David’s Throne and Enduring Promises
There is a phrase that keeps popping up as I read Kings and Chronicles. It usually goes to the effect of the example I’ll give from 2 Chronicles 21:7- “Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.” The author repeatedly sites a promise that God had given to David, found in 2 Samuel 7:16- “Your throne shall be established forever.” This word given to David was spoken by God hundreds of years prior to when it was referred to in Chronicles.
No matter how wicked a particular successor in Judah was, God always kept His promise to David, to never remove his kingly line. David’s descendants would always inhabit the throne. No matter how ugly things would get throughout the history of Judah, God would never relent from His word. He would never look for a legal loophole to get around it. He would not turn from it based on unexpected circumstances or conditions. He would not use His supreme power and say, “I can do whatever I want. Who cares what I said back then? Most people don’t even remember it anyway.” David had been long gone. What was the point of keeping a promise to him? There were many times when God could have justified not keeping that promise.
This is a sign to us of His enduring commitment to His word.
In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the Son of David. I have often wondered about the significance of this title. I believe that part of it is the continuance of God’s promise to never leave the throne of David empty. Jesus is the eternal fulfillment as the King of kings, descended from the line of David.
Just as was the case with David, our own personal promises from the Lord are not simply for our own benefit. They are meant to bless generations that come after us. They are meant to be an eternal testimony to God’s glory and faithfulness. They are meant to bring blessing back to Jesus. They are meant to be a sign to point others to the Lord. God has a vested interest in seeing your promise come to pass. It is not just a carrot dangling in front of your nose to keep you going forward. We really cannot grasp how important our promises are.
God’s words are eternal. He IS faithfulness!
