Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-16
Review and Explanation: The glory and blessing of God's direct rule over Israel reached an historical high during the reign of Solomon (see 1 Kings 10:14-29). As great as the conditions were, they were only a foretaste of something greater, something that will come when the Lord Jesus begins His reign here on the earth. Jesus referred to this when He told the Pharisees: "The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold something greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew 12:42).
The glory and blessing experienced during Solomon's reign, and promised during the reign of Christ, was first promised to David in 2 Samuel 7:1-16. The Lord told David: "I will make for you a great name" (7:9). In previous studies, we found that blessings of God's kingdom are poured out on those whose name He makes great. So it isn't surprising to read something like this about David, seeing that God is about to announce unparalleled glory and blessing on His people as David's son reigns over them.
The Lord also told David: "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 I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies" (7:10-11). These verse foreshadown the prosperity and peace we read about in passages like 1 Kings 10:14-29.
Next the Lord tells David: "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." (7:12-13). This where God explains that the promises of great glory and blessing will be fulfilled during the reign of David's son.
The question is, who exactly does God have in mind as the "offspring" of David, the one who will receive these promises? The answer is both Solomon and Jesus. We know that Solomon was at least a partial fulfillment of the promises, since glory and blessing for Israel, as previously mentioned, reached an historical high during Solomon's reign. However, the glory and blessing associated with Solomon's reign eventually came to an end, due to Israel's disobedience. But the Lord promised David that the prosperity and peace, etc., would last "forever" in association with the "offspring" He would raise up. The word "forever" is one of the indications that 2 Samuel 7 must be looking forward to something greater than Solomon.
The New Testament removes all doubt about the identity of David's son, the one whose rule will be associated with unprecedented and forever-lasting glory and blessing. In Luke 1:32-33, the angel Gabriel says this about Jesus: "He will be great and will be called the Son of Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
In the end, we can hardly imagine the glory and blessing that will be true of Christ's future kingdom. Tomorrow, I will write about how the prospect of living in such great glory and blessing can impact our lives here and now.
Reflection Questions: Obviously these details of God's overall plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed was loaded with blessing and good for David and his son. How about you? Do you believe that God's plan is loaded with blessing and good for you? Why or why not? How does this belief affect your life?
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