The Once And Future King 2024A.D.

More about The Once And Future King 2024A.D.

Cody's Eye
“‘It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make your name great, like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.”
The story of David brings out all the strengths and weaknesses of the beginnings of the religious institution of the kingdom for the people of God. . . . The kingdom established by David . . . is the closest Old Testament parallel to the New Testament church. . . . To help Christians make up their mind on how the Bible speaks [to church issues] it would help if they knew about David and his kingdom, which was also God’s kingdom and whose kings, with all their imperfections, God promised to treat as “sons” (2 Sm. 6:14).[1]
Now, back to the First Reading: the context is that David has firmly established the kingdom of Israel in his own hands, and now turns his attention to enhancing the worship of the LORD. He desires to build God a house, that is, a temple; but God instead replies that he will build David a house, that is, a dynasty. There is a wordplay in this famous chapter on the Hebrew term “house.” A reciprocal relationship is set up between the House of David and the House of God. God will build David’s House (dynasty), but David’s House (dynasty) will build the House of God. Ultimately, in the mystery of God’s providence, the House of David and the House of God are going to become one reality. The dynasty and the Temple are going to become one person (John 2:21), and by extension, one people (Eph 2:12-22).