A quick internet search allows anyone to collect some concerning statistics about Canada. For example, there were over 358,000 victims of reported physical abuse in 2019, 30% of which were domestic. There are more than two thousand organized crime groups in operation, three-quarters of which are violent and have connections to seventy-seven other countries. There are over 47,000 deaths every year linked to substance abuse, nearly 5000 to suicide, and almost 2000 to traffic accidents. Last year saw almost 20,000 robberies and 5000 incidents of identity theft.

Numbers like these show, among other things, the limits of our governments, our systems, and our leaders. They simply aren’t fast enough, smart enough, resourced enough, or powerful enough to stop all this evil and suffering. Numbers like these make us long for an authority so limitless it could eradicate all injustice, crime, abuse, and brokenness. But an authority that powerful would have to be equally good or it would be terrifying.

Christians have the comfort of knowing that such a King is coming and such a kingdom is inevitable.

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

All earthly forms of authority have limits. Every parent, teacher, coach, employer, peace officer, judge, and government has frontiers to their influence, boundaries to their jurisdiction. Their authority has limits.

And these limits are good because people are not good. As Lord Acton famously said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And so, not trusting how unchecked supremacy would be used, we put checks-and-balances in place, roadblocks to dictatorship, buffers to abuse. That’s good because people aren’t.

But these authoritative limits are tragic for the same reason: because people are not good. They’re frustrating because there’s suffering in the world that needs to be stopped by an authority with power.

Consider Canada for a moment (not the most notorious nation on earth). In our country there were over 358K victims of reported physical abuse in 2019, 30% of which were domestic. There are more than 2K organized crime groups operating in Canada, three-quarters of which are violent and have connections to seventy-seven other countries. There are over 47K deaths every year linked to substance abuse, almost 5K to suicide, and 2K to traffic accidents. Last year there were almost 20K robberies and 5K stolen identities. 

Numbers like those should make us grieve the limits of authority. Ours just aren’t good enough, quick enough, smart enough, resourced enough, or powerful enough to stop it all. Oh, that there would be an authority so limitless it could eradicate all injustice, crime, abuse, and brokenness! But an authority that powerful would have to be equally and perfectly good or it would be terrifying.

That’s our situation. This world needs a limitless power to fix it that’s, at the same time, limitless in its virtue. Anything less on either side won’t do the trick.

Well, you and I know that there is such an authority, such a leader, and such a government—and it’s coming. Turn to 2 Samuel 7. Today we’re going to study the fifth of six biblical covenants, oaths to which God obligated himself in a beautiful plan to restore his once-beautiful but now-cursed creation. Today we come to the Davidic covenant.

What is the Davidic covenant?

What did God swear to do and what did David, the original recipient, expect when it was sworn? Let’s start at verse 1 and get some context.

[7:1–3] After years of unrest and war, Israel is finally at peace. But David’s uncomfortable with the fact that he’s living in luxury while the God who provided the peace is living (so to speak) in a tent, that is the portable temple, the tabernacle. 

David says to God’s prophet, “Nathan, I’ve put roots down, I’ve got a pool and five-car garage. But God’s still camping.” It doesn’t seem right. And, initially, Nathan agrees.

[7:4–7] God responds, “David, don’t worry about it. I’m not worried about it. I’ve never been worried about it.” God’s not rebuking him, but preparing for a gracious twist.

[7:8–11a] Did you hear the echoes of the Abrahamic covenant in there, promises of population, location, and global benediction? “I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth … [My people Israel] may live in their own place and not be disturbed again.” God’s saying, “David, you want to take care of me? I’ve been taking care of you and will continue to take care of you.”

Now, here comes the gracious twist. [7:11b] David wanted to build a house for God but God says he’s going to build one for David. And he doesn’t mean a summer house (David’s already got a palace [v. 2]). God means a royal house, a dynasty of kings, a royal lineage.

[7:12–13] What a dynasty! What a legacy being promised! From David’s line will come a king for whom God will build a forever kingdom. And that king is going to have the privilege of building a house for God.

Now, let’s remember that this scene began with the recognition that God was living in a temporary dwelling. It’s not ideal. It was never ideal. Back in Eden, before sin, God’s desire was to dwell with his people eternally not temporarily. God’s all for a permanent, non-tent dwelling. It’s just not going to be David that makes it happen. 

And we were just given a hint why. For God’s house to be permanent, the kingdom in which it sits must be permanent. If you attach God’s house to a kingdom that’s going to crumble, a land that’s going to be conquered, and a monarchy that’s going to fade, what good is it? It would be like putting a state-of-the-art kitchen in a 100-year-old tear-down and declaring it to be the last kitchen you’ll ever need. When the house falls down, the kitchen goes with it.

God wants a permanent house and from David’s line will come a king with an everlasting throne who will build God’s everlasting house.

[7:14–15] In the context of Israel’s history, Solomon, David’s son and royal successor, is the initial fulfillment of this prophecy. He had a close relationship with God at first and he built a temple. He would also sin, be corrected, and then sin a lot more. In fact, his sin would lead to a divided kingdom, civil war, massive military losses, deportation, and the destruction of that temple (not-so-permanent, I guess). If it wasn’t for [7:15], Israel might have wondered whether God had changed his mind about the everlasting kingdom. 

So, while Solomon was the immediate referent, there had to be another, a better, more faithful king to come, a Son of David who’s kingdom wouldn’t be divided, who would build a truly permanent dwelling place for God on earth, a king who would also be called the Son of God. Boy, who could that be?

