In the last article, “Jesus, The Son of Abraham“, the importance of understanding the meaning behind Jesus as the Son of Abraham was explored, and now it is time to learn the idea of Jesus being the Son of David[1]. Just as God had a covenant with Abraham, the same goes with David, but what was that covenant? what was God’s promise to David? and what is the significance to Jesus being proclaimed as the Son of David? was Jesus just another person from the lineage of David or rather one fulfilling the covenant of God? Let’s find out!
The Covenant With David (2 Samuel 7:8-17)
There are several key points that need to be brought into the light regarding the covenant of God to David that is found in 2 Samuel 7:8-17. First, God reminds about the past, when God chose David as a king over the people of Israel, and that God had cut off all the enemies of David. Then, God starts to speak of future event related to David, where He (God) will make his (David) name great, that God will ensure the people of Israel will have their own place with no enemies to afflict them.
And this is where the prophecy starts to get interesting, for God now focuses on a future event past the death of David, that He will raise up descendants after David, where David’s descendant will build a house for God’s Name, and God will establish the throne and the Kingdom forever. This is a promise by God that He will establish an eternal Kingdom through the lineage of David. God confirms this by going on to say that the House of David and Kingdom will endure before Him forever [2].
Clearly by just reading through this prophecy of God through the prophet Nathan to King David, one will comprehend that God gave a promise that He will establish a Kingdom through the seed of David. However, there was a caveat, a warning to David and His descendants, that when his descendants commits iniquity, the discipline of God – to put it lightly – will be upon them. Rightly so, when reading through the accounts of kings that come through after David, many rebelled against God, and they were corrected, and eventually being sent to Babylon.
The Covenant Re-told (1 Chronicles 17:1-15)
But wait a minute, God promised an eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom that will never come to an end, how can this be if the people of Israel are in Babylonian captivity? Perhaps, these were the same questions that Israel was contemplating as they journeyed back from their captivity. Returning to Jerusalem, and seeking that everlasting, glorious kingdom that they were once promised, and a righteous King to rule forever.
It was about this time, the book of Chronicles was written, a re-telling of history, from Adam right to the point where Israel is marching back to Jerusalem in expectation for a kingdom established by God. In fact, if one were to read in parallel between 1 Chronicles 17:1-15 and 2 Samuel 7:8-17, it would be easily recognizable that one specific verse was not included from 2 Samuel…
I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men – 2 Sam 7:14
The covenant of David through the lens of the Chronicles writers, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recognized that their past kings never lived up to the expectation of God, and were punished for their iniquity. Therefore, here the covenant of God was depicted in a way that speaks of a King that will come, who will be blameless, a seed of David that is truly a Son of God, and that His Kingdom will be forever.
Matthew Proclamation of the Kingship of Jesus
It is in this expectation that the people of Israel were living as they returned to Jerusalem, rebuilding the temple, and awaiting their Messiah. It is through this expectation, now Matthew starts his Gospel writing by declaring that this Jesus, the Immanuel, crucified, resurrected, and ascended to the Father, He is the true Son of David that Israel was promised, He is the King whose Kingdom will be eternal.
May the Grace of our Triune God be with you. Amen.
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