Kings and Covenants

Kings and Covenants

 

1 Chronicles 11:1-3

All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” 3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

 

There are so many stories to explore in the Word of God and many ways to study them however from Genesis through Revelation we know that every page is about Jesus, the living Word.  Rightly dividing the Word of God includes a sound understanding of the differences between the Old Testament and the New.  In understanding these and in light of our risen Lord's example of explaining how from beginning with Moses and the Prophets, all the Scriptures speak of Him (see Luke 24:27) it is our task to not only read the Old Testament as stories, but to uncover the concealed pictures of Jesus throughout.

 

The Old Testament story of God's dealing with the nation of Israel is a shadow of the substance or reality of His Church.  We see that in pictures of the bondage and deliverance from Egypt and how that is a picture of our bondage to sin and God's wonderful deliverance of us to be His chosen people.  We see the types of Christ the perfect sacrifice foreshadowed in the sacrificial system of the temple worship and on and on we can be blessed by beholding the beauty of our Lord Jesus.

 

This particular passage is a part of the history of Israel during the time of their having a king.  It is a tale of two kings, Saul and David.  Saul was what the people in their natural and carnal thinking would be a reasonable choice but God sees things very differently.  "...For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outer appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7b). While God had Samuel anoint Saul king originally, he knew that there would be a better king to come later.  Saul would prove to be faulty as king and would be replaced by a better a king of God's choosing, David a man after His own heart.  While there is enough drama in these two kings adventures as they related to one another, I want to zero in on these three short versus and suggest to you that we not only have historical truth but also a picture of our Lord Jesus and the beautiful Gospel of GRACE.

 

I see in these two kings the two covenants.  Saul represents the old covenant.  The whole idea of this kind of covenant, just like the whole idea of having a king was never in God's plan for His people.  From Abraham until Mt Saini the nation operated strictly under Grace.  There was no reason in themselves to be chosen by God and nothing good in them to keep them in His Favor. It was unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor...nothing but Grace.  At Saini however the people presumptuously entered into a new covenant declaring "Everything the Lord has said we will do" (Exodus 24:3b).  And so a covenant was made.  But even in this it would not be a permanent covenant just as Saul and his household would not be the permanent family to sit on the throne.  No, that was reserved for another king.  A superior king.  One of God's own choosing who was a man after His own heart, the very heart of God.

 

King David in this story represents the New Covenant.  It is a covenant that is the very heart of God.  God had told David that when the change in royal lines was made, it would be an eternal reign, never failing to have a king on the throne.  The new covenant, like the reign of the house of David is a superior covenant replacing the old that was found faulty "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second (Hebrews 8:7)".  David had long before this time been appointed king by God, anointed king by Samuel and also by the southern kingdom of Judah just as God had the New Covenant in mind from the beginning of time.  Just as the people of Israel recognized that even while Saul was king it was David who was truly the Lord's anointed, the time of the old covenant--that of the law, was put into place to be a teacher.  A way for Israel (and the world through them) to recognize that a change according to God's plan and design needed to be made...a better way.

 

It was the Lord who told David through the Prophet Samuel, "You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler, and it is the Lord who devised the wonderful plan of salvation in the new covenant by sending His own Son to Shepherd His people and be our ruler and King of Kings and Lord of Lord's forever, Amen!  A new day dawned for Israel that day as they received David as their king.  When the elders came to King David at Hebron he made a covenant with them before the Lord.  There has been a NEW COVENANT made for us through the precious blood of Jesus and His finished work on the cross.  No longer are we under the law which can never save, we are under Grace where striving ceases and justice and mercy are met at the cross.  It is here that ALL our sins are forgiven and in Christ we are forever righteous.  It is here where there is no longer any condemnation for the believer and no power of sin over the believer. 

The story went on with much more to say about David and the nation of Israel but David built a great kingdom.  In Christ, we also are being built into a great kingdom, the kingdom of God.  We have a King that is perfect.  He loves without measure and offers free salvation.  Step into the flood of His Grace and Favor today and behold the King in all His beauty. 

 

Grace to you,

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA