2 Samuel 7:8-16  “I Will Establish The Throne”

Meditation and Devotional from David Niednagel, Pastor/Teacher, Evansville, IN.  (David uses the S.O.A.P. method for his morning devotional:  study, observe, apply, pray.)

2 Samuel. 7:8  “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth… 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 … and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever… 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ” 

David was not from any kind of noble or royal family. God called him when he was a kid tending sheep. (1Sam 16:12 He was “ruddy” – he still had pink cheeks and no beard yet). David had many wonderful traits, and plenty of terrible ones, but God chose him to be king, and He chose to establish a descendant of David as the Messiah, the greatest King of all time. Neither David nor his descendants deserved this honor. No human did. It was God’s sovereign and merciful choice. But God chose to work through people with faults – because that is the only kind there is – people with faults.  

Lord, I praise You for Your Sovereign plan and mercy. David was shocked, “flabbergasted” with Your promise. But he didn’t get the benefit of that promise. It happened after he died. Neither David nor I nor anyone else deserves anything good from You, yet You have given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. Your plans and Your mercy are beyond anything we could ever anticipate. You have indeed “lavished” grace on us by choosing us and adopting us into Your family to be co-heirs with this Messiah that You promised to David. (Eph 1:3-10)  So even though we are less deserving than the shepherd boy David, we get ALL the blessings of the Greatest King of all time. 

May my mind and my heart be filled every day with humble gratitude for all You have done for all who are in Christ. Convict me whenever I am selfish and help me give my whole life loving and serving You for all Your Sovereign mercy!  Amen