On the Lord’s Day nine days from now I’m speaking on the Davidic
covenant from Romans 1:3, so I’ve been thinking about the importance of David
in the Gospel. From the first chapter of the New Testament (Matthew 1:1) to the
last (Revelation 22:16), God’s promise to David and its fulfillment in Christ
is a massively important theme for the Book.
When we think about the Davidic covenant, I’ve usually limited my
thinking to the King Himself.[1]
Especially during this time of year, the Advent season, we read the promise of
Gabriel, messenger of God, to Mary: “Do
not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He
will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord
God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over
the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke
1:30-33).
Who was the king under the old covenant, and Who is the King under the
new covenant?
David → Jesus Christ
Yesterday, meditating on the Davidic covenant, I began to think about
the further implications beyond the King Himself.
Where was David’s throne under the old covenant, and where is the new
David’s throne under the new covenant?
Enthroned in earthly Jerusalem →
Enthroned in heavenly Jerusalem
While David reigned on his throne in the earthly Jerusalem under the
old covenant (1 Kings 11:36; 1 Chronicles 23:25; 2 Chronicles 6:6; Jeremiah 3:17),
the King of kings reigns on His throne in the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians
4:26; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12; 21-22).
What was David’s kingdom under the old covenant, and where is the new
David’s kingdom under the new covenant?
Reigning over Israel & Judah
→ Reigning over heaven and earth
During the regency of David and his son Solomon the boundaries of the
kingdom expanded to the range promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18; 1 Kings 4:21).
But this was the old covenant. As Christ is infinitely greater than David, and
the heavenly Jerusalemite throne is infinitely greater than the earthly
Jerusalemite throne, so, too, is the new covenant kingdom exponentially greater
than the old covenant kingdom.
The new covenant kingdom is not limited to a single nation, a single
people-group, or a single piece of real estate. The new covenant kingdom is “in heaven and on earth” (Matthew
28:18). Why? Because that’s where the citizens of the kingdom are. They are
from out of “every tribe and tongue and
people and nation” (Revelation 5:9) on earth. They are counted in heaven.
The “gospel of God, which He promised
beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning
His Son, Who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh”
(Romans 1:1-3), is the same Gospel which is “the
power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and
also to the Greek” (1:16). “The
Jew…and also…the Greek” is a Pauline concept which means “all people groups.”
The King is Jesus Christ, Seed of David. His throne is in heaven. His kingdom
is over all of heaven and all of earth, and His loyal subjects are found
scattered in every corner of the earth and enthroned in heaven. In the first
chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul reminds us that the Gospel of the Son of
David, the King, is the Gospel that is God’s very power. The power of His reign
is the proclamation of His Gospel, not the strategies and means of worldly
power. It is about the Gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed by His Church
everywhere. And until we re-learn this lesson, Church, we will continue to see
our power and influence get smaller and smaller.
Your efforts to rebuild the kingdoms of David, Solomon, and Constantine
will fail, because each of these would be a pitiful, small, Gospel-denying step
backwards.
It’s about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine if our efforts, financial
support, energy, and speech were thrown behind this evangelistic global mission
as much as it is behind the little political games and conspiracies of the
world system!
The Gospel, and nothing else, because it’s the means of the power of
the King of kings throughout His all-encompassing Kingdom. Return to your
Bibles, Church! Read the whole Book, Church! And repent. It's all bigger than you think it is, and the power is simpler (and mightier) than you think it is.
[1] The Davidic covenant is described in 2 Samuel 7:8-16;
1 Chronicles 17:1-14; Psalm 89:26-36; Acts 2:30. There are many, many other
passages I could cite, as well, but these are the foundational ones.
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