God's Story From Beginning to End: The Davidic Covenant

Introduction
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Last week Pastor Harry covered a lot of ground as he raced us through the book of 1 Samuel.  He talked about the life of Samuel and showed how the account of Samuel shows that God still speaks in times of failure.  He showed that even though there was There was Failure in the Home of Samuel (failure in the home), in God’s servant Eli (failure in the Church), and in the children of Israel (failure of a nation) and concluded with the call and challenge to heed the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

Today we will pick up where he left off as we look briefly at the fall of King Saul’s kingdom and King David’s blessing and fall.  We will see how both responded and note how they are very important in the O.T, narrative to help us understand God’s holiness and our need for a savior.

1. Saul’s fall- Saul’s disobedience to God
2. The Davidic Covenant – God’s promise to David
3. The sin of David – David’s sin that forever impacted his life and kingdom.

When we look back in comparison at the lives of both King Saul and King David, we see that both did great things for the nation of Israel and they both sinned horribly. But their responses to their sins were polar opposite.  
 
Saul
Saul became king when he was 30 years old, and he reigned as king forty-two years.  However, he became Israel’s king not because he was the right man for the job, but because the people of Israel demanded a king to rule over them.  Saul was chosen because he was the son of an influential man, “the most handsome man in Israel”, and he was by far the tallest man in the nation.  Put more simply, Saul was the total package.  Good looks, rich, and of kingly stature.  He was perceived as a strong leader because of his outer appearance.  Unfortunately, as king he was not the most obedient king.  In 1 Samuel 13, we read that Saul disobeyed God by offering a burnt sacrifice to Him when Samuel specifically told him to wait (1 Samuel 10:8), resulting in Saul’s kingdom coming to an end.  We do not read of any repentance from Saul for his transgression. 
 
1 Samuel 15:10, “Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and refused to obey my command.’  Samuel was deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD at night. Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul.  Someone told him, ‘Saul when to town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.’”   When Samuel told Saul about God’s rejection of him as king he responds, “But I did obey the LORD… I carried out the mission…” to which Samuel replies, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?  Listen!  Obedience in better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)   
 
David
1 Samuel 16:1 – 7
Vs 1:  Once Saul was rejected by God, the LORD tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find a man named Jesse and God will select one of his sons to be king.  

Vs 6 – 7:  When Samuel comes to Jesse, he went through all his sons to anoint one of them to be the next king.  One by one Samuel inquires of the LORD as to which son it was.  Finally, God says, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have reject him (Eliab the first son). The LORD doesn’t see the way you see them.  People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  

Vs 13:  David is chosen by God and anointed king and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on.
 
2 Samuel 7:1 - 17
Several years later and after the death of Saul, King David inquired of the prophet Nathan and said he wanted to build a house for the LORD.  He said, “Look, I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”  David wanted to bless God by building a house for the LORD, and God’s response was a gentle rebuke and a blessing. 

The rebuke:  God essentially says, “Do you think you can build a home for me!  I am the LORD ALMIGHTY.  I have never asked for a house, nor do I have a need for one.”

The blessing: David wants to bless God, but God says, “No!  I will bless you.  You want to build me a house, but I will build you a house… not a physical home but a dynasty of kings!”  God gives a promise to bless David and establish his kingdom forever.  However, this kingdom will not be merely an earthly kingdom, it will be an eternal kingdom.  This promise is what is known as the Davidic covenant.  The LORD promises to send the chosen one of Israel, the Messiah, through David’s lineage.  His kingdom will be eternal, and his throne will be secure forever.”  

Isn’t this typical of God?  David seeks to bless him, but God instead blesses him.  A summary of the covenant promises are…

1. God will establish an eternal seed through David
2. God will establish an eternal kingdom through David
3. God will establish an eternal throne through David

 
2 Samuel 11
God was faithful as he blessed King David’s kingdom and life even while King David did not remain faithful.  Unfortunately, in 2 Samuel 11 are witness to a dark blot in the life of David as he commits a sin of colossal proportions.

We are told David was out on the rooftop relaxing one evening while the men of Israel were out fighting the war.  After his midday rest, he was out looking over the city and he noticed a beautiful woman bathing, he inquires as to who she is and his servant tells him her name is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.  His gaze turned to lust, and his lust overtook him and ends up sleeping with her, we are not told if this was a mutual affair or not, nevertheless it does not matter because it still wrong and sinful no matter how you look at it.  Eventually he finds that she has become pregnant with David’s child, and this is a problem for him because she was a married woman.
 
It is at this point where David’s sin gets the best of him as David tries to cover his sin by plotting a scheme to cover up his sin.

