sermon: Son of David

2 Samuel 7:8

Matthew 12:15

“Son of David”

            Today, I want us to use our imaginations as we explore King David and his relationship to God, to the Israelite people, and to God’s covenant with him.  We are taking a huge jump from last Sunday, last Sunday, Moses was just an infant baby given the opportunity for life through the courage of two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.  We are skipping right over the forty years in the wilderness, the arrival to the Promised Land and the time of the Judges.  The people have arrived and they are well settled into their given territories. 

            Let’s image, let’s imagine the sanctuary as the Promised Land.  The front will be the north.  (describe based on Map)

            The Israelites have really never known too much peace.  There have always been neighboring tribes vying for the land and the trade routes to the sea.  And the Israelites have done their best to hold their own and keep their enemies at bay.  Until now.  Something new and significant has happened.  It is the beginning of the Iron Age and the Philistines have figured it all out.  Suddenly, there is an unfair advantage.  The Philistines have weapons that are much stronger then the Israelites and are putting a lot of pressure upon various tribes in the land of Cana. 

            With the advent of the Iron Age, the tribes of Israel understand they can no longer stand alone against the outside tribes, it is time for them to unify.  And so the shift begins to happen, a transition from being a tribal people to unifying as a nation.  Where is God in all of this?  As the people transition from a tribal state to a unified nation, God lifts of prophets to bring God’s word to the people.  Samuel is the prophet called to anoint King Saul, and then Nathaniel is the prophet called to anoint King David. 

            David does not have a one on one connection to the Divine like Abraham, Shiphrah and Puah, and Moses.  He is a young shepherd boy, the youngest of a large family, with a lot of talent and filled with possibilities, when Nathaniel comes to him and tells him that God has called him to be the next ruler of Israel.   In a sense, it is a similar story to Moses, but rather than encounter a burning bush, David is encountered by a prophet, calling him to a divine purpose. 

            As David grows, there are numerous stories about him before he officially becomes King.  There is the story of David and Goliath, as he slays the Philistine giant.  David plays the harp and soothes King Saul from his inner demons.  And then there are the relationships David builds within the royal family.   He becomes best friends with Saul’s son, Jonathan and marries Saul’s daughter.  Some say he very skillfully placed himself into the royal family so he could more easily rise to the throne.  Remember, Saul was the first king and there was no established rule that the children of the king would inherit the throne.  But that all changes with David. 

            King Saul was unable to unify the tribal states of Israel, but after Saul’s death, David quickly comes in and re-organizes the Israelite army.  He is able to thwart the Philistine threat, and creates social stability.  One resource I read describes him as an Architect of the Nation.  Whether or not David had God, he had incredible leadership skills and created a sense of power so that the people of Israel put their faith into him. 

            Again, where is God in all of this?  As David brought the tribes together and transitioned them to have a national identity, he did some significant, religious things.  He rescued the Ark of the Covenant that had been captured by the Philistines, and he moved the religious center of Israel from Shiloh to Jerusalem.  In doing this, he creates what is called a Royal Theology which brings us to today’s scripture reading of God’s covenant with David that his throne will be established forever. 

            With all of this done, David is wondering if now is the time to build a Temple for God in Jerusalem.  As David talks to the prophet Nathaniel, Nathaniel is encountered by God with the message for David that now is the time for God to establish a House for David, but it will be David’s offspring that will establish a House for God.  The following is God’s covenant:  God speaks:   I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.  Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me;^[c] your throne shall be established forever.

          And after 400 years of David’s Dynasty ruling over Israel, it truly seemed as if God’s covenant had been established forever.  But the kingdom divides and enemies once again attack and there are periods of exile and hardship and terrible loss for the Israelite people.  And they asked, where is God in all of this?  And the prophets kept speaking and bringing messages of hope and they spoke of a Messiah that would come and re-establish the throne of David and bring back the Nation of Israel. 

            And so when we enter into the stories of Jesus and hear the term:  Son of David, there is so much meaning behind those words.  The gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy, and as Jesus is named, he is named as the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.  For the writer of Matthew, it is essential that the reader make the connection that Jesus is a part of the Royal Theology of King David.  That Jesus is a part of God’s covenant with David, and that through Jesus, the throne of David will be re-established. 

            Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah – Here is my servant – to illustrate that Jesus is not just of the lineage of David, but is also the one that the prophets spoke of.  And as Jesus performed healings and miracles the people themselves began to ask: Is this the son of David?  But the Pharisees are not so sure, and they believe that he is Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.  Amazing how one group could see someone as a part of God’s Holy Story, and another can see him as the enemy to God’s work.  How do we discern the work of God?  And even those proclaiming Jesus as the Son of David had a very specific understanding of who they expected him to be.  They wanted a new King, they wanted the Roman rule to end.  They wanted to be re-established as a nation under the reign of the Throne of David. 

            Got God?  How do we discern the work of God?  Just as David was instrumental in transitioning the people from a tribal state to a great nation, Jesus is instrumental in transitioning the people from a political people of God to a spiritual people of God.  Israel still has a purpose, they are still God’s people, they are still called to be a light to the nations, but it is by doing the work of God instead of being a great nation.  This was a hard transition and one that did not go over too well.  But for those that believe, for those that have faith, for those that embrace God and the story of faith, there is an understanding that the royal theology of David is an eternal covenant, a covenant of faith passed from one generation to the next, a covenant of seeking God in our lives, and a covenant of participating in God’s work in this world. 

            And now, in today’s world, people rich or poor, free and oppressed, of all cultures, nationalities, educational and economic levels connect to this story of faith in one way, shape or form, and have become a part of house of David, and his eternal kingdom, as we live as a people of God, set aside for God’s work in this world.  Amen.