Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. There will be a succession of kings after David. We sometimes talk about human dynasties. We talk about the house of Windsor or the House of Tudors, but this is the house of David and his house, his dynasty. will never come to an end.
Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of pastor. John Monroe. Today, we're continuing a study on the life of David as we come to the significant promises made by God to David called the Davidic Covenant. We'll discover what these key promises from God meant for the future of David and his kingdom. and their significance for our lives and the entire world.
To introduce today's message and get us started, Here's Pastor John Monroe. There are several important covenants in the Holy Scriptures. though I realize the concept of covenant is somewhat foreign to our culture. One difference between a contract and a covenant is that when we're talking about biblical covenants, God is involved. God is a party to the covenant.
So, in our study of the life of David, we come today to the Davidic covenant. David is a man after God's own heart. And it seems that one day, he wakes up in his beautiful home. and is concerned that he is living in such a palace Whereas the house of God is a kind of tent, the tabernacle. A rather small tent.
So we can understand David thinking of building a permanent house for God.
So let's listen and learn about the Davidic covenant.
So, all scripture is profitable, the Bible says. And all of Scripture is written for our encouragement. and for our hope. And this is certainly true. regarding the covenants of Scripture.
One of our challenges is, I think, when we Study scripture. that most of us do better focusing on the details rather than the big picture. That is, most of us are better at analysis than synthesis. In analysis, we look at the details. In synthesis, we try and put it all together.
Now, obviously, before you can put the picture all together, you need to look at the details. But to understand the details, you also need to understand the big picture.
So let me encourage you. As you read your Bibles, By all means, to focus perhaps on one or two verses. That's tremendous. To memorize some scripture. But to do more than that.
to read the broad scope of Scripture. to sit down one evening for an hour and read through a book. Um Perhaps Ephesians or Colossians. Or perhaps it's a long time since you read Exodus. and sit down and not read just a little bit of it.
But the whole of it, after all, If you receive a letter from someone, you don't just look at the detail. You may look at that, but you see it in reference to the big picture. And these covenants, the biblical covenants, help us to understand the bigger. Picture. the unfolding purposes of God in redemption.
And this means that we wonder at the wisdom of God and the power of God as we see all that He is doing. Let me remind you very quickly of some of the great covenants of the Bible. Most of us are familiar with the story of Noah and the Ark. And you remember after the flood had subsided, God entered into a covenant with Noah and his offspring. Never again shall all flesh be cut off.
This is the Lord speaking by the waters of the flood. And never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. What was the sign of that covenant to Noah? I think we all know the answer to that. It was the rainbow.
And so every time we see a rainbow, we think of God's covenant that never again. Will there be such a worldwide flood. And then the Abrahamic covenant. We thought of that in our study of Romans. If you picked up the study guide, Part three of the study guide of Romans, I wrote a series of articles about Israel, and one of them was on the Abrahamic covenant.
The Abrahamic covenant is the foundation of all of the other covenants, and it is vitally important. Was the Abraham a covenant?
Well, Abraham is told, this man who comes from Ur of the Kaldids, present-day Iraq. Who obeys the voice of God, a former idolater is called by God, he believes God, he trusts God, is counted Him for righteousness. And God says, Abraham, I'm going to make you great. And so we talk about Abraham even today, whether we're Christians or Jewish or Muslim. We honor Abraham.
God was going to make him great. And furthermore, God was going to make of Abraham a great Nation. Imagine if you receive that promise. You're going to be great as a person, but more than that, from your offspring, there's going to be a great nation. as we know.
Furthermore, he's given the promise of land. He's told to go to a land, we call it the promised land, promised by God to his people, starting with Abraham. A mighty land, a land. were told from the river of Egypt. the Nile to the river of the Euriphrates.
in the Middle East. The sign of the Abrahamic covenant was circumstances. Season So The covenant with Noah, the covenant with Abraham, and then there is the Mosaic covenant. uh which was we understand particularly The Ten Commandments, but it was more than the Ten Commandments. It was given the giving of the law.
So when the Bible talks about the law, Generally speaking, it's referring to the mosaic Covenant. And if the rainbow was the sign of Noah's covenant, And circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, the sign of the Mosaic covenant. was the keeping of the Sabbath enshrined in the Ten Commandments. And then Jeremiah talks about A new covenant. And the writer of Hebrews elaborates on that, and the new covenant.
And every time we break bread, we remember the new covenant. Remember when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, he said, this cup. Is the new covenant in my blood? Yes, there's an old covenant. The Mosaic covenant, but now through our Lord Jesus Christ, who in fact is the mediator of all of the covenants.
He institutes this covenant and we are part of that covenant turned away. as we acknowledge Christ as our Savior.
So I encourage you to study these covenants, very important. in understanding the big picture. The overall drama, as it were, of God's redemption.
