(Having completed our studies on "The Mission of the Church" we want to take a few days on a variety of subjects we hope will be encouraging to you.)
Let me say at the outset that you really ought to read the entire chapter. The display of God’s superabundant grace in His covenant with David is always worth the read. It stands tall on its own. And it reminds us of our own covenant of grace, the New Covenant. There are some gleanings I want to point out from 7:1-17 before we look at David’s response.
·
It was not Israel’s first king (Saul) who was
the model king but the second king (David).
It was not the first king (David) who desired to build a house for the
Lord who was allowed to build that house; it was the second one (Solomon) who
would fulfill his father’s heart’s desire.
“I was first” is a strong argument for privilege in our world and
system. Not so with God. He has His reasons for who has what calling,
and His reasons are always good.
·
God promised to chasten David’s royal descendents
(7:13-14), using the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. He also promised not to take His mercy from
them FOREVER. Both are compatible. The same is true of God’s chosen people
Israel. He promised to chasten them; He
also promised not to destroy them completely.
And do not forget: the basis for all this grace is bound up in the
Greatest Son of David, King Jesus. He,
the Holy and Sinless One, also learned obedience by the things that He suffered
(Heb. 5:8). Who suffered more the rod of
men and the blows of the sons of men than our Savior?!
·
David is correct in 7:20: God knows His
servant! God knew David was a man after
His own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). God knew
David was a warrior king (1 Chron. 28:3).
The Lord knows His servant!
Thus, God made a covenant with David, to have
a man on the throne forever. God, in
Christ, has made a “forever” covenant with those who become His sons
today. How do you respond to such
grace? How did David respond?
ü First,
David grew in the knowledge of God (7:22).
He already knew his own frailty (v18-20). What a great response to God’s grace: Is
this the manner of man, O Lord God?
This isn’t how men treat each other.
You know me! We find out later
about David’s faults, in the matter of Uriah the Hittite; we know because God tells
us about it in His word. God knew He was
making this covenant with a man who had a great, but not perfect, heart. What is important is that David knew he was
not deserving of such grace. But, of
course, the point of grace is ultimately what it says about God. Truly, There is none like You
(v22). The gods of men’s creation are
not like this.
ü Second,
David remembered that his blessing was to be seen in the context of the people
of God over whom he reigned (v23-24). He
is not the king over Edom; they were not a “forever” people so they didn’t need
a “forever” king. He was not king over
Egypt or Syria or Babylon or any other kingdom.
He was king over God’s treasured people.
Think about this. Who is like
Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem
for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name? God’s grace in Christ to believers today must
be seen in the context of the Church, the Body of Christ. By the Spirit we have been immersed in His
Body, the people the Father gave to the Son.
ü Third,
this covenant of grace became the will of God for David’s life. He knew this was life-changing for him. That is why he, in essence, prays for the
fulfillment of this covenant in his life.
Why would he pray that God would bless his house, after God just
promised to bless his house? The answer
is that it is David’s way of saying, Lord, I know your words are true
(v28). David has a totally different
view of himself and his place in history.
For God’s glory (v25-26) he will live according to the promise God has
made. That is exactly the way we are to
live our lives as believers: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in Him (Col. 2:6).
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