king of Israel. During those years the hope for the Messiah was tested. A faithful remnant clung to their confident hope that God would fulfill his promises in His own time and way.

One of the best biblical examples of this persevering faith and hope is the prophet Habakkuk, who prophesied about the time of the Babylonian invasion and the downfall of the Davidic kingdom of Judah. Habakkuk’s final response is faith and hope at its best. Hab. 3: 17-18

Although the fig tree shall not blossom,

Neither shall fruit be in the vines;

The labor of the olive shall yield no meat;

The flock shall be cut off from the fold,

And there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet will I rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

PLEASE TURN TO ISAIAH 9.

God’s message through Isaiah looked forward to the time when the Assyrians would be defeated and God’s king would rule in Judah and the age of peace would begin. Deliverance would come through a ruler God would send. The N.T. identifies this ruler as Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the son of David. The Messiah would fulfill the covenant promises made to Abraham and David.

Thus the covenant with David became the basis for the hope for a Messiah. The virgin born son, the royal Son of David, will be the rightful heir to David’s throne and will inherit the promises of the Davidic covenant.

Many of the O.T. people of God expected an earthly king of David’s line who would defeat the enemies of Israel and restore the nation’s former grandeur. This same earthly hope prevailed even in the time of Jesus. As a prophet, Isaiah may have passed through a stage when he expected one of Israel’s kings of David’s line to be the Messiah. Some believe that he may have had such hopes for Hezekiah, one of Judah’s better kings. However, by the time Isaiah wrote 9:6-7 he had moved beyond such an expectation. He still expected the Messiah to be born and live as a child, but he saw this One in terms of many titles, some of which are clearly divine titles. Israel’s hope was in the birth of a child.

In the Bible, God often began some new phase of His work with the birth of a child. Isaac was the child of promise born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. Moses was divinely spared from Pharaoh’s order to have boy babies of the Hebrews killed. Samuel was born in answer to the fervent prayers of his barren mother Hannah. John the Baptist was born to the aged couple Zachariah and Elisabeth.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary. Christians believe that the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6-7 is in Jesus the Messiah-King. The child of Isaiah 9:6-7 is the same child described in Isaiah 7:13 as born of a virgin and called "Immanuel." Although Isaiah 9:6-7 is not directly quoted in the N.T. there is no doubt that the believers saw Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy.

This conclusion is supported by many things found in the text of Isaiah 9:6-7. The child is called a son. The word is given reflect the N.T. emphasis on Jesus as given by God to save sinful humanity. The four titles of this One depict someone who is more than human. (In the King James Version there are five titles, but most translators remove the comma after Wonderful. This makes four titles of two words each.)

Wonderful Counselor emphasizes two qualities of the King. He is Himself a wonder, and He is a wise Counselor and Guide. Wisdom was highly praised in ancient society. Wisdom was more than knowledge: It was insight into natural and supernatural realities. Mighty God is surely a divine title. "By means of the words Child and is born, he (the inspired prophet) has called attention to the messiah’s humanity, but by the phrase ‘el gibbor" we are brought face to face with Messiah’s deity. Everlasting Father points to two realities about God. He is the eternal God who created and sustains all things, and He is the loving Father of His children.

Prince of Peace is a royal figure who is the very embodiment of peace. When Jesus was born, angels spoke of His bringing peace. He brings to sinners, peace with God as they are reconciled to God through the shed blood of Jesus. He brings the ideal of peace among different groups of believers. He gives believers an inner peace that defies human understanding. Isaiah 2:4 prophesies that some day He will bring peace to a strife torn world. The world will then no longer need accessories of warfare because a time of universal peace will follow the return of Christ.

The government shall be upon his shoulder is explained in Vs.7. Isaiah saw this One as the descendant of David who would fulfill the promises to David. He will reign upon the throne of David, will establish a just kingdom, and of His government.. there shall be no end. These words reflect the promises of 2 Samuel 7. This prophecy carries those promises a significant step beyond the original promises to David. This Ruler is not just another one of the kings of David’s line who would reign over Judah. This One is the divine Son who establishes the kingdom forever.

The kingdom will be characterized by peace, justice and righteousness. These qualities are ensured by the nature of the One who rules as The Prince of Peace. He is the epitome of justice and righteousness. During His earthly ministry Jesus displayed these qualities. These same qualities will be displayed in His future reign. Those who know Him should live now by the standards of His coming Kingdom. What assurance did Isaiah have that these promises would be fulfilled? The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. The fulfillment of this promise is not dependent on us but on the Lord. He can and will do what is impossible for human beings.

Three basic applications grow out of these passages: (1) Depend on the Lord to fulfill His promises. (2) Cling to confident hope in God even when things are at their worst. (3) In all things, honor and obey Jesus Christ as Lord.

NEXT SUNDAY WE BEGIN A STUDY OF THE FIRST SIX CHAPTERS OF ROMANS TITLED, "ENTERING INTO A COVENANT OF GRACE WITH GOD." THE FIRST LESSON "EVERYONE NEEDS SALVATION" ROM. 1:8-20; 2: 17-24 SHOWS THE UNIVEERSAL REALI TY OF SIN. A.V. DAUGHERTY 10-27-02