A small group I am involved with started this fall by studying the passionate spiritual life of King David.One of the stories we explored was the Davidic Covenant found in 2 Samuel 7. God’s covenants to us remind me of a simple song I learned growing up, which included the line: “Standing on the promises of God.”
We are living in an insecure world. Many things happening within our culture are difficult to understand.
There seem to be significant levels of uncertainty in the political, financial, religious, and social realms.
But take heart! According to God’s Word there is no uncertainty in our spiritual realm.
This article is to remind us of God’s three most powerful promises; not only to the nation of Israel, but to all born-again believers.
1. The Abrahamic Covenant
Scripture tells us in Genesis 12:1-4 (NIV):
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”
The nation of Israel is from the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. No other culture has thrived or survived as long as the Jews. God will be faithful to the nation of Israel for eternity.
God also designated specifically a land title to the Jewish nation:
“Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country – to the Great Sea on the west” (Joshua 1:4 NIV).
Almost all of the tensions in the Middle East today are for two reasons:A hatred for Jews and the jockeying for land and resources.Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah exist to wipe Israel of the face of the earth, and many other nations covet Israel’s natural resources (including the recent finding of one of the largest oil reserves ever discovered in the world). You’ll want to keep a close eye on this new development.
When you want to know where God is working, always look to the nation of Israel, first. He is steadfast in his promises to the Jews, and has never violated His promises to this tiny nation supernaturally situated at the center of God’s earth.
2. The Davidic Covenant
This is covenant is between God and King David. In the second book of Samuel, God promises David and Israel that the Savior would come from the line of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever. That Savior’s name is Yeshua, or Jesus. Even though you don’t specifically read the name of Jesus, notice the words in emboldened italics in the Scripture below:
“I will rise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-15 NIV).
The power and promise of King David’s Covenant points directly to a third covenant for all Church Age believers, also known as the Age of Grace. This, of course, is the age in which we currently live.
3. God’s Covenant of the Cross
In his historic visit to the United States, Pope Francis said something about Jesus that really got my attention. On September 24 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, the Pope declared:
“The cross shows us a different way of measuring success. Ours is to plant the seeds. God sees to the fruits of our labors. And if at times our efforts and works seem to fail and not produce fruit, we need to remember that we are followers of Jesus Christ and his life, humanly speaking, ended in failure, the failure of the cross.” (emphasis added)
Scripture teaches us that Jesus’ death on the cross was (and is) anything but a failure!In fact, Jesus’ death on the cross is the most supernatural, penultimate experience we have in God’s story for mankind.Our very salvation is pinned on the FACT that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead three days later.
All those with ears to hear, listen to what the apostle Paul wrote:
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:12 NIV).
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).
Jesus Christ “ended in failure, the failure of the cross?”
No way. Many people across the world today feel like our world is spinning out of control.
Lawlessness, apostasy, and perversion are on the rise. If you are of this thought, remember, the victory has already been won. When Jesus died on the cross all those two thousand years ago, the Evil One was defeated.
And for those who “call on the name of Jesus” we retain the right to eternity at the throne of the Most High:
“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Revelation 1:12-16).
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!
Tom Hoffman