The Challenge of God’s Promise
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Key Verse: “Thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” Selected Scripture: |
GOD’S PROMISE TO KING David, in the Key Verse, is a prophecy of God’s kingdom. Israel’s religious life was symbolic of the grand features of the Church’s call during the Gospel Age, and King David represents our Lord Jesus in his still more grand role of king over the whole world of mankind during his future millennial kingdom.
The everlasting kingdom will not come to pass with David as Israel’s king, but with the rule of our Lord Jesus together with his faithful bride class of 144,000 members, who will have been found faithful to their calling. (Rev. 14:3) Our text points forward in time, and serves as God’s everlasting assurance, as given to David in type, that Christ’s thousand-year kingdom will truly become a reality in due time.
Historically the Israelites prospered under King David’s leadership, and they enjoyed a period of abundant prosperity and security that they had not experienced at any other time in their history. Enemies had been defeated, and the Jews were finally able to permanently settle in the land which had been given to them by God. David had now become king over all of the tribes of Israel, and the Ark of the Covenant was in its rightful place in Jerusalem.
David realized that Israel’s God was dwelling in a tent, while he and his family were living in a magnificent house. Taking matters into his own hands, he decided to do something about it. He wanted to build a beautiful house of cedar for the Lord. However, it was not up to him to decide matters of such importance. He did not know God’s plans and intentions. God was quietly building a house of his own, and did not need David to build one for him. God’s time had not yet come for the building of a temple in which to house the Ark of the Covenant. And, it would never be realized during David’s reign as king. That task would be accomplished during the reign of his son, Solomon, his successor to the throne of Israel.
Although David was granted permission to prepare the way for the building of the Temple by gathering and preparing the materials needed, he would not be permitted to do the actual construction work. His son, Solomon, was to be granted that blessed privilege.
There was to be a grander fulfillment in God’s eternal design that David could not comprehend. Both he and his son, Solomon, are seen merely as Old Testament types in God’s everlasting purpose. This purpose is revealed in the words of God contained in his promise to David. He said: “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 thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. … And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13,16) This wonderful promise from God surely points to the role of his blessed Son, our Lord Jesus, the greater David, who will establish his kingdom of righteousness and reign over all the families of the earth.