1074. Look to Jesus the King

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.

The school was founded in 1927 by the evangelist Dr. Bob Jones Senior's intent was to make a school where Christ would be the center of everything, so he established daily chapel services today. That tradition continues with fervent biblical preaching from the University travel platform today on The Daily Platform were continuing a study series entitled looking at the Jesus which is a study of Christ in the Old Testament. Today's message will be preached by Dr. Eric Newton of the Bob Jones University seminary Cerner Bibles to second Samuel seven second Samuel chapter 7, a few people in the room today have lived in countries ruled by a monarch, but for most of us, myself included, royalty is a foreign concept and after all America was founded as part of a revolution against the king and you may despise kings primarily because they fill up your history of said term sheet you may be curious about them. You check in on the latest news about Prince William and Kate Middleton and baby. Or you may frankly be mesmerized by royalty EVR four-year-old daughter would fit that category.

Frequently I come home mid day or in the evening to find that she's married another prince, and this succession of matrimonial ceremonies, makes me think that she's a little kid pretend version of Henry VIII, but for us as believers, particularly for us in chapel here today monarchy has to be more than a nuisance or curiosity. As you know, this semester were giving attention to the Old Testament, particularly how it promises and anticipates Jesus the Messiah were doing this, not simply so that we can cover some doctrinal basis and check the box that were Orthodox were sound were doing this because successfully running the Christian race has everything to do with Jesus Christ and frankly there's no more important question in all of humanity than who is Jesus so when we do this when we turn our gaze away from everything else upset with that word look means.

It means taking your focus off everything else and fixing it on Jesus Christ. What do we see the semester, we we've already seen that he is that that the seed of Eve that crushes the serpent said that he is the this seed of Abraham that that brings all of those promises of Abraham a covenant to pass that he is the Passover lamb.

He is the firstborn that God put in the place of all of us who would believe in today we want to be encouraged to trust and worship Jesus because he's the Messiah. He is the anointed son of David. He's the king do this we need to give good attention to the first half of second Samuel seven the Davidic covenant, which is what Dr. Pettit has asked us to consider this morning is also recorded in first Chronicles 17 organist stay in Samuel but but I need you to really lock into these words were gonna trace the argument down through here and will get some really powerful transforming application. At the end the background of this as you know is that Israel had difficulty during the time of the judges living in the promised land without solid leadership. In fact, the very last verse of the book of Judges says everyone did was right in his own eyes. There was no king in Israel and so the people of Israel looked around at the surrounding nations and they saw what they did. They had a king, so they they requested the King demanded a king themselves and it was kind of like one of those number one draft picks those can't miss prospects that goes at the at the top of the draft and he becomes a bust. Saul looked really good. He was head and shoulders above the rest in several physical ways. The problem was he couldn't obey the Lord and so he and his dynasty crumbled and God appointed a shepherd boy and that shepherd boy was a man of war, and David has been at war trying to settle this this area, particularly the area around Jerusalem and that's where the narrative picks up in second Samuel 71 it says and it came to pass, when the King David sat in his house and the Lord had given them rest roundabout from all his enemies that the king said unto Nathan the prophet see now I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwell with with in curtains within a tent, but the tabernacle we call it and Nathan said to the king go do all that is in nine heart of the Lord is with the David had just finished building a house of cedar.

There was no question.

When you enter Jerusalem, which house was the king but as he sits down in that house metaphorically at rest from his war then it dawns on him. You know what I just got in the ark of the covenant here in Jerusalem from the house of Obed Edom but the ark is in this sort of makeshift tent contraption. I think I need to build a magnificent house, a temple for that art.

That's what God's presence hovers over and he goes Nathan Nathan was the prophet, his spiritual advisor and and Nathan says do do all that's in your heart. I mean you're the man after God's own heart to begin with. You've got the means God is with you. Go do it.

It seemed like a great idea. I mean you look at verse six.

At the end there, and it says that the Lord had walked around in a tent in a tabernacle does does the Lord deserve something better than the human king, but then we pick it up in verse four and we see the revealed answer to this very good intention.

It came to pass that very night that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan me pause there. Many times we have good intentions, but running the Christian race is not about our determining what seems best the life of faith is a life of response to what God has said in faith by grace.

And so it came to Nathan and here's what the Lord says. In fact, this is the longest recorded divine speech since Moses since God communicated with Moses. This is very significant.

And here's what the Lord tells Nathan to tell David go until my servant David thus says the Lord shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in whereas I'm not dwell in anyhow since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day would've walked in a tent in the tabernacle in all the places where I have walked with all the children of Israel spake. I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, why Bill Jean not me an house of cedar.

In other words the Lord is saying.

Have I ever gone to any of your tribes. Have I ever gone to any any of its leaders and said hey I need a house.

I need a temple I need an edifice to demonstrate my power and what is the Lord doing here the Lord is reminding David that, in contrast to all the false gods of the ancient near East that surrounded these people. The Lord demonstrated his power not through some structure that was elaborate and impressive and spoke to his his warlike successes.

