The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

The Davidic Covenant - Its Purpose and Effect

The ark entering Jerusalem

There is nothing so comforting to us than knowing that we can lie down at night in security and peace, and then rise in the morning knowing that we will safe to occupy ourselves with those activities in which we take pleasure. One of the great accomplishments of the reign of David was to bring about conditions that allowed that to happen in Israel. Solomon is known as the king of peace, but it is David, with God’s help, that laid the foundation for it. The Psalmist captured the essence of this exactly. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.” (Ps. 121:1-8)

If the kingdom of Israel, in the purposes of God, was to be a model, albeit a very limited model, of the future millennial kingdom, then there would be three areas in the domain of the king, which would need to function at a hundred percent efficiency – warfare, welfare and worship.

1.            In Israel it was the king that had the responsibility of providing a blanket of security for his subjects.  This could only be done with faith in God.

2.            Furthermore, it would be he that would be required to look after the welfare of his people – that they had a comfortable existence living in a righteous and just society.

3.            Moreover, he would have to ensure that the God of Abraham had His rightful place in their nation. Obedience to the law of Moses, and a functioning priesthood under the protection of the throne was essential.

These areas of responsibility are seen most clearly in the commissioning of the first three kings of Israel, the only kings that reigned over a united kingdom. However, the emphasis for each was different being dictated by the prevailing circumstances when they came to the throne. Saul was commissioned for warfare (to overcome the Philistines). “I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.” (1 Sam. 9:16) Although he had some initial success, ultimately he failed due to disobedience. The Spirit of the Lord left him and the Philistines killed him.

David’s fame in Israel was initially because of his success against their Philistine neighbors.  He came to the public’s attention when he slew Goliath. His victories as king included securing and fortifying the borders of Israel and maintaining a standing army. In this respect he laid the foundation for the halcyon days of peace that were enjoyed by Israel.  He succeeded where Saul had failed; no doubt because his relationship with the Lord was stronger. But David was trained as a shepherd and as the shepherd king he was also required to look after the welfare of his people. A Psalm describes this aspect of his duties. “He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;  from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance” (Ps.78.70-72).  In addition, David, with a heart more in tune with God than any other king that would rise, gave due respect to the worship of the Lord. He reordered the priesthood into twenty-four courses; he composed Psalms, not only for his personal devotions but also for large Levitical choirs to sing; he brought the Ark to Jerusalem, and protected the Zadokian priesthood. In other words, David’s claim to be Israel’s greatest king is supported by his fulfilling his responsibility to care for the welfare and worship of his subjects after securing peace by successful warfare. Alas, there is no king that is without sin and even Israel’s greatest earthly king, David, succumbed and the welfare of Israel was compromised. Adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah, led to civil war, and when he numbered Israel, 70,000 of his flock died.

Nevertheless, Solomon inherited a kingdom that was wealthy and secure. With the gift of wisdom from above, he entered on a reign of peace. His greatest contribution was in the area of worship. He fulfilled the commission passed to him by his father David[1] and replaced the tent-shrine of the Lord with a magnificent Temple that was graced by the divine presence at its dedication. But he too had feet of clay. Although he built the Temple, he failed to protect the worship of the God of Israel. He multiplied wives and with them idolatry.  His activities led to the division the kingdom and therefore were the root cause of the northern kingdom setting up calf worship in Dan and Bethel. But he was the son of David and, because of that, a recipient of the ‘chesed’ (loving-kindness) of God and secure in his position as king.

So the Davidic covenant is an acknowledgement that David was a man approved of God, who understood what was required of a king of Israel, and who sought to do it. He not only trusted God but was fully committed to Him. Consequently, he was God’s choice to be the model for any who should reign over Israel. It is true that he sinned but when he did his repentance was full and sincere. God rewarded him with the promise of a dynasty and a name. But it would need a greater than David to provide for Israel real peace and security, guidance and sustenance, forgiveness and salvation. It would need great David’s greater Son.

Summary

Saul was commissioned for warfare. He failed to do that for which he was chosen. Because of sin, the Spirit of the Lord left him and the Philistines killed him.

David came to the fore after the Spirit of the Lord came upon him at his anointing. He drove out the Philistines and succeeded in his military enterprises. He fulfilled a king’s responsibility for warfare.

 

His added commission was to look after the welfare of his people, to lead them and to feed them. This he did and is known as the shepherd/king. But his record in respect of caring for the people is not without blemish. Because he committed adultery and murder, the displeasure of the Lord was incurred. The resultant civil war put Israelite against Israelite and when he numbered Israel 70,000 of his people died. While his record on welfare is reasonably good, it does have some serious blemishes.

In respect of worship, he cannot be surpassed. His prophetic and musical gifts come to the fore in the Psalms, and when he had a vision of Jerusalem being a Temple city, he was clearly expressing the mind of God. His was the vision, and his the preparations that made Solomon’s Temple possible.

Solomon was a peaceful king. Because of David’s success and legacy, he had no need to be a military king. But his record on welfare was not too good. His oppressive regime ultimately led to the division of the kingdom. And although he built the Temple, he failed to protect the worship of the Lord, and Israel was beset with idolatry until they returned from Babylon.

Of these three kings who reigned over a united Israel, it is David who was most able to fulfill the responsibilities of a king under God, and he is the one whose dynasty was established by covenant. 

Next Time: The New Covenant

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[1] 2 Sam.7.13