“A Promised Offspring” 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Throughout history God has taken the initiative to relate to his creation and his people, making bold, generous promises and expecting, as an appropriate response, faith and obedience.  The word that describes this is “covenant.” Here, God makes an astounding covenant with David.

David decides to build a “house” (i.e. a temple) for God.  Instead, God tells David that He will establish a “house” (i.e. a royal dynasty) for David.

After reminding David that it is the Lord who has made him king and delivered him from his enemies, God makes some promises to David that should ring somewhat familiar in our ears.

First, God promises to make David’s name great.  We’ve heard this before because God had already promised Abram the very same thing (see Genesis 12:2).

Then God promises His people a “home” of peace and rest.  Starting with Abram, God had promised a land to his people, and as part of His covenant with Israel at Sinai, God had promised peace and rest in the land, if the people obeyed Him (see Leviticus 26:6).

Finally, God promises David a “house” or “kingdom” that will endure forever.  This promise focuses on a particular descendant.  Here is where things get a little tricky.  This promise is partially fulfilled a little later in the person of David’s son Solomon, who does, indeed, build an impressive house for God.  However, Solomon’s rule, as glorious as it was, ended.  Because of Solomon’s disobedience, the kingdom was first rent in two and then eventually completely toppled by Assyria and Babylon.

So what happened to the promise?

Solomon was only an initial and partial fulfillment of the promise.  The promise is completely fulfilled much later in the person of Jesus Christ who was announced by the archangel Gabriel as follows: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32,33).  I would say that pretty much meets the criteria of the covenant.

Knowing what we now do about Jesus, we can see that God’s promise of an “offspring” to David (2 Samuel 7:12) was completely in line with His promise to Eve that her “offspring” would crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15), as well as His promise to Abraham that through his “offspring” all nations of the world would be blessed (Genesis 22:18).

And so to this day we pray “Thy kingdom come…” and await with eager anticipation the second coming of King Jesus and His eternal rule first over the House of Jacob in the Millenium and ultimately over the entire House of God, which includes His Bride, the Church, in the New Heavens and New Earth.

Interesting how much that promise to David can mean to us, huh?

Kip