INTRODUCTION:
    So far we have had three messages in our little survey of the God's major covenants. We touched on the Noahic covenant in order to show you the principles of unconditionality. And we also looked at the sign that was given to remember it. This was a covenant that God made with all creation, never to destroy the world again with a flood. You and I, as well as everything else in the world, are beneficiaries of this covenant.

    In our first message I proved from the scripture that God sovereignly chose Israel to be His special people. The United State of America is not God's chosen nation. This country is never mentioned in the Bible. Israel is God's elect nation. But she certainly didn't deserve to be His elect nation, and in fact, she never has deserved it. But that election was by grace, as is always true of God's election. In that message I wanted you to see that God's choice was of the LITERAL nation of Israel. And I wanted you to see that it was an ETERNAL election. As far as nations go, Israel will always be Jehovah's special people.

    Our second message dealt with the Lord's covenant with Abraham. That too was an eternal and unconditional covenant. It involved Abraham's seed - not through Ishmael - but through Isaac and then Jacob or Israel. And clearly, the promises about Abraham's seed were as literal as the seed itself. The Abrahamic covenant also included the literal land upon which Abraham stood at the time. If words mean anything at all, then the Lord meant to give the sons of Abraham, through Jacob, the land where Israel dwells today and much, much more. There was also supposed to be a sign maintained by Israel in commemoration of that covenant. But the maintenance of the covenant was not conditioned upon the maintenance of the sign.

    Then last week we looked at the Mosaic covenant. The covenant with Moses was different from the Abrahamic covenant in that it was conditional. But it didn't disannul the earlier covenant; it was additional to it. As long as Israel obeyed the commands of the covenant, she would be physically blessed by God. But, Israel did break the covenant and has been in a state of judgment ever since. Israel's current state of judgment doesn't prove that the covenant with Abraham has been abrogated. Because God's promises to Abraham were eternal and unconditional. But Israel did break the covenant of God given through Moses. There was also a sign for Israel to keep in commemoration of the Mosaic Covenant. I tried also to show you that the signs of circumcision and the sabbath are not incumbent upon Gentiles who have been saved by grace. We are not under either the Abrahamic or Mosaic covenants. They do not belong to us, nor do they directly affect us. But they are still very, very important to Bible Eschatology.

    This evening we come to the Davidic Covenant. As you shall see, this covenant was also unconditional. It takes the promise of Abraham's seed and adds a bit more detail about the King. It deals with the question of whether or not there will be a literal Millennial kingdom. And it speaks more clearly about the Messiah than any of the earlier covenants. Unfortunately, it also has a few more interpretational difficulties inherent in it.

    For the sake of time I won't reread II Samuel 7 where the Davidic covenant is first declared, but let's re-read the account given in I Chronicles 17:7-15 "Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel: And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth. Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning."

    Obviously, this has not yet been fulfilled, but since it is the promise of God, it must be fulfilled some day. That fulfillment will come during the Millennial Kingdom and the literal reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both of which I will prove later.

    Verse 10: "And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever."

    I have no doubt in my mind that this is referring to Solomon, and the house to which this verse refers is the temple that David as so much longed to build. Notice that verse 11 says that the seed will be from among David's sons. The word "seed" here refers to his heir, not just his son. But what about the "throne?"

    In the Adult Sunday School class this morning we read about Solomon's spectacular throne. It was made of ivory and then covered in gold Can you imagine the beauty and the value of such a throne at that? But the throne to which this verse refers cannot be to that seat upon which Solomon sat. According to my dictionary that is the first definition of the word "throne." The second definition has two parts: first "the personage who occupies a throne." And then "the power, dignity, rank or sovereignty of such a personage."

    God is promising David that the authority of his kingdom will never be take away. The "exousia" of David's kingdom is still alive, and rests today upon the risen Son of God. Verse 13: "I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore."

