Forever King - Forever His

HIGHLIGHT: 1 Chronicles 17:16-20 - 16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?17 And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great,[a] O Lord God!

18 “What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like. 19 For the sake of your servant, O Lord, and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known.

20 “O Lord, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!

EXPLAIN: Chapter 17 tells the story of David, after He has brought the Ark of the Covenant into Israel. The Ark was the representation of God to the people. David, in a moment where peace has come to his family and nation, ponders the realization that He has a nice place to live but God is "stuck" in an Ark (picture a chest) and in a tent. He tells the priest Nathan that he wants to build God a temple. Nathan says he likes the plan and to go for it.

Right after that, Nathan has an encounter with God. In that encounter, God says I have always moved around with my people and that is my ultimate desire. David is not to build me a temple, but I will allow one of his sons to do that for me. However, it is important for him to know, and my people to know, that my desire is to be with him.

God then makes what is known as the Davidic covenant. God will make sure that someone from David's line always sits on the throne. This is a huge moment because even David knows he took the throne from someone else's family because their heart started following themselves over God.

David, in the verses highlighted above, recognizes what an honor this covenant is for him and his family. "Who am I?" David asks. He praises the Lord for the promise of a future, and really a future he cannot fully see. He ends this highlighted section with saying, "There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." A praise from the heart of David, recognizing where blessings come from to himself and others.

APPLY: In this moment, what an interesting passage because we know the rest of the story. David would go on to not always be faithful (Bathsheba, census, etc). Solomon would fall away. And the examples only get worse. So why would God promise David this future blessing.

This blessing is not about David, but rather about the heart of God. God knows that David, even in the middle of his messes, desires to follow him. There will be moments that he fails, but when confronted by God's love, David will return. The heart of God is that he wants to lead his people, and do life together with them.

This covenant would become a part of their normal worship services. When the kings were good - they would praise God for the line of David being a great king. When the kings were bad, they would praise God that he longed to do life with them knowing he would lead them in the future with better kings. Even in the exile, when both kingdoms of Israel/Judah had fallen, these words of praise would ring in the people's mouths. God will bring a king that will lead us.

That promise was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. That is why Matthew, the gospel writer, spends his first chapter writing the genealogy of Jesus. It shows the line from Abraham (the covenant where God said I will bless you and all the world will be blessed through you) through to David (there will always be someone form your family line as King of Israel) through to Jesus (King of kings and Lord of lords).

Jesus is still King today. He still longs to do life with each of us. He still longs to lead us, our families and even our communities to experience a full life. His promise to David was more than just a promise to keep his children on the throne. It was a promise to his people that He would forever provide and lead them. Jesus came to bring the full revelation of God to people. When he was about to ascend back to the Father, he told them/us that He would send the Holy Spirit who would lead us as we walked through life.

RESPONSE: Lord, who am I that you would consider me someone worthy to invest in? Thank you for seeing me, knowing me and leading me ~ regardless of what has gone in and around me. Help me to see you and follow you always. And if I can't see you, help me to remember your promise to always provide and never forget me.