OPINION:
During Christmas, it’s easy to linger on the baby in the manger and forget that Christ’s birth was far more than the story of a young couple’s unexpected son. Rather, Christmas is about the culmination of a promise—first whispered in Eden, spoken to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then echoed to millions of people over thousands of years.
A promise perfectly fulfilled in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.
Many of the promises we know: a virgin conceiving, a Son given, a Prince of Peace reigning. And yet, nestled in Bethlehem’s cradle lies the fulfillment of hundreds of promises regarding Christ’s coming.
Below is the second in a series of excerpts from “Tracing His Promise,” which guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season. Read the first devotional here.
David: When Life Takes a Turn
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. – 2 Samuel 7:4-6
SEE ALSO: Tracing His Promise, a Christmas Advent: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament
I imagine when David first heard God’s no to his request to build God a house, it came as a shock. But from heaven’s perspective, God had His blueprint in place, marking out a course that David would have never dreamed.
God told David, “I will raise up your offspring after you, … and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13).
Forever. This is key.
Though David wanted to build a house for God, God wanted to build a house, or lineage, through David. Not only a lineage but an eternal throne and kingdom.
This was no small moment. Though David’s son Solomon eventually built a physical temple, God promised David a descendant who would have a house, throne, and kingdom that would last forever. I would imagine you can guess who this descendant would be. Through David, the Messiah would come!
David wouldn’t use smooth stones and a sling to kill another Goliath, nor would he build a physical house of worship. Instead, God promised to use David’s life and legacy as the foundation on which Jesus would come. This promise is called the Davidic covenant — a covenant that builds upon the promises and covenants from earlier in the Old Testament:
- In the garden, God promised Adam and Eve a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15).
- Then, God promised Abraham that the Messiah would come from his descendants — the Hebrew people (Genesis 12; 15).
- God reiterated the promise of the Messiah coming through the family of Issac, Jacob, and Judah (Genesis 26:3–4; 28:14–15; 49:10).
Here with David, God narrowed the scope, and we learn that the Messiah would come from David’s family. The eternal, all-knowing, all-loving God had His divine plan in place.
The New Testament Connection
Before we see David’s response, I want us to delve deeper and watch how God’s promise to David weaves into the bigger story of Jesus.
We begin with the first verse of the New Testament: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).
I marvel at how the verse hinging the Old and New Testaments introduces Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham and David — promises stretching back over a thousand years.
The connections continue. When Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said Jesus “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32–33).
Catch how this prophecy masterfully echoes God’s promise to David. Jesus will have the throne of “his father David,” where he will “reign … forever” over a kingdom that has “no end.”
That’s not all. As Jesus’s earthly ministry unfolded, people called Him the Son of David (Matthew 9:27; 15:22). The Jews knew the Messiah would come from David’s descendants, so the name “Son of David” speaks of more than genealogy. It was a messianic title, recognizing Jesus was the promised one of the Old Testament.
From the Gospels, we jump to the final book of the Bible — Revelation. Jesus said, “I am the root and the descendant of David” (22:16).
Consider this profound truth: Jesus is not only a descendant of David but is also the root of David. That is, Jesus came before David. He is before all things (Colossians 1:17).
From Matthew to Revelation, Jesus is the one who fulfills the promise from generations before. Who can reasonably doubt these bookends are by design, crafted by our Creator? Jesus — the Creator, the eternal God. From the beginning. Present all along.
David’s Response
When God says no to our desires, it’s not usually a comfortable place. David’s story offers us a profound and practical lesson in responding to God. After hearing Nathan’s prophecy, “David went in and sat before the Lord” (2 Samuel 7:18). David may have sat in the luxury of his palace or in the tattered tent where the ark of the covenant dwelled. Still, he sat. He reflected and prayed. Intimately. Personally.
Scripture tells us he recounted God’s faithfulness and peered forward to what God had promised to do. In the end, David’s heart was settled through worship and reflection on God’s greatness and bigger plan.
There’s power when we sit before the Lord. It’s a place of stillness, uncluttered with the distraction of to-do lists or social media scrolls. It’s a refuge of deep communion and transparency before God.
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Donna Amidon is a speaker and author with a passion for engaging others in the rich truths of Scripture. A graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Donna has served in diverse roles as a Bible teacher, worship leader, and small group director. Donna’s book, “Tracing His Promise,” guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season. In her role at Back to the Bible, Donna provides biblical teachings that inspire others to center their lives on Christ. Visit her at www.donnaamidon.com or on social media at https://www.instagram.com/donnaamidon_/ or https://www.facebook.com/ignitetheheart
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