Let me ask you this morning if you’ve ever said something like—the older I get the smarter my parents become? Perhaps if you’ve not expressed a statement like that…you’ve come to realize that it’s true in your heart. The younger group here today might not see things the same way—because this truth is hard to recognize looking forward. Looking back though, it’s not hard to see at all. Looking back is usually when we see things more clearly. 

Looking back at God’s covenant with David we’re able to better understand the new covenant we enjoy with Christ today. David’s covenant provides us with some valuable insight for why Christ came, what He accomplished, and how it applies to us today. There are at least 4 things we can draw from this passage that will help us see the covenant with David more clearly.   

1. The plan of God.

At the beginning of our text we learn about David’s desire to build a temple in order to house the Ark of the Covenant. He shares this desire with Nathan—God’s prophet. Nathan thinks it a good idea as well. But—what they’ll both learn is God’s plan is something completely different.

God’s plan is to build a house…but that house will be the house of David (v11). What’s interesting is—we’ll discover that God’s not talking about a house made of bricks and mortar. He’s talking about building a dynasty. God is going to do a great work through the life of David—and what He’s about to do has eternal implications that will impact you and me this morning. There’s nothing wrong with David’s desire…it’s just not part of God’s plan for David at that time.

David is out in front of God. Have you ever been there? The desire of your heart is to do something for the Lord…and you think “I know this is what His plan is for my life because I thought of it.” Look at what God says to David in verse 7. Notice in verse 9 that God said David’s name is going to great…but not because of what David does—it will be great because of what God is going to do in and through him.

Church, this is where we need to be. Open and obedient to everything that God wants to do in and through us. If any—or all of us here are counted among the greatest on earth…it should be the result of what God is doing in our lives. And—we should make sure that the world knows He’s the One responsible for it.

2. The person of God.

The Lord tells David—in verse 12, when his time here on earth is done…He will raise up his offspring to succeed him. In the immediate context the person referred to is Solomon. Solomon does become the one who sits on the throne of David as God’s representative for His people (1 Kings 8:20). But—the text also points to someone that is still to come.

We’ve already mentioned that God is building the house of David…and this means a ruling dynasty. So—there are still others yet to come over the course of time. Not everyone though—in this ruling dynasty will be a man after God’s own heart like David… and He’ll have to discipline them as He says in verse 14.

But—there is someone coming that has been anointed by God to build a house for God’s name…and His throne will be established forever (v13). His name is Jesus. The Bible says that He is the King of kings (Rev 19:16). There’s no one like Him.

How do we know this is the person of God? Listen to what the angel Gabriel said to Mary in Luke 1:31-33, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and 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.”

The writer of Hebrews, when referring to Jesus as God’s perfect representative, used this same verse, “I will be His Father and He will be my Son” (Heb 1:5). People make a lot of claims about who they are—or who they think they are! Jesus said in John 10:18, “He had the authority to lay His life down, and the authority to take it up again.”

In other words He has the power over life and death. The only one that can do that is the person of God. Is this the person your hope of heaven is in? Or is it in your own perceived authority?

3. The power of God.

Look if you will—how many times this passage uses the personal pronoun “I” in reference to the Lord and what He’s going to do (20x). It’s a statement of power (Luke 1:37). Look at verse 8—now tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says.” God is simply stating the obvious…He’s the One at work in David’s life and whatever He says…goes.

We see the very same thing being said to us in the N. T. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.” That’s a statement of power. When Jesus healed the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years in Luke 8…that was a statement of power. When Jesus calmed the storm on the lake in Matthew 8…that was a statement of power. When He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11…that’s power.

The point here is simple…the power of God was at work in David’s life. And the good news this morning is—He’s willing to work in our lives as well. That’s what He meant in Acts 1 when He told the disciples to wait until the power came upon them. The working power of His Holy Spirit will accomplish what He sets out to do in and through each of us (Eph 3:20).

4. The promise of God.

David asks God to keep His promise so that the world might know that He is the Lord Almighty (read verses 27-29). God’s covenant with David was an O.T. picture of what He intended to do before the creation of the world through Jesus in the N. T. What’s amazing is the covenant that Jesus established as a King in David’s line includes the same 4 things;

A plan that He would bring to completion for God’s people. God the Father knew if He ever acted in creation He would have to send His Spirit to draw people to His Son for salvation (Eph 1:4). Have you been made aware of God’s plan? Is God’s Spirit drawing you to Jesus?

A person that would be God’s representative to His people. David was a representative of God to His people. When Jesus inherited his throne He became God’s representative. He’s an eternal representative that lives to intercede for God’s people (Heb 7:25). Are you one of God’s people?

An ever-present power among God’s people. The Bible says the Holy Spirit lives in the heart of the believer (1 Cor 3:16). Since the Holy Spirit is eternal…those who have the Spirit will live eternally. Does God’s Spirit live in you?

A promise kept so that the world knows He is the Lord Almighty.  God’s covenant with David made us aware that one day there was coming a King who would be the fulfillment of ever promise ever made by God to His people. Jesus is that King. Do you know Him? Would you like to be a part of His covenant?