From Unfolding Grace:
“In the following story God promises that David’s dynasty will never end; his throne will endure forever. Over time Israel anticipates not only an endless succession of Davidic kings but ultimately one eternal king — the king who will reverse the curse and fulfill all of God’s promises. He will unleash the Abrahamic promises of blessing for all nations.
From this point onward the hope of the world is tied to this promise. The Davidic covenant towers as a high point in the Bible’s storyline.”
Wednesday, May 12th
Larger Portion of Scripture - 2 Samuel 5-8
Focused Passage for Reflection - 2 Samuel 7:1-17
Reflecting on the Text:
All walls in a house serve a particular purpose, but some of those walls uniquely bear the weight of the structure. These load-bearing walls carry particular importance. They distribute the weight of all that sits above them down to the firmness of the foundation. Similarly, the Davidic covenant found in 2 Samuel 7 serves as a load-bearing wall for the canon of God's Word.
The passage opened with an encouraging glimpse into David’s heart. David, as a young boy and as king lived with a constant awareness of the presence of God. This awareness was reflected in his deep dependence upon prayer. He asked the Lord about everything, seeking His guidance and enjoying His presence. But not only was David constantly aware of God, he lived with a sense of gratitude, knowing all that he had and all that he was came from the Lord. So… David desired to build the Lord a house (temple).
That was the glimpse we received into David’s heart, but in a poetic and poignant turn, the Lord said, “No, I will build you a house.” While the house David spoke of was to be a physical structure, the house the Lord promised was to be a ruling dynasty. David’s house was to be a legacy of leadership on the throne.
Yet to understand how this promise bears the load of unfolding grace, we have to understand something of Biblical prophecy. This covenant promise had both near and long-term fulfillment. David’s son Solomon would take his place as king of Israel, with a long line of offspring following him. In this line, there would be plenty of instances of the Lord’s discipline and grace. But beyond the kings who would rule the nation, this covenant promise pointed to the King of kings who rules the Kingdom, and through Him to the grace bestowed on all of us.
Through the storyline of Scripture, we see that the ultimate Son of David is the Son of God. This passage points forward to Jesus. But though the prophecy is clear, we may find ourselves wondering about the promise of discipline in verse 14. We can understand it for Solomon (and his offspring after him), but what about Jesus? We understand Him as the Son, but what about the iniquity behind the discipline?
While verse 14 prophesies discipline and promises stripes, the iniquity which brings it about will not come from Jesus. That is ours. This passage in general, and this verse in particular, point us forward to another prophecy. We must read 2 Samuel 7:14 in light of Isaiah 53:5-6:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned — every one — to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.”
This promise to David points to the greater David. This load-bearing wall gives insight into the kings of the Old Testament and to the true King of the New. It continues to unfold before us the grace that our Lord has shown us in Jesus and draws us, like David, into a deep and thankful dependence upon our God.
Questions for personal reflection:
How does the Lord’s long-intentioned plan of redemption impact your sense of connection to and love for Him?