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Old Testament Rites The Sure Mercies of David But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him
[David]: Richard Evans Many centuries after his unconditional covenant with
righteous Abraham, God set forth another unconditional covenant through
the prophet Nathan. It was a covenant with David, king of Israel, a man
after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Like the Abrahamic
Covenant, it was mediated by an oath of God (Genesis 22:16-18; Psalm 89:3;
132:11). “God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, The Davidic Covenant God swore an oath to David that the future of God’s
people Israel, David’s seed, David’s house and kingdom, and David’s throne,
would be certain (Isaiah 9:7; 16:5). “I [God, vs. 8] 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 … I will set up thy seed after thee [David],
which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his [the seed’s,
Messiah] kingdom. … And thine house The structure of verse 16 indicates David’s house and David’s kingdom are one and the same. In verses 12, 13, and 16 God covenanted with David that he “will establish his kingdom.” Yet, in response, David specified “house,” not “kingdom” (2 Samuel 7:18-29). This suggests “house” and “kingdom” were synonymous to David. Accordingly, there are four entities addressed in God’s oath-bound covenant with David:
These entities, though different, are inseparable and are to be “established for an age,” the age of God’s future kingdom on earth: “And in the days of these kings [depicted by Nebuchadnezzar’s image] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Like that given Abraham, the ultimate outcome of David’s covenant does not depend upon creature righteousness. It is unconditional! Against all contingencies David’s throne, David’s house, and God’s people Israel, will be secure under the reign of David’s seed (Messiah). Verse 14 of 2 Samuel 7 is difficult and most translations do not render it adequately. One that does is by Farrar Fenton: “I [God] shall be his Father, and he [David’s seed] will be my son. He will be a guide to the wandering; and I will cause him to correct men [humanity] with a staff, and the sons of Adam with a touch” (2 Samuel 7:14). Thus the elements of David’s
covenant parallel those of the Abrahamic. Not only is it personal and national,
it is also universal. David’s seed, Messiah, as King and High Priest of God,
will bless all families of the earth: “The LORD
hath sworn [to David], and will not repent, Thou [David’s seed,
Hebrews 5:6] art a priest for As antitypical Melchizedek, David’s seed will “correct” the “sons of Adam” with the gentle leading of a shepherd’s staff and the touch of a loving hand. The Divine Oath The perpetuity of David’s throne—thus David’s kingdom with
God’s people Israel—is based on God’s oath and that oath rests upon his
holiness: “I [God] have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn
unto David my servant, Thy seed [Messiah] will I establish for God swore that his mercy for David, the “sure mercies of David,” and his covenant with David are as permanently secure as the sun and the moon, and as the rainbow of the Noahic Covenant. David’s House, God’s People Zechariah also spoke of this certainty of God’s mercy for David’s house, his kingdom, even though Israel was stiffnecked and disobedient (Acts 7:51). “I [God] will pour upon the house [kingdom] of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications … In that day [Second Advent] there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 12:10; 13:1). Jeremiah described the reaction of God’s people, the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), subsequent to their new spirit: “In those days [Second Advent], and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God” (Jeremiah 50:4). “Those days” follow the day of Jacob’s trouble: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. … But they [Jacob’s seed] shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them” (Jeremiah 30:7,9). This day of Jacob’s salvation is the same “day” of which Zechariah spoke, the day when a fountain will be opened “for sin and for uncleanness.” David’s Seed, David’s Throne In that day, when David’s seed reigns on David’s throne,
God’s people will be saved and dwell safely: “The days come [Second Advent],
saith the LORD, that I will raise
unto David a righteous Branch [David’s seed —Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21],
and [as]6 a King [he]6 shall reign and prosper, and shall
