Calvary Church • 11338 Ozga Road • Romulus MI 48174 • 734.941.0236 • calvary@calvaryromulus.org
. . .You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
Psalm 138:2 NKJV
God Promises an Eternal Kingdom
8. The Kings
2 Samuel 7:12-16
Models are representative of the real thing. They can serve as patterns or reminders or create anticipation of the real thing, such as model cars, airplanes, dolls, play houses, or erector sets. Models can be ends in themselves, such as collecting figurines, dolls, farm toys or NASCAR models. Models are often a stepping stone of expression until the real thing is attained.
The kings of Israel, especially David and Solomon, can be seen as models, although imperfect and finite, of the future perfect and eternal reign of Jesus Christ. Just as the people of Israel were subject to the rule of God through their kings, so are we as children of God subject to God’s rule through our king Jesus Christ.
Key Idea: The imperfect model of Israel’s kings reminds us that we are to obey and serve our King in this life and look forward to the perfect and eternal kingdom
One way to trace God’s purposes and the theme of God’s Word is to trace his promises. The Bible is about two major connected themes:
God’s Kingdom – God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule
Jesus Christ – the eternal King
Since Genesis 3:15, all of scripture is moving toward the coming of a “serpent-crusher”. God’s people are in the land He promised them and the enemy in general is subdued. It has been over 300 years.
In Genesis 12:1-9 God called Abraham and made a promise to him. God promised Abraham a land (Canaan), descendants (seed) too numerous to count with nations and kings coming from him, and blessing (he would be blessed, he would be a blessing and all nations would be blessed through him).
Then came God’s promise to Israel through Moses, recorded in Exodus 19:1-6. They would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation IF they obeyed God.
The promise of the land to Abraham and his seed was unconditional. The promise of enjoyment of the land to Moses and the Israelites was conditional, based on obedience to God.
As we move into the history of the kings, God will make another huge and significant promise, this time to David. In 2 Samuel 7:8-16, God promised that David’s house and kingdom would be established forever.
By reading the book of Judges, we can tell that things weren’t going well in the land of promise. The people were involved in idolatry, intermarriage with the peoples they were supposed to destroy and in general, disobedience to God. A key phrase of the book is Judges 17:6, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” By the time Israel got to the last judge they thought they needed a king, not to help them obey and follow God, but to make them like other nations.
THE PLEA FOR A KING 1 Samuel 8:4-5
THE PURPOSE FOR A KING 1 Samuel 8:6-8
The people’s purpose: Be like other nations, reject God’s rule over them
Are there ways in which we reject God’s rule over us? The sin of the Israelites ought to remind us of our own sin.
God’s purpose: Provide leadership for His people for their own good by establishing an everlasting kingdom through the line of David, the reign of Jesus Christ.
THE PRESCRIPTION FOR A KING Deuteronomy 17:14-20
THE PRESENTATION OF ISRAEL’S KING 1 Samuel 12:12
THE PROBLEM WITH SAUL 1 Samuel 15:23
Saul’s problem was disobedience and rebellion.
Giving more, praying more, coming to church, or doing something special for God are insincere acts if we are willingly disobedient in other areas. God wants obedience – not excuses and certainly not “bribes”. On the other hand, God’s grace is patient because He wants to enable us to obey IF we are willing.
THE PROMISE TO DAVID 2 Samuel 7:8-16
THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST Acts 15:14-18; Revelation 7:9, 11:15
Christ’s kingdom includes people of all nations, not just Israel.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE KINGDOM TODAY
Entered by faith
Lived by obedience and service
John Piper: “The mission of the church today is to submit ourselves to the Son of David who right now rules invisibly from heaven until he puts every enemy under his feet. And our mission is to announce the good news to people in every neighborhood and every nation that they can be happy subjects of Christ's kingdom forever if they transfer their allegiance from the kingdom of this world to the kingdom of Christ. To put it another way, personal holiness means learning the attitudes and customs of a new kingdom—the kingdom of Christ. And personal evangelism means telling people that the rightful king of the world against whom they have rebelled is willing to grant amnesty to all who return and live under his rule. Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the eternal King of the world will come from heaven and establish a reign of joy and righteousness and peace over all his loyal subjects forever and ever. And until he comes, the worldwide mission of the church is to extend complete, free, universal amnesty to people from every nation.”
(http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1983/417_Gods_Covenant_with_David/)
THE INVITATION TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST Isaiah 55:1-3; Revelation 22:16-17
Next: The Exile
Next: The Exile
