HIS THRONE WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER

(Special Christmas Message 2: God's Promise to David)

1 Chronicles 17:1-27
Key Verse 17:14

"I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever."

In this second special Christmas Bible study, we will cover God's promise to David regarding Jesus Christ. In this passage we see a different perspective about Jesus' person and work. He is a promised king in the line of David. He would reign with the shepherd king-like qualities of David. However, he is more than God. God promised to establish the throne of David's son "forever" and he would be over God's house and God's kingdom. May God help us to learn of his blessing in establishing Jesus as our shepherd king.

1. Read verses 1-6. How did King David feel after building his palace and settling in it? What does this show us about David? What kind of house do you think David had in mind for the Lord? Yet, what did God say to him about building a house? How had God stayed with his people thus far? What does this show about God?

*Verse 1.  

*Rather than enjoying his new palace, he was concerned about the Ark of the Covenant (which represented God's dwelling with his people) which was in a tent and looked poor compared to David's new palace. 

*A palatial structure.  

*The Lord said that David would not build a house for him.  

*The Lord had not asked any of the people he established as leaders for his people to build a house for him. He had traveled with his people in a tent.  

*God does not dwell in a house like we do. God traveled in a tent with his people wherever he led them. He was a shepherd leading his people. The ark of the covenant staying in a tent revealed God's heart to shepherd over his people and be with them.

>See Exodus 13:21: "By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night."

2. Read verses 6-10a. With what role to serve did God raise up leaders for his people? What were the main duties of kings in those days? How did God raise up David to be a ruler for his people? (1Ch 11:12) How was David like a shepherd king over Israel? What were the fruits of his kingship thus far? What did God promise to do for his people?

*Verse 6. "...whom I commanded to shepherd my people." God raised up leaders as shepherds for his people. Shepherding others is very different from exercising political power and authority over them. The interest of a shepherd is always to take care of his sheep first, even laying down his life for them. 

*Kings mainly were warriors who fought battles for their people to secure the peace. They were the source of protection. 

*See verses 7-9. God had raised David from their fields where he was an actual shepherd over his father's sheep to be king of Israel. God was pleased with David and found him to be "a man after his own heart" (cf. 1 Sam 13:13-14; Acts 13:22). God was with him the whole time and established David as king. 

*David protected the people as he did when he was a shepherd. He fought many battles to ensure their peace and safety from their enemies. He was also a wise judge for them. He also led the people in worship before the Lord.  

*David united the people under one kingdom under God. David ushered in a so-called "Golden Age" for Israel which lasted into Solomon's reign. The borders extended and were secured and David was a source of security from their enemies.  

*See verses 8-9. He promised them peace and security from all their enemies.

3. Read verses 10b-15. What two things God promise to do for David? What does a throne represent? What do the words "forever", "over my house and my kingdom", and "I will be his father, and he will be my son", tell us about the throne to be established for David's offspring? To whom does David's "offspring" refer? (13; Rev 22:16)

*1) He promised to build a house for David in establish his offspring's throne forever. 2) David's offspring would build a house for God and be over God's house and kingdom.  

*A throne is the seat of authority and power.  

*This throne and kingdom was not just any earthly throne or kingdom. God was establishing David's offspring over God's own house and kingdom. It would be a throne and kingdom that lasts forever. So he is referring to God's kingdom and David's offspring would be called God's son. This means further that this kingdom provides more than just what earthly kingdoms provide. God's kingdom means real peace and security--not just from visible enemies, but invisible ones as well. God's kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness and justice. And God's kingdom covers the whole world. 

*God's promise to David looks ahead to Jesus Christ who is called David's offspring. As we learn more about God's promise in the OT Scripture, we can see how Jesus fulfills and is fulfilling the promises in his person and work. [For your reference, you may wish to consider reading the following passages: Mat 1:1; 2Tim 2:8; Acts 2:29-32; Rev 22:16] 

4. What happened to David's royal line in the days of the Babylonian empire and afterward? What eventually happened to the temple that Solomon built and which was later rebuilt by Herod? (Mat 24:1-2) What does this history tell us about the fulfillment of God's promise? In what way is Jesus fulfilling the promise to be over God's kingdom? (9-10; Isa 9:7; Jer 23:5-6) Who can enjoy the benefits of Jesus' kingdom and rule?

*Eventually, David's sons were no longer kings over Israel and Judah. And many of the royal line were taken as captives into exile in Babylon by the Babylonian army. Since that time David did not have a son on a throne as king (except for Jesus). [Jer 52:1-16; Da 1:1-5 - these verses give a more detailed picture as to what happened.] 

*It was destroyed, first by the Babylonians (~586 BC) and later by the Romans in 70 AD. Since that time there has been no Jewish temple. In fact, a Muslim mosque now sits on the site of the former temple in Jerusalem. [Please see Mat 24:1-2 and Jer 52:17-23 for more details into this.] 

*God's promise was not fulfilled in the earthly, Israelite / Jewish kingdom nor in the Jerusalem temple. The promises were looking forward to something more. 

*Jesus fulfills the promise to be a king in the line of David. 1. He is David's son. 2. He is God's Son. 3. He lives and reigns forever because he defeated death and rose from the dead. 4. He brings true security, peace, and victory over our enemies and God's enemies, especially sin, death and the devil. He won this victory through his death on the cross and resurrection. And he is working by his Spirit now to bring us victory after victory. He protects us like a mighty king. 5. He is our good shepherd who laid down his life for us. And he watches over us now as a shepherd over his sheep. As a shepherd, he is bringing all of God's lost flock together in unity under God. 6. In bringing true peace, Jesus brings righteousness to all his people (Ro 3:21-22). For righteousness comes with peace with God because sins have been forgiven and that person is right with God. (see Jer 23:5-6). In Jesus we have the perfect king and shepherd whose throne endures forever.

*Those who are subjects of God's kingdom, that is, those who live by faith in Jesus and submit to him as their Lord.

5. The Lord begins by saying he will build David's house, but finishes by saying that David's offspring will build God's house. How are the two related? In what way is Jesus fulfilling the promise to build God's house? (1 Cor 3:9)

*God promised to establish David's house for the sake of building his own house among his people.

*God's house is the place where God he dwells. God does not dwell in a house of wood like people. But God desired to be with his people and in them. Through Jesus who brings sin forgiveness and made the way for God to pour out his Holy Spirit on all people, this is possible. In John 2, when Jesus spoke of the temple, he was speaking about himself. Revelation 21 tells us that the Lamb is the temple. Believers are the body of Christ and thus make up God's house. As Jesus saves and bring people into God's kingdom, he is building God's house and is over it as its head. It is a house where God is pleased to dwell and which endures to the eternal kingdom of God. [Please see the following verses for further reference as to the true meaning of God's house: 1 Pe 2:5, 1 Cor 3:9, Jn 2:19; Eph 5:23]

6. Read verses 16-27. What was David's confession about God after receiving this promise? What was David's attitude about himself? What did David pray to be done through God fulfilling this promise? (24)

*See verse 20. "There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." David confessed and testified to God's mercy and greatness to redeem his people and be with them. David did not just see God's promise as something good for himself, but as a testimony to God's mercy and greatness to all people.

*He was humble before the Lord. He confesses that he found strength to pray because of God's promise and blessing.

*See verses 23-24. He prayed for God's name to be honored and praised. He prayed fully believing that what God had promised would be done.

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