Actually, he demonstrated who he was, by wonderful deeds of redemption. The Lord demonstrated who he was, by his faithfulness to his promises. The Lord is saying it's a good thought, it's a good intention and in fact he's going to say your son will build me a house but I don't want the house to be the evidence of who I am. I'm actually going to demonstrate my glory and my faithfulness in another way. And that leads us therefore to the Davidic covenant to a pledge and really this entire passage hinges on a word that recurs about 15 times in the chapter, and that's the word house. Maybe you've never thought of the word house is a terribly theological word before but in this chapter. That's the key word so pick it up with me in verse eight now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David thus set the Lord of host.

I took the from the sheepcote from following the sheep to be ruler over my people over Israel, and I was with the whithersoever that when us and and have cut off all thine enemies out of the site and have made the a great name, like in the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover, I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more, neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore as before time and it's since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel and have caused the to rest from all thine enemy.

There momentarily.

What's he saying, the Lord is initiating this covenant. It's unconditional. The Lord is coming to David and he's reminding him of some realities, some gracious realities.

He's reminding him that he was the one who chose David, he brought him up from the from the pastures where he was shepherding sheep to be the king over Israel. He was the one verse nine that was with David. He remained with him. He stayed by David's side and he's the one who would continue to prosper. David verses 10 and 11 talk about David and his people. This is a covenant that God initiates, and he's going to give David a name that should sound familiar, because Dr. Ormiston just talked last Wednesday about the name. The God gave Abraham their links together and then he goes on, and he makes an unconditional promise. Verse 11.

Here's the new information also the Lord tell us the that he will make the and house. Here's the turn of phrase. David wanted to build a house for the Lord but the Lord comes back and says actually I'm going to build a house out of you. You say, what is he talking about let's continue. Verse 12 and when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after the which shall proceed out of thy bowels. In other words, the BW natural descendents and and natural ongoing succession from procreation is what this means I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father and he shall be my son. If you commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men with the stripes of the children of men, but my mercy shall not depart away from him as a took it from Saul, whom I put away before the thine house, and my kingdom shall be established forever before the thy throne shall be established forever. Did you hear the repetition of the wills in the shower walls that is an unconditional covenant that is a promise without condition. He's not coming to Dave and say if you write enough praise songs for me. Then I will covenant with you if you promise not to marry any more wives, then I will continue your dynasty. Now he's saying I'm going to do this. I'm going to establish this. I'm going to make this happen. It's unconditional.

His point is that he's not going to tie himself, his glory is frame his name to a structure he's actually going to tie it to the Davidic dynasty. The Lord was attaching his name and fame to a royal family. Through them he would carry out his covenant purposes.

This covenant entails an eternal dominion notice. Back in these verses 12 and 13 and 14. He says when thy days be fulfilled in our shalt sleep with thy fathers. In other words, yes, you're going to die, but that's not going to end the dynasty.

He says that it in verse 14. If you commit iniquity.

Yes, there's a great potential that your son is going to sin in his son and his son, and I will chasten him.

But that's not going to end the covenant. The dynasty either. And he says several times I'm establishing this forever, so, so, not death, not sin, not time can destroy this covenant, God is staking his character on the Davidic dynasty.

This is quite remarkable. This is quite remarkable. I mean the ancient near East new of situations when a God will supposedly come to a ruler and say if you do this for me. I will respond and do this for you. I will bless you and and maybe keep your your line your dynasty going. For instance, you seen the great Sphinx in Egypt. It's a monument to the Egyptian god Horus and there's a Pharaoh name topmast the fourth he followed Amenhotep.

The second and he commissioned a piece of stone artwork. It's known as the dream steel and and what's chiseled on the stone is is the evidence of a dream where Horus comes the topmost and says if you will clean off the sand from the feet of the Sphinx steel was found in in between feet if you clean that off, then I will put my divine impetus my my stamp of approval on your kingship on your being the Pharaoh and why was this important well because topmost the fourth wasn't the firstborn and there was a battle over who would be the next Pharaoh. Now this is not my point today, but really interestingly, according to biblical chronology topmost the force oldest brother would have been the most famous victim of the 10th plague and exit. Why do you think there is dispute about who was to come to the throne. Our main point today is this Horus blasts topmost as rain because he clean the sand off his feet off the Sphinx's feet, but no ancient near Eastern God would have attached his glory to a particular dynasty why because those dynasties didn't last very long and he certainly wouldn't have said, you know, regardless of what you do. I'm going to stake my fame on you. I'm with you no matter what false gods just don't do that, but our God did second Samuel seven is entirely different. The Davidic covenant is unique God mistaking his faithfulness and glory on the Davidic dynasty. They weren't favoring him. They were cleaning the sand off his feet.

He was favoring them now. David's response to this is instructive. Nathan gives this vision to David. Verse 17 and then look at verse 18. Then went David King David in and sat before the Lord. He leaves his house of cedar and he goes to the little old tent, the tabernacle and he sits down in all and he says who my O Lord God, and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither to. He says in verse 21 for thy word's sake, not for me, not because of who I am but for thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart has thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them.

