“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.”

~2 Samuel 7: 12

What is the significance of God’s promise to David in chapter 7?

2 Samuel 7 contains a message from the Lord, given to David through Nathan the prophet, which later became known as the “Davidic covenant”. In verses 1-16, God makes promises to David that will be fulfilled during his lifetime as well as promises that will be fulfilled in the distant future. Verses 11-16 are particularly important as they point, not only to David’s immediate descendant Solomon, but also to Jesus Christ as the Messiah who will establish God’s kingdom for all eternity.

As you read these verses, pay particular attention to the dual meaning of God’s promises. For example, verse 13 points to Solomon’s completion of the temple, a physical “house” for the presence of the Lord amongst His people (see 1 Kings 6:11-12). But with a longer range in view, it is also a prophetic reference to the Messiah, who will Himself become the “living way” to enter into the presence of the Lord (see Hebrews 10:19-23). Revelation looks even further into the future with the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven with no temple at all, “for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (Revelation 21:22)

When we understand the prophetic significance of this covenant, the meaning of the passage comes alive as a key to understanding the big picture being laid out in all of Scripture.

From Genesis to Revelation, God is making a way for us to come to Him. The Davidic Covenant is the fourth of five permanent, eternal covenants God makes that culminate in the redemption of all mankind through Christ’s death and resurrection. As we follow the threads of each covenant, we clearly see the way God has perfectly arranged all of history to point to the eternal reign of Jesus, the righteous King and great High Priest—the ultimate fulfillment of all of God’s promises.

In 2 Samuel 7: 18, David responds to God, opening his prayer with “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” Do God’s promises of redemption result in a similar response of humility and gratitude in your own heart? Offer your own prayer to Him today, like David did, and praise Him for what He has done!

Notes For Further Study

• The Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:8-17)

• The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15:15-21)

• The Levitic/Priestly Covenant (Numbers 3:1-18, 18:1-20, and 25:10-13)

• The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:1-17)

• The New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-29)