God’s Magnificent Promises
God’s Magnificent Promises
Our previous lesson looked at promises that God made to Abraham, in particular the seed promise. We also touched on the throne promise which God made to David, and now we treat that promise in detail.
Through Nathan the prophet God promised David, "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Your house and your kingdom shall endure before you forever. Your throne shall be established forever" (2Samuel 7:12 13,16)
The Psalms recall this promise:
"The Lord has truly sworn to David,
and will not turn back from it,
'The fruit of your body
I will set upon your throne'"
(Psa 132:11).
"I have made a covenant with my chosen;
I have sworn to David my servant,
'I will establish your seed forever,
and build up your throne
to all generations'"
(Psalm 89:3-4).
This seed or descendant of David is none other than the seed of Abraham to whom God referred when he said to Abraham, "In your seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen 22:18). This seed of Abraham would also be the seed of David, and would sit upon David's throne forever.
David's son Solomon reigned after David, but Solomon did not fulfill the promise that God made to David that he would establish the seed of David on the throne of David forever.
Solomon did pretty much the opposite. He disgraced himself and David's throne. The kingdom was torn in two. Later the division known as Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians. Later still the remaining kingdom known as Judah was destroyed by the Chaldeans. A remnant returned to Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.
So although Solomon fulfilled elements of the promise, such as building the temple, a house for God's name, he was not the true king of the prophecy.