December 4, 2010, First Saturday in Advent
Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:11b-13
Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you – a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house – a temple – for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.
The people of Israel wanted a king. They got Saul, who ended up being more about his own desires and agenda than being obedient to the will of the Lord. Because of Saul’s disobedience, the Lord anoints David to be the new king of Israel. David united the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. David, this man whom was seen as being after God’s own heart, was building a dynasty.
But in our text today, we see that God is the one building the dynasty. In this covenant to David, God promises to build a dynasty through David’s line that will never end. God will make sure that this throne will be forever.
This promise had a dual function. First, there was the promise of Solomon who built the temple. Second, the promise points toward Christ, who came from the line of David, as being the ultimate fulfiller of the Messianic promise. That promise was fulfilled that first Christmas morning.
God also promises that Christ will return. Advent is not just a month-long season leading into Christmas. We live continually in a season of Advent as we wait for the promise of Christ’s return to become a reality. Christ has come. Christ will come again. Let the hope of that promise bring joy to our hearts this season and beyond.
Lord, you promised David that you would establish an everlasting kingdom. The kingdom was established with the birth of Christ. Now, we live in the Advent of Christ’s return. Lord, teach us how to be expectant of that return not just in this season of Advent, but each day of our lives. In Christ Name, Amen.
Shannon Blosser 