Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-17
Review and Explanation: The Lord promised 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." The word "offspring" is literally "seed". We've already seen the word "seed" in relation to other promises made by the Lord in association with the Virgin-born, Deliverer King at the center of His plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed (see Genesis 3:15; 9:9; 12:7). Each time we read the word "seed" in contexts such as this, we find God adding to our understanding of the identity of the promised Virgin-born, Deliverer King. In the past, we have seen the line this person descends from narrowed to Seth, to Shem, to Abraham, to Issac, to Jacob, to Judah, and now to the "house" or descendants of David.
The promises God made to David dazzle the mind, seeing that they describe the future restoration of God's rule as a time of unparalleled prosperity and peace. It's equally amazing how David responded to the promises, since the Lord indicated so clearly they would not be fulfilled during David's lifetime. David responded with a prayer of praise, calling special attention to how the promises filled him with courage (see 2 Samuel 7:18-29). Once again, David's response is so remarkable in that he had no expectation whatsoever of experiencing the fulfillment of the promises in this life.
David's response seems to hang on three realities: (1) his faith in the Lord's unique ability to do all He promised; (2) the goodness and desirability of the Lord's plan as He announced it; and (3) the Lord's emphasis on "forever" (repeated three times, with the concept of "forever" communicated at least four more times using other words and phrases). These realities indicated to David that he could expect to actually participate in the promised blessing someday after his death, even though he wouldn't see them fulfilled in his lifetime. They were "forever" blessings, and "forever" goes on, well, forever!
The realities also filled David with courage to walk through whatever came to him in this life. He knew the Lord was for him and not against him. He was confident that any adversity he faced would be endured for only a short while in comparison to "forever." As the saying goes, "He read the book, and he knew how the story ends!" That kind of perspective on life ended up factoring in to the way David managed Absalom's rebellion as well as the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba. And we see it reflected in dozens of psalms (see Psalm 86, for example).
As for you and me, there are numerous promises related to God's plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed that may not be fulfilled in our lifetimes. However, the fact that the Lord has promised them can be a sufficient base for living by faith and with courage. If we, like David, believe in the Lord's unique ability to do all He has promised, and in the goodness and desirability of His plan, and in the "forever" nature of it all, we can stand up with courage to face whatever comes our way today.
Reflection Questions: Read Psalms 32, 51, and 86. With the three realities mentioned above in mind, what parts of these psalms speak to you in a special way? Why? How might you apply these psalms to something that is happening in your life right now?
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