COVENANTS SESSION 8
THE DAVIDIC COVENANT
This is our eighth covenant to study in this Divine Covenant series. One of the Divine Covenants that we did not spend time with is the Palestinian Covenant. This covenant is found primarily in Deuteronomy chapter 30 and relates to the land promises given to Abraham. We will see in the Davidic Covenant how it expands on the Abrahamic, and the Palestinian likewise expands on the Abrahamic Covenant.
The Palestinian Covenant was made in the land of Moab with the second generation of Israelites that came out of Egypt. This covenant was given at the very end of the forty years in the Wilderness just prior to their entry into the Promised Land, the land promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. It contains conditions. Therefore it was a conditional covenant, which Israel must do in order to enter and maintain the Promised Land.
As a background to this study we must keep in mind several things:
The first two generations to live under God’s Law witnessed its effect on the Hebrew people.
Through the Law, the disobedient generation received the curse (it died in the Wilderness) and the obedient generation received the blessing (it entered the Promised Land)
This series of events continued for hundreds of years. The book of Judges records seven cycles of apostasy and repentance. The Lord would appoint a judge to get the people out of trouble and they would repent. He would deliver them and then the next generation would sin again.
Saul came along and was anointed as king, and he fell
Then came David, the second king of Israel, and with him God entered into a covenant and thus revealed more of His plan.
As we examine the Davidic Covenant we will see that it enlarges and expounds upon the “seed” promises given to Abraham. Interestingly, other than the Mosaic Covenant, the other covenants are simply enlarging the Abrahamic and adding clarity to it. As we get closer to the end of the series we begin to see the eschatological aspects of the covenants, and how they are intertwined. The “end times” discussion of covenants enables us to see the fulfillment of them before our eyes.
The Davidic Covenant is a covenant with the Promise of a Coming King. When we look at this we see an immediate fulfillment (Solomon), an intermediate fulfillment (nation of Judah) and an eschatological fulfillment (the Lord Jesus Christ). We saw the same with the land with Abraham: immediate, he was there; intermediate, the nation of Israel coming from Egypt; eschatological, the occupancy during the Millennium.
We know David, but I would like to look at some facts about him that might help us with our study:
| FACTS ABOUT DAVID | |
| HE WAS EXALTED BY GOD | 2 SAMUEL 23:1 |
| HE WAS ANOINTED BY THE GOD OF JACOB | 2 SAMUEL 23:1 |
| HE WAS THE SWEET PSALMIST OF ISRAEL | 2 SAMUEL 23:2 |
| THE SPIRIT OF GOD SPOKE BY HIM | 2 SAMUEL 23:2 |
| THE WORD OF GOD WAS IN HIS TONGUE | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| A SKILLFUL MUSICIAN | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| A VALIANT MAN | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| A MIGHTY MAN OF WAR | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| PRUDENT IN BUSINESS MATTERS | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| A HANDSOME MAN | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
| THE LORD WAS WITH HIM | 1SAMUEL 16:18 |
2 Samuel 23:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse declares, The man who was raised on high declares, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel, 2 "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.
1 Samuel 16:18 (NASB95)
18 Then one of the young men said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."
The Davidic Covenant was a more specific form of the covenant with Abraham. Its main point stressed the accomplishment of the line of blessing promised by the Abrahamic Covenant. David was assured of undying royal posterity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and David, will reign eternally!
Lester Sumrall
In 2 Samuel 7:13 we see that David is promised that he can build a house for the Lord and that his throne will stand forever. The same promise is repeated in Luke 1:32-35. However when we read further in 2 Samuel we find that David’s descendant will build Him a house for His Name and his future throne will depend upon Another.
2 Samuel 7:13 (NKJV)
13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Luke 1:32-35 (NKJV)
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Then we see David was promised a throne forever. But, we see
2 Samuel 7:12-16 (NKJV)
12 "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' "
In 2 Samuel 7:12-16 we also see that there will be a Davidic Kingdom forever.
So in seeing the fulfillment of these, we find that Solomon built the Temple, all future Israeli kings would be of David’s lineage and that because of His promise the Davidic Kingdom would be forever, because the Lord Jesus Christ would be the fulfillment of the promises, the Seed of David.
Additionally, 2 Samuel 7:10 mentions that Israel will have a homeland forever. A lot has taken place in the time since this promise was given and now, but even more will take place in the days ahead. Partially fulfilled, the land is occupied, but the future holds the peace, security promised and there will be no more afflictions. The Hebrew word afflict is ānâ which means through the idea of looking down or browbeating, so we have the promise that Israel will be honored rather than reviled.
2 Samuel 7:10 (NLT)
10 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past,
Then in 2 Samuel 7:14 and 2 Corinthians 6:15-18 we have the promise of Fatherly care forever. We need to mention that when it speaks of David, it speaks of his “seed” as we see through these promises. Solomon sinned but the Lord didn’t take the kingdom from him, he allowed men to chasten him but they didn’t remove his kingdom.
2 Samuel 7:14 (NASB95)
14 "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 Corinthians 6:15-18 (NKJV)
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."
The Davidic Covenant is an eternal, or everlasting, covenant with promises that will go on throughout eternity. The promises given here are in effect now and will be in effect a million years from now.
2 Samuel 7:13 (NASB95)
13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Psalms 89:3-4 (NLT)
3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV)
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 49:8 (NASB95)
8 Thus says the LORD, "In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages;
Luke 1:32-33 (NLT)
32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
In 2 Samuel 7 is recorded the Davidic Covenant which the Lord God made with David. It promises him an eternal seed and an eternal throne, similar to Genesis 12; 15 and 17 which promise Abraham the same. This chapter gives David the same blessings.
REMEMBER – when we speak of these covenants being unconditional covenants we are speaking of their being conditional based on works – however it is through FAITH and OBEDIENCE that we enter into the covenants.
