The Kingdom of God Revealed in Israel's History
Abraham and the Patriarchs:
God’s Covenant Promise to Abraham:
o Abraham’s descendants will become a great nation
o These descendants will possess the promised land
o These descendants will be God’s own people
Tension of the fulfillment when it is incomplete
Moses and the Exodus—The Promises Activated
The Exodus reveals the purposes of God
The Exodus: a model of salvation by grace
The Sinai Covenant: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your god am holy. (Lev. 19:2)
In both the Old and New Testaments the demand to be holy stems from the prior saving activity of God
Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua reveal the law and the land
The Book of Judges theology summarized in Chapter 2: contact with the enemy is dangerous principally because it threatened the integrity of Israel’s faith.
Shadows of Kingship: Saul, David, Solomon
Israel’s first king: Saul
David’s first major event is the slaying of Goliath
After David’s affair with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan makes the following prophecy in 2 Samuel 7:4-17: 4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 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. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
o David proposes to build God a dwelling, yet this has never been commanded by God
o God declares that he will build a house for David as he gives rest to his people
o This house is a dynasty of David’s royal descendants and David’s son will build God’s dwelling
o David’s son will be the personal embodiment of the people of God and is declared to be God’s son
Solomon fulfills parts of the prophecy, but becomes the apostate from whom the kingdom is removed. I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant, says God to Solomon.
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