God’s Covenant with David

The old covenant occupies a unique place in the history of God’s plan of salvation. For example, the old covenant was not meant to last forever but was to give way to a new covenant (see Deut. 30:1–10). This is unlike the covenant with Abraham, which is an administration of the one covenant of grace just as the old covenant was. But the Abrahamic covenant also continues, as texts such as Galatians 3:29 reveal. Certain changes have taken place such that we do not follow the Abrahamic covenant in exactly the same way today. For instance, we who are children of Abraham by faith are not called to be circumcised, but we are baptized (Gen. 17:1–14; Acts 15:1–21; Col. 2:11–12). Nevertheless, the Abrahamic covenant does not pass away as the old covenant does.

In addition to the covenant with Abraham, God’s covenant with David also continues on in this new covenant era. Today’s passage records the institution of the Davidic covenant. When David expressed his desire to build a house—a temple—for the Lord, the prophet Nathan initially told the king that it was a good idea. God spoke to Nathan later that same night, however, with a message that David would not build the temple of the Lord. Instead, the Lord pledged to build David a house (2 Sam. 7:1–11). In other words, God would raise up a dynasty of kings from David. When David’s son sinned, the Lord would discipline him but would never take away His covenant love from David’s house as he did with the line of Saul. Indeed, God would establish David’s throne forever (vv. 12–17).

The prophecy that the Lord gave Nathan about David’s dynasty found an initial fulfillment in Solomon, David’s son who built the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6). Solomon fell into serious sin at the end of his life, and what followed was a division of the kingdom and a succession of kings who plunged God’s people further and further into sin. God was exceedingly patient, but He finally sent the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah into exile (2 Kings 17:6–41; 25:1–21). David’s throne seemingly came to an end.

Nevertheless, our God did not fail to keep His promise to have a descendant of David on the throne forever. Instead, He sent His only begotten Son, descended from David according to the flesh, to reign forever. He bore the punishment that David’s line deserved for leading the people into sin, in accordance with 2 Samuel 7:14, and He rose again from the dead, now reigning over all (1 Cor. 15:20–28).