Forever is, well, forever. It is difficult for us to comprehend the concept of something being "forever." This was probably true for King David as well. Yet listen to the words God spoke to the new king of Israel: "Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever" - 2 Samuel 7:16.
Forever? But David died eventually, and there are no kings reigning now in Israel. So what lasted forever?
The promises are forever in Jesus Christ.
As you discovered in the Book of 1 Samuel, David is one of the most important ties to Jesus in the Old Testament. Not only was Christ descended from David's family line, but it was in Christ that the promise God made to David would be completely fulfilled.
Second Samuel is the story of a man trying desperately to be a great leader and holy man, and is often sabotaged by his flawed humanity. The book of 2 Samuel records the highlights of David's reign over the territory of Judah and finally over the entire nation of Israel. It also records David's sins. Yet David knew enough to be repentant and to always come back to God. Therefore, in spite of sins, David remained a man after God's own heart--penitent, passionate, and purposeful.
Second Samuel was probably compiled by one man who combined the written chronicles of Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer - 1 Chronicles 29:29. In addition to these written sources, the compiler evidently used another source called "the Book of Jasher" - 2 Samuel 1:18. The date of the composition for 1 and 2 Samuel was sometime after the death of David's son, Solomon, but before the Assyrian capitivity of the northern kingdom.
The events of 2 Samuel remind us that God always keeps His promises. No amount of sin can change that. Christ will reign for all eternity--now in our hearts, eventually over a new heaven and a new earth--just as God promised.
God Bless,
Dan
Forever? But David died eventually, and there are no kings reigning now in Israel. So what lasted forever?
The promises are forever in Jesus Christ.
As you discovered in the Book of 1 Samuel, David is one of the most important ties to Jesus in the Old Testament. Not only was Christ descended from David's family line, but it was in Christ that the promise God made to David would be completely fulfilled.
Second Samuel is the story of a man trying desperately to be a great leader and holy man, and is often sabotaged by his flawed humanity. The book of 2 Samuel records the highlights of David's reign over the territory of Judah and finally over the entire nation of Israel. It also records David's sins. Yet David knew enough to be repentant and to always come back to God. Therefore, in spite of sins, David remained a man after God's own heart--penitent, passionate, and purposeful.
Second Samuel was probably compiled by one man who combined the written chronicles of Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer - 1 Chronicles 29:29. In addition to these written sources, the compiler evidently used another source called "the Book of Jasher" - 2 Samuel 1:18. The date of the composition for 1 and 2 Samuel was sometime after the death of David's son, Solomon, but before the Assyrian capitivity of the northern kingdom.
The events of 2 Samuel remind us that God always keeps His promises. No amount of sin can change that. Christ will reign for all eternity--now in our hearts, eventually over a new heaven and a new earth--just as God promised.
God Bless,
Dan
