GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IS UNFAILING

 

“YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR KINGDOM SHALL ENDURE BEFORE ME FOREVER; YOUR THRONE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER.”  II SAMUEL 7:16

Our God is a covenant keeping God.  He is faithful and true to His Word. Faithful means “firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness.” (#530-blue letterbible.org) It also means “to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish”. (#539-blueletterbible.org) He is all these things to us.

The Lord has just sent a message to David through His prophet Nathan.  It is an amazing promise to the king:  that David’s house, his throne, and his kingdom will be established forever.  This is known by scholars as the Davidic Covenant . David realizes the magnitude of this promise to him.  When David responds in prayer and praise, he is overwhelmed and he is humbled.  

“NOW, O LORD GOD, YOU ARE GOD, AND YOUR WORDS ARE TRUTH, AND YOU HAVE PROMISED THIS GOOD THING TO YOUR SERVANT.  NOW THEREFORE, MAY IT PLEASE YOU TO BLESS THE HOUSE OF YOUR SERVANT, THAT IT MAY CONTINUE FOREVER BEFORE YOU.  FOR YOU, O LORD GOD, HAVE SPOKEN; AND WITH YOUR BLESSING MAY THE HOUSE OF YOUR SERVANT BE BLESSED FOREVER.”   II SAMUEL 7: 28-29

In his prayer he also mentions that God is speaking of “the distant future.”  God knows our futures as well as our pasts because He is our eternal, all knowing, all seeing Father.  Eternity stretches out before Him, and nothing surprises Him.

 So after this great promise to David, what surfaces in David’s very near future?  It’s not a pretty picture:  Adultery. An unwanted pregnancy. Deception.  Murder.    God’s anger.  Confrontation by the prophet Nathan, who previously had brought the good news of God’s covenant with David, but now is asked to bring the news of God’s displeasure and judgment.  David responds correctly with confession spoken but hard consequences were lived out during David’s remaining days as king, including the death of his child with Bathsheba after the baby  is born.

 Why would God make a covenant with such a man--with any man, for that matter?  Because God  alone is FAITHFUL. We are not, and He knows it, but He is, even when He already knows that we are going to stumble and fall in the near future. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The Lord is such a loving and gracious God that, when we do fail, He provides for the way back to Him and for fellowship to be restored. It says in I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   

 So how is this covenant promise from God fulfilled?  David’s line on this earth reigns for a a number of generations, but ultimately his throne seemingly comes to an end.  Did God not keep His promise?  He always keeps His promises! No, His plan was much more long lasting and eternal than we could ever begin to imagine.  About  a 1000 years later, He sends this message through His angel Gabriel, who comes to “a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the DESCENDANTS OF DAVID”. (Luke 1:27) He says to Mary:

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.   He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  (Luke 1:32-33)

Gabriel uses the same wording from II Samuel  7:16 in his wording to Mary: that her Son would preserve David’s house, his throne, and his kingdom forever.  It is a kingdom like no other, beyond our imagination. It is His very own Son being sent to us, Jesus, Christ, the Messiah,  which will usher in the New Covenant and a New Era. It is not an earthly kingdom built with human hands, but an internal kingdom built upon faith.  To accept Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior of your life is to dwell forever with Him for all eternity.  Jesus Christ becomes King of Kings and Lord of Lords in our hearts.  So what should our response be to this amazing promise?

RETURN TO HIM:  Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your FAITHFULNESS. (Jeremiah 3:22)

PRAISE HIM: “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect FAITHFULNESS.” (Isaiah 25:1)

DECLARE HIM: It is good to give thanks to the Lord…to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your FAITHFULNESS by night. (Psalm 92: 1-2)

TRUST HIM: He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His FAITHFULNESS  is a shield and bulwark.  (Psalm 91: 4)

GROW IN  HIM:  “Dwell in the land and cultivate FAITHFULNESS.” (Psalm 37:3)

How about you?  Where are you in your journey of FAITHFULNESS?  Maybe you need to accept Him and experience for the first time His faithfulness to never leave you nor forsake you.  Maybe you need His restoration so you can experience His forgiveness lavished upon you and fellowship renewed.  Maybe you need to abide in Him, be with Him through prayer and studying His word daily so He can fill you up with faith…after all, that’s the only way we can be found FAITH-FUL—when we are FULL OF FAITH.   He even supplies the faith that is lacking when you ask Him for it, so ask Him for it.  “…I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

 Don’t miss out on God’s faithfulness!  Get up tomorrow morning and start anew, rededicating yourself daily to Him.

“THE LORD’S LOVINGKINDNESSES INDEED NEVER CEASE, FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL.

THEY ARE NEW EVERY  MORNING, GREAT IS  YOUR FAITHFULNESS.” Lamentations 3:22-23.