1. David tries to cover his sin by creating an opportunity for her husband to come home from battle and hopefully he will lie with her.  He figured then at least the husband would think it was his.
2. David tries to cover his sin when Uriah refused to be with his wife, he had him put in the front line of duty and he was killed
3. David tries to cover his sin by taking Bathsheba to be his wife.  He figures he can still cover up his sin by “doing the right thing”.

 
The problem… You cannot hide your sin from God.  Nathan the prophet knows of David’s sin and confronts him with the truth.  
Both kings sin greatly against God, but as stated before their responses were very different.  Saul tries to justify his sin while David acknowledges and responds appropriately to his sin.
            
Psalm 51:1 - 12 – David Response
This Psalm is written by a broken, guilt ridden and repentant man whose transgressions were immense. The author, David, tried to scheme with all his might to cover up his sin but his sins were not hidden from God, and he was called out for his wickedness.  What we learn early on in David’s transgression is… If you continue in a sin long enough, it will catch up to you.
 
In this Psalm we are witness to four pleas of a broken and guilty man 

• Plea for mercy (Vs 1):  Once David’s sin is exposed, He goes to God and begs for mercy and for Him to be gracious and show favor to him.  David knew he was guilty of sin, but he also knew God was a loving and forgiving God.  He wasn’t asking for forgiveness because he wanted an escape route or even because he deserved it; he was genuinely pleading for God in His loving kindness to grant him mercy. 
• Plea of confession and forgiveness (Vs 2, 3):  David pleas for mercy then appeals to God for forgiveness.  His remorse was so overwhelming that the only thing that could subside his encompassing guilt was to plead for a washing away of his trespass.  He publicly confesses his sin to God and repents of his transgression.  David fully knows he has done wrong in the site of God, and he owns up to his sin.
• Plea for cleansing (Vs 7 – 9):  David asks God to blot out his transgression before him.  The process spoken of in verse 7a (purge me with hyssop) is the cleansing ritual of a leper.  The washing refers to the ritual washing that was involved after contact with a dead person.  He knows he is unclean, and he acknowledges his unworthiness and seeks to be purged and cleansed by God so that he may be spiritually cleansed.     
• Plea for spiritual restoration/ New life (Vs 10 - 12):  David knows his sin is great.  He knows the consequences of sin also means separation from God.  He asks God to create (make new) his heart and reboot (if you will) his spirit because he has become dirty and foul.  He begs that God would not cast him from his presence but instead he would give him back the joy he once had in the salvation God had promised.

 
Vs 17:  Pleasing Sacrifices to God - David comes to the realization that his cleansing and new life does not come through rituals and sacrifices (as Saul did).  Many people in David’s time knew that if they sinned all they needed to do was go through the rituals of cleansing and then they would feel right with God.  This is the ritual of religion… trying to do something for God and not really doing anything to changing or guarding ourselves from happening again.  David realizes what God truly desires of him.  In repentance God desires…

1. Humble or broken spirit – To know and understand the magnitude of sin and change his sinful ways. 
2. Repentant heart – This could also be translated as a crushed or penitent heart.  Repentance does not mean being sorry for what you did.  Anyone can do that.  Often, we respond in repentance we were caught and feel guilty because we were caught.  But repentance is more than that.  I still remember my Bible college professor explaining repentance as “being sorry enough to change.”  Repentance means to change one’s mind.  Change is involved in repentance.  

 
David longed for that which you and I have today.  He was awaiting a Savior, one who would take away the sins of the world and establish a new covenant with his people.  He longed for the intercessor (Jesus) to come and stand in His place so that his relationship would be made right with God.  
 
Jesus, Repentance & Forgiveness
In our time together it is important for us to acknowledge and know that we are privileged to as believers in Jesus Christ.  Because of Jesus we are…

1. Granted mercy – 1 Peter 1:3:  As David pleaded for mercy to be made new, we can know that mercy is available to us through Jesus Christ.  Because God is a merciful, we can experience the opportunity to receive the gift of being born again (salvation, the new birth).
2. Forgiven – 1 John 1:9:  In Jesus Christ we can know that we are truly forgiven if we confess our sins to God and seek his forgiveness.  If we ask for forgiveness, we will receive forgiveness.
3. Cleansed – 1 Cor. 6:11:  In Jesus Christ we are cleansed… Every one of us has a past.  Some of our pasts are more colorful than others but we need to take comfort in the words of Paul in this verse… “and such were some of you.”  We are all sinners and unworthy of the Kingdom of God, yet when God called you to be his son or daughter you were cleansed, you were sanctified (made holy), and justified (made right with God) through Jesus Christ. 
4. Spiritually Restored/ New Creation – 2 Cor. 5:17:  If you have confessed your sins and seek forgiveness from God, you are clean.  Not only are you clean but you are now a NEW creation.  You are not a better you… you are a new you and the old sinful nature has passed away and now all things are new.  If you are a believer in Jesus, then you have been made right and your relationship has been restored with God.

 

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