Everlasting Covenant

2 Samuel 23:1-7

¹ These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:

² “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

³ The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,

⁴ he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’

⁵ “If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire.

⁶ But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.

⁷ Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie.”

My husband, Cliff, had a professor in the Seminary who told his class that when he got to heaven, he was going to “rub God’s nose in his promises.” While it was rather a crude way to put it, he was testifying to the fact that he was banking on God’s promise of an eternity with Him because of the saving work of Jesus Christ. Apparently this professor was taking his cue from Martin Luther, who I was recently told, said that he was going to put God’s own Words back into His ears. Same idea. This is what we are reading today in what is known as David’s last poetic writing.

As David’s days draw shorter and shorter, he takes the time to remind God of what He said regarding the place of David’s family upon the throne. First he identifies himself as God’s anointed man, the singer of Israel’s songs. Then he tells us that the God he serves is indeed great! Finally, he reiterates the promises made to him by God so that everyone can remember what was promised to him. This promise appears at the beginning of David’s reign in 2 Kings 7.

⁸ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.

 ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.

¹⁰ And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning

¹¹ and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders ^h over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you:

¹² When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.

¹⁵ But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ”

At the point at which David’s reign is ending, he wants all to be reminded that the eternal throne rests in his family line. Did David understand what all of that meant in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Probably not. But that is indeed how God followed through on these promises made to David. Christ even today sits at the right hand of the Father as ruler over the universe! And He is a direct descendant of King David. All that was prophesied about Him was fulfilled in the life of Jesus. As with Martin Luther and that seminary prof, we too can remind God of His promises to us. He is more than capable of keeping them and we know that He has never reneged on a promise. We can rub God’s own Words into His ears and claim those blessings as ours because of the work of Jesus Christ. It's probably not so much that God needs the reminder as we do. We can forget the goodness that God has in store for us both in His kingdom here on earth and later in heaven. So it is okay to rehearse those promises with God once in a while. It strengthens our faith and keeps the hope of our faith alive.