Now we're thinking of another covenant, it's called the Davidic covenant, because it's given. to Israel's greatest king, King David.
So open your Bibles. To 2 Samuel. Chapter seven. This covenant is also found in 1 Chronicles 17, but we're going to read the account from 2 Samuel. Chapter seven.
Verses 1 through 17. Perhaps it's a long time since you read 2 Samuel. Fascinating book. I encourage you to do it. David.
of course is the great figure there.
Now when a king that's David Lived in his house, and that the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies. The king said to Nathan the prophet, Three great offices in ancient Israel. The prophet The priest And they came. Separation of power is a word, just as here in the United States, there's meant to be the separation of powers. It doesn't work very well here.
Um but It is based, I think, on scripture. That power is not just given to one person. Yes, there's the king. Ah, but there's also Nathan the prophet. And we'll see in coming weeks that Nathan the prophet is going to confront.
the king.
So the king said, To Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent. And Nathan said to the king, Go. Do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. But the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan. Go and tell my servant David, thus says the Lord.
Would you build me a house to dwell in? I've not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day. but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. We call that tent the tabernacle. Verse 7.
In all places, Where I have moved with all of the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, thus says the Lord of hosts. I took you from the pasture. from following the sheep that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I've been with you wherever you went, and I've cut off all of your enemies from before you, and I will make for you a great name.
Now we're coming to the provisions of the Davidic covenant. Notice them. I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. and I will appoint a place for my people Israel. and will plant them so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more.
And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all of your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled, And you lie down with your fathers. When you die?
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.
In accordance with all his words, and in accordance with all his vision, Nathan spoke. To divide. Isn't that interesting? Uh Covenant. We call it the Davidic covenant found here in 2 Samuel chapter 7.
Now, We see here that David desires to to build a house for God. What's the context?
Well, David... Reigns as king for forty years. For the first seven years of his reign, He reigns in Hebron. To the south. And then Jerusalem is captured, it becomes the capital, and for the rest of the forty years, David reigns from Jerusalem.
Look back at chapter 5, 2 Samuel 5. Verse 10. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord. The God of hosts. was with him.
And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons, who built David a house. And David knew that the Lord had established him. King over Israel. and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people. Israel.
So David is now king, he's established in Jerusalem. Uh his ally To the north, the king of Tyre sends him cedar woods, the cedar from Lebanon, these magnificent trees. They are floated down. down to Israel. Taken to Jerusalem.
And there David, as the king, builds on what is called now Moaned the Zion. The city of David is called. He builds a palace, magnificent palace. with cedar wood supplied by Hiram king of Tyre. The Ark of the Covenant under David's reign is now brought to the capital Jerusalem.
And here is David, a man after God's own heart. A man that God had blessed, a man that God had made great, a worshiper of God. And one day he thinks, now here I am, living in a beautiful palace. built of cedar wood And the Ark of the Covenant, the very symbol of the presence of the Lord, the Ark of the Covenant. It's an attempt.
In a tabernacle. It doesn't seem right, he thinks. You'll recall. That when the children of Israel are led out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses, when the redeemed from Egypt God commanded them I'm quoting here from Exodus 25, verses 8 to 9: to make for God. Think of this.
A sanctuary that I may dwell in their Midst. Think of the grace of God. That the great God of heaven wants to dwell in the midst of his people. John in the New Testament is going to I refer to that. Remember when he says, and the word became flesh.
And dwelt among us, we could say the word became flesh and tabernacled among us. God is now with man. Emmanuel, God with us. Here in the Old Testament, The people are delivered. And Moses is instructed to build A tabernacle exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle and all of its furniture, so you shall make it.
That is, God in heaven, the great God, desires. To dwell In the midst. of his people. It's not wonderful. And the New Testament Matthew 18 verse 20.
Jesus says, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, There am I in the midst of them. We call this The sanctuary, not because it's a beautiful Room, it is. But we call it a sanctuary because when we come as a people of God, Indwelled by the Spirit, yes, but the Spirit is Here. That we gather to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. and that God is in the midst.
of us. And as the children of Israel travel, You'll recall they carried the tabernacle. Different of the clans of Levites are given particular instructions as to what to carry.
Some of them are carrying the planks of the tabernacle, some the coverings.
Some of the furniture and for long periods of time during the wilderness wanderings. They were in the same place. And what happened? The tabernacle was built. impitched in the midst of them.
This tent. went in the midst of them. And the twelve tribes Stayed on different sides. They were told. Certain ones to the north.
certain to the south and the east and the west.
So the 12 tribes were all looking at the very center towards the Ark of the Covenant, which dwelt in the tabernacle. When the children of Israel Finally, Moses has died. Under the leadership of Joshua, they come into the promised land. And where is the first place? Where the tabernacle is pitched.