    The interpretational problem with the Davidic Covenant is that it swings back and forth between Solomon and that One who is so much greater than Solomon. One phrase is obviously referring to Solomon and the next phrase is referring to the Lord Jesus. But, in both cases, the covenant is speaking literally. This covenant is reiterated several times, so keeping in mind what we have read, let's add to it.

    Let's start with Psalm 89:1-3 - "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,"

    The next few verses give praise to the God who has made this covenant with David. Skip down and let's read verses 19-37. "Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven."

    This is a promise of an unfailing line of sons and heirs for the house of David and the throne of David. First there was Solomon, then came Rehoboam, Abijam and Asa and so on. There was promised to David, a son to always wield his authority, but there was no promise that he would always be allowed to sit upon that throne.

    Verse 30: "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes, nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."

    When the Lord Jesus, one of sons of David, ascended into Heaven, he took up the throne of David and has never relinquished it. Although the word "covenant" is not found here, Isaiah 9:6-7 is a part of the Davidic covenant. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

    Turn to Jeremiah 23:1-8. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land."

    Jeremiah 33:10-22. "Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually. And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers."

    Ezekiel 37:15-25. The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever."

    There are literally dozens of other scriptures which add to these thoughts about the Millennium, but they don't directly use the word covenant, nor speak directly of David's throne, so we won't read any more

    The promise of God was that David would have an unbroken line of heirs. Secondly, that there would be an eternal throne or authority which belonged to him. And that there would be an eternal kingdom. Like the Abrahamic covenant, the Davidic was basically unconditional. But just as the Mosiac covenant which was built upon Abraham, had conditions, there are parts of the promise to David which were conditional as well. How do we know that the Davidic Covenant is unconditional? Because it is said to be eternal in II Samuel 7:13, 6:16, Ezekiel 37:25 and elsewhere. If something is eternal, then it obviously has to be resting on the faithfulness and eternality of God. And again this is based on the promise to Abraham which we have seen is eternal and unconditional. Furthermore, the promise was given to David and reiterated later after repeated disobedience by Israel and David's sons. If this was not unconditional, then it would have become null and void long before Ezekiel.

    The second characteristic of this covenant is that it is understood to be literal. Remember that Solomon was just as much a part of the promise as the eternal throne. Was Solomon a real person, or just an allegory of the coming Messiah? I think that our scripture this morning and the words of the Lord Jesus prove that Solomon was real. It is not intellectually ethical to interpret the promise of Solomon and his building of the Temple as literal and then allegorize the rest of the covenant?

    Turn to the last words of David as recorded in II Samuel 23:1-5. "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow."

    Doesn't this say that the covenant is eternal, but David knew that his literal family was already unworthy? If the covenant was to be fulfilled only in the Lord Jesus, verse 5 could not apply. How can we hear David's reply to the Lord in I Chronicles 17:16-17 and not see that David was thinking of a literal fulfillment of the covenant? "And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God." The Davidic Covenant provided for Solomon's ascension to the throne and his building of the Temple. And then that there would be an unbroken lineage of heirs for all eternity. But that doesn't mean that it is possible for some Jew to rise up today and to declare himself a literal son of David. I'm not sure that following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD that any son of Jacob anywhere can trace his linage back beyond that time. The Antichrist may try to do that, but of course he will be a liar. On the other hand, because Jesus of Nazareth is one of the literal sons of David, and He lives still today. Christ is the only King that Israel has to look forward to. He is the seed of David from among his sons, and he now occupies his throne.

But there is one other thing: The eternal kingdom.

    Earlier this year, and for about two months I preached message after message that spoke about Jesus' Kingdom. For the most part, those messages didn't come from the Old Testament but from the New. Christ has a kingdom today, but its real authority is seen only in the hearts of His citizens. However, there are a multitude of other scriptures which show that Christ is literally coming again. He will conquer all his foes and He will once again, literally rule all Israel and all the world from David's throne in Jerusalem. The thousand year reign of Christ - the Millennium - is a part of the Davidic Covenant. And in this way, we see that this is a very important promise, even though it does not address you and me directly.

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