A Shoot From the Stump of JessePrøve

A Promise to David “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16) Today’s verse brings us back to Israel’s second king, David. His life story is described in detail in the books 1 and 2 Samuel. When we read about David for the first time, he was a shepherd boy, but later on he appointed by the Lord as King Saul’s successor. Saul was unfaithful to the Lord and, therefore, unfit for kingship. David was a man after God's heart, who always returned to the Lord when he had sinned. When David eventually became king and achieved political success, he continued to serve the Lord. Toward the end of his reign, David had a desire to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord did not allow it. Not David, but his son Solomon would build the temple. In that context, God made a very special promise. He promised David not only that his son would succeed him, but that his royal family would remain in power forever. David had been faithful to God, but God would even be more faithful to David’s family! In the next few days, we will read how this promise was realized. It is a story full of unexpected twists and turns.