execute judgment7 [deliverance] and Under the reign of David’s seed God’s mercy extends to all of David’s divided and scattered house (kingdom).10 “I [God] will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king [David’s seed] shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations” (Ezekiel 37:22). The prophet also described this reign of David’s seed using a metaphor of sheep and shepherd: “Thus saith the Lord GOD … I will both search my sheep [God’s people in Diaspora], and seek them out. … and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day [Jacob’s trouble, Jeremiah 30:5-11]. … And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David [David’s seed]; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. … And I will make them [God’s earthly chosen people] and the places round about my hill [Zion, Psalm 132:13,14; Revelation 14:1] a blessing” (Ezekiel 34:11,12, 23,26). Deliverance for God’s people follows the “cloudy and dark day” of Jacob’s trouble. Then, after deliverance, in the mercy of which he swore, God will make his people Israel “a blessing” (Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; Isaiah 45:4; 65:9,22). The Sure Mercies of David The restored Israel of God will be the divine agent to return God’s earthly creation to its original glory, the mercy God promised David (Psalm 28:6-9; Isaiah 16:5): “Incline your ear [servants of the LORD—Isaiah 43:10; 54:17], and come unto me [God] … and I will make an everlasting covenant [New Covenant] with you [both houses, Israel and Judah —Jeremiah 31:31-34], even the sure mercies of David” (Isaiah 55:3). “For a small moment have I [God] forsaken thee [Israel]; but with great mercies [the “sure mercies”] will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment [Jacob’s trouble]; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn [in the Davidic Covenant] that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains [worldly nations] shall depart, and the hills [false religious systems] be removed;11 but my kindness shall not depart from thee [Israel], neither shall the [new] covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee” (Isaiah 54:7-10). The restoration of the house of David will be the maturation of the mercies promised in the Davidic Covenant, the “sure mercies of David.” “As concerning that he [God] raised him [Jesus, the seed of David] up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption12 [the “present evil world,” Galatians 1:4], he said on this wise, I will give you [Israelites, the Greek is plural] the sure mercies of David [the blessings of the New Covenant, Isaiah 54:10, 55:3]” (Acts 13:34). Paul quoted Isaiah to set forth the reason God raised up Jesus. He indicated the Second Advent return of Jesus is not physical as so many in Christendom believe (Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 12:1; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Revelation 19:11-15). Jesus gathers the “dead in Christ” (the church) “in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17), so he will not be visible to physical eyes. “Air” is the spirit realm in which Satan has been restrained since Eden (Genesis 3:14; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) and from which he invisibly reigned so long (Ephesians 2:2). Believing God will keep his
covenant with David, the apostle not only spoke of God’s mercy for Israel (Luke
1:54,68-72; Romans 11:31), the “sure mercies of David,” he also prayed for it:
“As many as walk according to this rule [the church], peace be on them,
and Apostles and prophets understood the gracious and merciful deliverance of the Israel of God is the precursor of a salvation that reaches to “the ends of the earth.” “The LORD hath comforted his people [Israel], he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD hath made bare his holy arm [David’s seed, Messiah—Psalm 98:1; Isaiah 51:9] in the eyes of all the nations [Second Advent]; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God [the salvation of human creation]” (Isaiah 52:9,10). “The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel [the faithful remnant of Israel, rejected by Israel’s polity] saith, Yet will I gather others [the residue of humankind—Acts 15:17] to him [the remnant], beside those [unfaithful of Israel, Romans 11:26] that are gathered unto him” (Isaiah 56:8). This is the gospel given Abraham (Galatians 3:8), the “good news” of which Paul was “not ashamed” (Romans 1:16). “For if the casting away of them [Israel’s casting away of David’s seed] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be [Israel’s receiving of David’s seed], but life from the dead [for Israel and all humankind]?” (Romans 11:15). Israel’s “casting away,” its rejection of David’s seed, God’s Messiah (Romans 9:32,33), resulted in the sacrifice that reconciles Adam and his seed (Romans 5:10-19). Israel’s “receiving,” its acceptance of Messiah, will bring God’s outpouring of the “spirit of grace and of supplications,”14 the “sure mercies of David.” “So I prophesied as he [God] commanded me, and the breath15 [spirit] came into them [“the whole house of Israel,” verse 11], and they lived [as a nation]” (Ezekiel 37:10). The national restoration of Israel will be the archetype for the restoration of all peoples—life from the dead for all of God’s human creation. The Jews’ return of favor will demonstrate God’s mercy and benevolence to his earthly creation, the “sure mercies of David.” “In that day [Second