This is an amazing promise, and Solomon did comment Solomon did commit sin, and yet God remain faithful. But as time goes on, the Davidic covenant didn't lessen insignificance, Israel really held David in high esteem and they made a lot out of the Davidic covenant, but the evidence for God's ongoing faithfulness seemed to grow bleaker and less, and there became many who doubted we see some evidence of this in Psalm 89. If you can turn over there with me.

Turn with me over there, Psalm 89 we seen God's covenant with the king now are going to see Israel's uncertainty without a king. We don't know exactly when the Psalm was written the setting in which it would've taken on its fullest meaning would've been during the exile, and after the exile, and after after the kingdom. It split in the northern and southern after a succession of mostly bad kings.

After Nebuchadnezzar had come and conquered them after he had poked out the king's eyes after the last thing that he saw happen was his sons killed the Psalm as he begins. He's talking of the Davidic covenant here. He begins the Psalm I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. We'd sung that right with my mouth will make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Generations. Mercy shall be built up forever by faithfulness. Shalt thou establish in the very heavens. What's he talking about verse three I made a covenant with my chosen I've sworn it to David my servant, thy seed will establish forever and build up thy throne to all generations, and he goes on to talk about the Davidic covenant in all of got God's glory in it. But look at verse 38. Here's where they were really living here is where the evidence lay but thou has cast off and a poured thou hast been wroth angry with thine anointed thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant that was profaned his crown by casting it to the ground and this leads him. Look at verse 49 to say Lord. Where are they former lovingkindness is which.

That swears sent to David in my truth.

Where's the covenant where the promises and therefore hundred years of silence and that's why it's so glorious when we turn that one blank page in our Bibles from Malachi to Matthew and were reminded of the very first verse of the New Testament.

Here's what it says. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. He's here your birth announcements are really big deal at a figure that out the first time around the first of our children. Gotta figure out who you tell first and and who's going to tell whom. And you know, do you just do just tell everybody at once or the new one is the mother-in-law come in.

I mean, it is a big to do right and here is the birth announcement is the birth announcement in Luke's of courses before Jesus is born. The angel says to Mary, don't fear that was found favor with God.

And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and he shall be called the son of the highest in the Lord God shall given him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. The king is here.

And then Jesus grows up and he goes out and preaches on the heels of John the Baptist and what's his message. She says repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Theologians quibble over what that means but I think it's pretty straightforward how why is the kingdom at hand because the king is arrived. He's here to repent of your sin and trust him. And Peter says in Matthew 16 different people were saying different things about who Jesus was and Jesus will.

Who do you say I am.

And Peter says you are the Christ. You're the Messiah, the son of the living God.

I think he's thinking about the Davidic covenant because the Davidic ruler was going to be the son of God. He was going to be one whom God was his father and Peter is starting to understand all of the implications, it's much more than a special relationship. It's a unique divine relationship and then in acts two. Peter's preaching at Pentecost and is driving home the importance of the resurrection. He says being a prophet's argument. David knowing that God sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to his flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, yet shed forth this, which you now see and hear.

Here's the point.

He has ascended he's been exalted.

He's on the throne and he sent the Holy Spirit.

The gospel is clear, the son of David, is come Susan to take anything away from the reality that there's coming a kingdom on earth, but I think it's clear from the New Testament that there is a sense in which Jesus is already ruling he's sitting at the right hand of the father may think of our our theme verse.

Hebrews 12 to look into Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. For the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down. He has sat down because his atoning work is finished, but where did he sit down, sat down and up place of Royal prominence at the right hand of the father. He's on the throne. So in closing, how do we pay homage to this king, how do we pay homage to the king. We suggest just to main ideas number one we submit to the Kings gospel repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and give him the obedience of faith to this gospel. Paul talks about in Romans 15.

Have you submitted to the to the Kings gospel. Are you submitting today to the Kings gospel. I don't mean that you get saved day after day after day. But are you living a life of a faith and repentance today. That's how you give glory to God, your king, the last thing is this.

We honor the gospel's king. We serve him with our lives and we worship him as John says in that great throne room scene, which was revealed to him worthy is the Lamb. This is the root of David, this is the lion of the tribe of Judah. This is the Davidic king worthy is seen to receive honor and glory and power, and riches forever. Are you and I submitting to the Kings gospel and honoring the gospel's king when you're tempted not to believe what God has said look to Jesus, he's your king when you feel there's too much pressure to live as a Christian look to Jesus, he's your king when you're afraid of what the future may hold.

After graduation look to Jesus, he's your king when your flesh says one more time won't really matter.

Look to Jesus, he's your king when your pride once glory for itself when you're troubled by your past when you've been deeply wrong. Look to Jesus, he's your king when you are questioning the legitimacy of the faith that was passed down from your parents to you. Look to Jesus he's the king submit to his gospel honor him. You've been listening to a sermon preached at Bob Jones University by Dr. Eric Newton, which is part of the study series about Christ in the Old Testament. Join us again tomorrow as we continue this series here on The Daily Platform