A Promise You Can Trust
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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: |
DURING THE FOREPART of David’s reign, he gained many victories against Israel’s enemies, and also enlarged its territorial borders. He consulted with the Prophet Nathan concerning his desire to erect a temple to replace the Tabernacle, but the Word of the Lord indicated that such was not God’s will.
God had done many things on David’s behalf, including raising him from the lowly position of tending sheep to becoming Israel’s ruler. (II Sam. 7:8) Additionally, God had protected him when he was pursued by his enemies, and rewarded him with power and authority over Israel, as well as honor and a great reputation among the surrounding nations. (vs. 9) A promise was then given to the effect that Israel should be established in its own land without the fear of ejection or molestation from the hand of enemies. (vs. 10) “Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime.”—II Sam. 7:10
This was literally fulfilled during the reign of the kings, in that for many years the Israelites remained in their own land. The future promise of being permanently established in their land will occur during the Messianic rule of God’s kingdom.—Jer. 16:14,15
Although David had proposed to build a temple, it was God himself who declared his intention to build his own house. “As since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.”—II Sam. 7:11
The literal fulfillment of this promise was revealed to Nathan, in that God would establish an unconditional covenant with David. It promised that he would have a son—Solomon—who would be given the privilege of building the temple. God dealt with Solomon as a son, chastening his iniquity but continuing to extend mercy to him. God did not allow the kingly power to depart from David’s natural seed. It continued through the time of Solomon down to Zedekiah.—vss. 12-15
Our Key Verse promises that David’s house, kingdom, and throne would be established forever. There has been no king of Israel from Zedekiah’s day down to the present. “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.”—Ezek. 21:27
A lesson to be gained from this study is that David represents Christ and his church who suffered during their earthly sojourn while they overcame the world, the flesh, and the Adversary. (Rev. 3:21) Solomon represents Christ and his church in glory.
May the prospect of being associated with Christ Jesus in being a part of the temple class, who will bless all the families of the earth in God’s kingdom, encourage us to be faithful each day to our covenant of sacrifice. “Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”—II Cor. 6:16