Advent] shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a
strong city; salvation [of humankind] will God appoint for walls
and bulwarks. … for when thy judgments are in the “And they [other peoples, verse 34] shall say, This land9 [Israel] that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen [fallen humanity] that are left round about you [Israel] shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate … so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men [repentant humanity]: and they shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 36:35, 36,38). The resultant relationship
of Israel with the rest of humankind is to be as a mother with a newborn:
“Rejoice ye [Gentiles, verse 12] with Jerusalem [Israel], and be
glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that
mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her
consolations; that ye may Again, there is a sequence to God’s blessing. Peace is first extended to Jerusalem (Israel) “like a river;” then the glory of the Gentiles (fallen humanity) is to be “like an overflowing stream.” David’s Tent When speaking of the “sure mercies of David” the prophets
employed in place of “house” the figure of a “tent.” They used “tent” much
as Job used it: “He buildeth his house as a moth, Thus, “tent” depicted the
ignominious condition to which David’s house (kingdom) had fallen following the
reigns of David and Solomon: “And in mercy shall the throne [of David]
be established: and he [David’s seed] shall sit upon it in truth in the At a singular meeting of Paul and Barnabas with the apostles and elders of Jerusalem, James spoke of the “tent” (ravaged house) of David and the fulfillment of the promises of the Davidic Covenant. Quoting the prophet Amos, he too made manifest the salvation of humankind was to be a sequel to the restoration of that tent (kingdom): “James answered, saying …
Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles
[non-Jewish world], to take out of them a people for his name [the
Church, a heavenly salvation—1 Corinthians 15:49; Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 3:1;
6:4)]. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After
this [after taking out a people, verse 14] I [God] will return [to
Israel],20 and [as Amos wrote, Amos 9:11,12, LXX], [God]
will build again the James quoted Amos (9:11,12) using the Septuagint (LXX); however, the words “after this I will return” (verse 6) are the apostle’s, not the prophet’s. “After this” refers back to “at the first” (verse 14). “I will return” cites God’s promise through the prophets20 that he will again look upon Israel with favor following its correction “in measure” (Jeremiah 46:28). The purpose of this return was made evident in Amos’ prophecy: “In that day will I [God]
raise up the With David’s seed on the throne, David’s kingdom (tent) though fallen and breached—divided and scattered—will be gathered and reestablished. The prophet addressed all aspects of the Davidic Covenant. “In that day” God will raise up David’s seed, the Messiah (Jesus—Mark 10:47; 12:35), and, “as in the days of old,” will give him the throne, the kingdom (tent), and God’s earthly chosen people. These entities are interdependent and inseparable. The reestablishment of one requires the existence of the others. When David’s seed (Messiah) sits on David’s throne the “spirit of grace and of supplications” will inhabit David’s house (tent), David’s kingdom (Israel). Divine favor will return to the Israel of God! Isaiah spoke not only of the restoration of David’s kingdom (tent) but its enlargement: “Sing, O barren [Sarah, Abrahamic Covenant, Galatians 4:27], thou that didst not bear [by the time of the prophecy]; break forth into singing, and cry aloud [with joy, not resentment as did Sarah, Genesis 16:6-10], thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children (Genesis 16:10; 17:20; 21:18) of the desolate (Isaiah 62:4; 64:10; Ezekiel 36:35; Lamentations 1:4; Joel 2:3) [Hagar, Mosaic Covenant, Galatians 4:27] than the children of the married wife [Sarah], saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent,19 and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes [addressed to Israel (verses 5-8), as pictured by Hagar]; for thou [Israel, Hagar] shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles [rest of humanity],29 and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. … thou [Israel, Hagar] shalt forget the shame of thy youth [Diaspora], and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood [the brief loss of divine favor]30 any more” (Isaiah 54:1-4). The Torah of Humanity After hearing the wondrous words of the covenant, David’s