If you've been with me to Israel, you should know this. Shiloh. And the scholars are absolutely certain That the almost the very place where it was placed placed. Shiloh. Remember it was there?
But a young woman in deep anguish went to pray. for a child. It was Hannah. She traveled to the tabernacle, which was pitched in Shiloh when Eli. Uh was the Uh the priest.
Through the history of the nation, I wouldn't take time to rehearse it. Finally, under the reign of David. He brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. And so he faints. Here I am.
I'm living in this palace. And God Is living in a tent. It doesn't seem right. And so we read. In the first three verses, his request to Nathan.
He wants to build. A great house for God. He wants to build a permanent structure, a temple as it were. That was a good desire. Yeah.
David was very, very wealthy. But not all wealthy people are concerned with the glory of God, are they? But how wonderful it is. When God has blessed individuals that they are concerned primarily, not with their own comfort, Not with using their money for their own self-indulgence. But for the glory of God.
And here's David, a man after God's own heart, is concerned about this and wants to build a house of the Lord. Let me ask you. When you move, If you were to If you were to move, say here you are living in Charlotte, and who would want to move from Charlotte? Right? But supposing God and His purposes, you had to move to New York State.
or California. Or Australia. or New Zealand, whatever. Would your first concern be What kind of house am I going to get? Or would your first concern would be Where am I going to worship?
I hope it would be. where you're going. to worship. The house of God is much more important than your home. Yes, we all love our home.
I like my home. I'm thankful for it. But I trust my heart is more concerned with the house. of God. It's sad, isn't it, when someone moves?
And uh They have no regard for where they're going to worship. Let me encourage you if God ever moves you. Think. Where am I going to worship? Not just where am I going to live, but more importantly, where am I going to worship?
You see, David was. A worshiper of God. In a few weeks ahead, Lord willing, we'll think of David as the worshipper. Remember, David says in Psalm 122, verse 1, I was glad. When they said Let us go to the house of the Lord.
You glad this morning? to come to the house of the Lord. I think David would have Got his time right. One day. Take that extra hour.
Wouldn't have been for bed, but would have been for worship. I was glad. When they said, let's go to the house. Of the Lord.
Now, he brings this request to Nathan. There's a good desire, and Nathan, obviously, rather quickly, says, Yes, that's good. But then the Lord speaks to Nathan and says no. I have an instructor, David. to do that.
that privilege is going to be given. to someone else, and we know who that was. It was David's son from Bathsheba.
Solomon.
So David is not the one to build a temple for God. He's reminded, however, that God took him from the pasture. from following sheep. to be a prince A leader? A king over my people, Israel, verse 8.
And God had made him great. No, David is a warrior, he's a man of blood. He's not going to be given this privilege. But he is now the Lord is going to make this covenant. With David.
Now, in the verses we read in 2 Samuel 7, the word covenant is not stated, but in 2 Samuel 23, verse 5, it states it is an everlasting covenant. This covenant, is an unconditional Everlasting covenant.
Now, what are the provisions of it? What are they? covenantal promises to David.
Well, He's going to have a great name and he's going to have land. Verse 9. God first promises that David will have a great name. That's true, isn't it? David is one of the great men in history.
He's going to have a significant lineage, and rule is going to come from David. The second promise is that David will establish a place of rest For Israel, verse Ten. I will appoint a place for my people Israel, will plant them so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. Violent men shall afflict them no more as formerly. Going to have a place.
For them. where they're no longer going to be Harass that takes us back, doesn't it, into the Abrahamic covenant? where there was a promise of land A time when the nation is going to be at rest. When Israel's enemies, when violent men are going to afflict. and persecute Israel no longer.
And that David's lineage and rule. will provide Eight people of God. And this theme of the fulfillment of land is developed throughout scripture. and will be fulfilled. We saw this when we looked at Romans chapter 11, will be fulfilled when the Messiah, David's greater son, Retardance and institutes his millennial Mm-hmm.
as the successor. Of David. We'll think of that more.
next week.
Now there's more in the covenant. He's told that his son will succeed him and establish his kingdom. This Davidic covenant is a unilateral covenant with promises unconditionally guaranteed by God himself. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. and a message titled The Davidic Covenant.
In the coming days, we'll be continuing our in-depth study on the life of David. And as a special addition to this series, we're offering a helpful resource. It's a custom listening guide specifically written to complement each of these daily lessons. With details on key points, questions for review, and practical ideas for daily application. This printable workbook is a great resource for your own personal study or for hosting a group discussion with family and friends.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever studied some of the other covenants in the Bible, such as God's covenant with Noah and with Abraham? We see in the Old and the New Testaments that God desires to dwell in the midst of his people. The Apostle Paul reminds us that when God's people gather in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is in our midst.
So this means that that there's reverence in our worship. and also desire to do all for the glory of God. King David rejoiced when he went to the house of the Lord. Do you? Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mm.
