Page 61 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

Study Section 9: The Davidic Covenant

9.1 Connect

God was not pleased with King Saul, because he had no heart after God. He was very much
self-absorbed and selfish throughout his reign in Israel. Jealousy filled his heart to the point
he tried repeatedly to kill David. Eventually Saul was dethroned by God who placed David
on the throne.

Despite all of David’s hang-ups, David had a full heart after God. He communed with God and sought to
please Him and obey Him. God used him to write much of the Psalms! And God made a special promise
or covenant to King David: He promised that David’s seed would sit on the throne of Israel forever. Did
this happen? What did God mean by this promise? Today we are going to see not only what this
promise entails, but also look at the many promises God made from the mouths of the prophets to send
a redeemer in the future. Let’s answer these questions….

9.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain the reason why God made a covenant with King David.

2. The student should be able to list several prophecies made in the Old Testament concerning the
coming of Messiah.

3. The student should be able to explain the odds of Jesus fulfilling 48 prophecies of the Messiah from
the Old Testament.

9.3 God Makes a Covenant with King David

When God establishes the covenant with the nation of Israel, he establishes himself as king.
Israel is to have no other king other than God. But in the Law, God makes provision for the
day in which they will have a human king, a king who would not replace God, but represent
God to the people. That comes to fulfillment with King David. Of course,
there's a first attempt when Israel asks for a king, but they don't want
God's king. They want a king like the nations because they want to be
like the nations. So, God gives them a king like the nations, Saul, who turns out to
be much more like a Gentile king than the king after God's own heart. Saul’s
rebellion resulted in God’s rejection of His kingship.

God judges Saul and puts David on the throne, and God makes a covenant with
David. This is, in many ways a continuation of the covenant with Abraham. It's a
gracious covenant. God makes unilateral promises. Just as God had promised to
Abraham that it would be through a seed, a son of Abraham that the promise
would flow, so now we learn that that seed, that son is going to be a king. It's going
to be David and finally it's going to be a son of David. God promises David that he

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