response to God reveals he understood their import and was awestruck: “Who am
I, O Lord GOD? and what is my
house [kingdom], that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a
small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD;
but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house [kingdom] for a great
while to come. And David’s sublime observation, “This is the Torah of Humanity,” is obscured in most English translations. Taken in the simplest and most literal sense, it signifies the Davidic Covenant to be a restatement of God’s purpose for creating the human race (Genesis 1:26) and his subsequent covenant with Abraham. With David’s seed on David’s throne, God swore that through David’s house (kingdom) the human creation will be transformed into the “likeness” of God—a creation of loving beings. This transformation, as Paul made manifest, begins with the Israel of God—“the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” (Romans 2:9,10). This is the “Torah of Humanity” (2 Samuel 7:19). END NOTES 1. Hebrew prefix waw—and, but, even, namely. 2. ‘olam, #5769—period of time, age. 3. The Hebrew word is plural. 4. The Hebrew text has the definite article. 5. shachaq, #7834—cloud. Hebrew has the article. 6. See ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV. 7. The work of a judge is to deliver (Judges 2:16,18; Isaiah 33:22; John 5:27-29). 8. tsedaqah, #6666—righteousness. Isaiah 26:9. 9. ’erets, #776—earth, land, ground. 10. Some assert Anglo-Saxons are the descendants of the ten “lost” tribes and, thus, are heirs to Israel’s promises. The Davidic Covenant, as interpreted by Amos (9:11,12) and James (Acts 15:16,17) and the doctrine of a faithful Remnant (Isaiah 1:9; Romans 9:29) preclude such a claim. 11. Isaiah 40:4; 41:15. The imagery employed by the inspired writers included use of “mountains” (Psalm 46:2-6; Isaiah 2:2,3; Daniel 2:35,44) and “hills” for kingdoms. As the Old Testament records, “hills” were set aside for idolatry, the venues for the worship of false gods (2 Kings 16:4; Jeremiah 13:27; 17:2). 12. diaphthora, #1312—complete corruption. An intensified form of phthora, #5356. In the Bible “corruption” refers to the immorality of the spirit (Romans 8:21; Galatians 6:8; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:12,19), not to the decay of the body. 13. kai … kai, #2532—and, also. 14. Zechariah 12:10. See above. 15. ruwach or ruach, #7307—breath, air, wind, spirit. 16. See JPS, RSV, NIV. 17. shataph, #7857—overflow, flood. 18. cukkah, #5521—booth, tent, tabernacle. 19. ’ohel, #168—tabernacle, tent. Best to use “tent” to prevent confusion with the Mosaic Tabernacle. 20. Leviticus 26:44,45; Numbers 10:36; Deuteronomy 30:3,9; Psalm 6:4; 50:3; 80:3,7,14,19; 90:13; Isaiah 35:4; Jeremiah 12:12-15. 21. skene, #4633—booth, tent, tabernacle. Best to use “tent” to prevent confusion with the Mosaic Tabernacle. 22. To “build again the tent of David” implies restoration of David’s kingdom, Israel (Acts 1:6; 3:21). 23. In Amos’ prophecy this clause refers to David’s seed, not to his “tent.” The LXX did not maintain the gender variance evident in the Hebrew (see footnote 26 below). Apparently, since James had already spoken of the Church (verse 14) the difference was not critical to his argument, so he followed the LXX without comment. 24. kai, #2532—and, namely, even, also. 25. The parsing in this text requires careful attention. The feminine plural suffix on the word rendered “breaches” could only refer to “tent,” which is feminine, and alludes to the division of David’s kingdom. Hence, the closing of the “breaches” must connote the future unification of the two houses, the unification Ezekiel foretold (Ezekiel 37:15-28). The masculine suffix on the word rendered “ruins” must refer to David himself, not his “tent”; however, the feminine singular suffix on the word rendered “build” must address the tent (the breached kingdom). 26. Edom was the name given Esau after he sold his birthright (Genesis 25:30). The name was subsequently applied to the people descended from him and to their home country. 27. The possession of “the remnant of Edom” will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Rebekah (Genesis 25:23; Romans 9:12) and of Isaac’s blessings of Jacob (Genesis 27:29) and Esau (Genesis 27:40). Some suggest Edom’s subjection by David (2 Samuel 8:14) was the fulfillment; however, that servitude was short-lived and not sufficient. 28. The phrase “which are called by my name” implies a creature’s willing acceptance of God’s sovereignty—the goal of the future kingdom, God “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). 29. Ezekiel 36:35-38; Amos 9:12; Acts 15:17. See above. 30. Isaiah 54:7-10. See above. 31. towrah or torah, #8451—law, instruction, teaching, direction. 32. ’adam, #120—humankind, individual man, name of first man. |