Getting Job-ed
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:12-16 ESV
Most people have a preconceived notion that God did not intend to have a King that would someday rule over His people, but rather only gave the people a king because they demanded one in Saul (1 Samuel 8:6-9). God gave the people Saul as their King because they rejected God as their King. God always intended (and intends) to rule over His people as King.
Hopeful Heir to the Throne
When David’s rule was coming towards an end, God makes a covenant with David and promises that from His line there will be a King that comes whose kingdom is forever. God makes it explicit that this will not be David himself, but rather from his lineage (2 Sam. 7:12). Most people would have thought that this king would come immediately after David’s death into his next rightful heir to the throne. Solomon took over the throne after David, but even as wise as he was, failed miserably as their king (1 King 11:1-13).
The Promised King
With Solomon’s failure, the question would have been asked would have been, “did God’s promises fail?” No. The promise above to David was dualistic in purpose: partially seen in Solomon, fully realized in a King that was to come. Well, what about the line, “When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men…?” Jesus came as a substitutionary sacrifice for the divine punishment we truly deserve. Jesus did not sin, but He became sin, in order to be punished for the debt that we owe (Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
David’s purpose was to point forward to a better King, the King we need to truly rule over our lives.
-Austin
