I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure. – Psalm 89:29

Today's Scripture Reading (August 14, 2022): Psalm 89

It is called the Davidic Covenant. It represents God's promise to King David. And although it seems quite straightforward, it actually isn't. At least, it isn't precisely what David thought it was. The Davidic covenant says:

"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'

"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

"'The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever'" (2 Samuel 7:5-16).

David felt that the covenant would be fulfilled through Solomon. And that is partially true, but not exactly the way David thought. As I have mentioned in this blog, I am more and more convinced that Solomon was never supposed to build the Temple. God accepted the Temple after it was erected, but the construction of the Temple was not what God intended when he gave David this covenant. Other portions of the Davidic Covenant were never part of Solomon's life. The allusions to flogging or being punished by a rod wielded by men fit the story of Jesus, another son of David, more than Solomon, as does the Kingdom that would be established forever. In David's mind, the Davidic covenant was summed up in the thought that Solomon would build the Temple. But God had decided that the one who would construct his Temple would be Jesus, still a son of David, but also the Son of God.

As the Psalmist writes, "I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure" (Psalm 89:29); it is a promise that could only be fulfilled with the reign of the Messiah and one that could never have been lived up to by any other person in David's long lineage.  

Today's Scripture Reading: Psalm 1