Now, here comes the covenant oath. [7:16–17] The word covenant isn’t used in this passage but it is elsewhere referring to this passage. [Ps 89:3–4; Jer 33:20–21]

So, what is the Davidic covenant? It’s God’s solemn oath to establish, from David’s line, an everlasting throne for David’s descendent, forever ruling over David’s kingdom. God swears by himself that a king will come from the house of David that will establish a permanent kingdom and build a permanent temple. 

And this is what David expected. [23:5] David expected the covenant to be fulfilled as stated.

It’s what of Israel expected. [Isa 9:6–7; Eze 37:24–25] Israel expected an eternal king from David’s line reigning eternally. 

It’s what the people of Jesus’s time expected. [Matt 1:1, 20; 2:2; 3:2; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:20–21] At his first coming the people were expecting a righteous and eternal reign of the Son of David.

It’s what the disciples expected. [Acts 1:6–7] 

You see, God is a good communicator and he means what he says. And in the Davidic covenant, God created expectations for his people, that from David’s line, there would come an everlasting throne for David’s descendent, forever ruling over David’s kingdom. 

Where does the Davidic covenant fit?

How does it relate to the other biblical covenants and to God’s restoration project as a whole?

The Noahic covenant laid the foundation, immovable and sure. The Abrahamic covenant built atop it, predicting a location for a benediction-spreading population. The Mosaic covenant established a means of preservation for that population, God ensuring that they would remain distinct from the other nations so as to accomplish what he was going to use them to accomplish. And, while the Priestly covenant brought perpetual representation for people in the presence of God, the Davidic covenant announces an everlasting jurisdiction for God in the presence of his people through his king.

Reading beyond 2 Samuel we learn that, while his throne will be in Jerusalem, the scope of this king’s reign will be without borders, without limits. Unlike limited human authorities that leave evil unchecked, unseen, and unpunished, this coming Authority will have none of those deficiencies. His reign will be no democracy, will have no checks-and-balances, and no opposition. Boundless jurisdiction. 

And that would be terrifying if his perfection and goodness wasn’t equally boundless, if his character wasn’t pristine, unblemished, and righteous. [Isa 11:1–10] 

You see, the Davidic covenant promises a divine presence on earth forever; a jurisdiction without the limits of finitude and sin. And we need that, don’t we? That’s how the Davidic covenant fits.

Why does the Davidic covenant matter?

I think understanding this oath properly should inspire us to at least three activities.

First, we watch. Because we know that a perfect government is coming, we can see how the world—and, unfortunately, some Christians—place their hope in imperfect governments. 

We watch as, every election cycle, many look to and lift up systems, parties, and politicians as messianic, as keys national, moral, and personal deliverance. One side boasts the christ, the other the antichrist and armageddon is at stake.

There’s nothing wrong with being interested and involved in government and politics. In fact, Christians should be. But it is wrong when our interest and involvement hinder us from trusting God, praying for our government, and submitting to our government. 

Watch out! We trust not in chariots and horses, brothers and sisters, but we trust in the Lord our God. We trust in no party or platform but in the power and providence of the Almighty who is going to bring the only government that will actually fix our problems, and it’s a monarchy. In the meantime, we watch ourselves, our hearts, our world.

Second, we wait. The davidic kingdom is not here. It will come when the King returns and sits on his throne. That’s what we’re waiting for. In fact, that’s what the King himself is waiting for.

Remember that David was anointed as God’s chosen king in 1 Samuel 16 but takes the throne in 2 Samuel 5. What happened in the interim? Saul happened! He was ruling, rebelling against God, leading Israel astray. And David waited on God’s perfect timing to take his throne.

Similarly, the Son of David, Jesus Christ, has been anointed, chosen by God to be the eternal and rightful king. But right now there’s a menace on the throne of this world. Satan, the god and ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Cor 4:4), the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) has the whole world … in [his] power (1 John 5:19). This is why Satan could legitimately offer it all to Jesus should he bow down and worship him. [Matt 4:8–9]

Jesus is the rightful and coming king. He will take the throne in the Father’s perfect timing. [Psa 110:1–3] He’s waiting. And, as he waits, we wait, praying “Thy kingdom come, Lord. Perhaps today.” 

Finally, we witness. Our job while we watch and wait is not to expand the kingdom or advance the kingdom. Our job, if we want to put it in kingdom language, is to go out and make eventual kingdom citizens by being witnesses to the power of the gospel and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the coming King.

We are heralds, announcing and warning the world of the soon return his Majesty. We are his witnesses, his emissaries, his delegates. Our job is to make him known.

Many are familiar with the legend of Robin Hood. When Richard the Lionheart, the rightful king of England, leaves for the crusades in the Holy Land, his power-hungry younger brother, Prince John, takes over. In some accounts of the story, John tells his subjects that Richard died in battle, trying to convince them of his legitimacy as king.

With Richard gone, Prince John and his sidekick, the Sherif of Nottingham, abuse the people and the land, treating that which isn’t theirs as their own playground. They’re tyrants who steal, kill, and oppress for their own fame and gain. Robin Hood and his followers fight this injustice—sometimes winning, sometimes losing. It’s back and forth with many casualties, much sorrow, and great darkness.

But then the pain stops. The struggle ends. John and the Sherif are finally dealt with and the sun comes out and all is made right. When does this all happen? When the king returns. The rightful ruler comes back and makes all things right.

That’s what we’re waiting for, brothers and sisters. But this isn’t a fairy tale. He’s coming. It’s been sworn by God himself. And, while he tarries, we watch, we wait, and we witness.

 

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