God's Faithfulness

“Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For all my salvation, and all my desire, will He not make it grow?” (2Samuel 23:5)

This is part of the last words of David that Samuel recorded. David knew his house was not in order. He had Uriah killed so he could take his wife, Bathsheba. His son Amnon had raped his daughter Tamar, Absolom’s sister. (2 Samuel 13:1-20) Absolom had murdered Amon. (2 Samuel 13: 23-32) Then Absolom did atrocities against David. (2Samuel 15) This was a fulfillment of God’s judgement against David. “So says Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.” (2Samuel 12:11-12)

We need to keep in mind that there was no propitiation or atonement for sin in those days. Jesus hadn’t come yet at that time. Sin had to be punished. Sinners take the grace we are living in today for granted. Jesus took all sin of all mankind, past, present and future. Yes, even the sinners’ sin. In this dispensation or time of grace there is no punishment for sin unless the sinner dies without receiving the gift of forgiveness that God offers through the work of Jesus on the cross. Those who receive Jesus as Savior and make Him Lord, have their sins eternally forgiven. But someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus as the Savior nor Lord will have to pay the punishment and death for sin because they didn’t accept the gift God offered.  It is available for them, but they refuse it.

David knew all the things that had come against his house were the result of sin. But he also knew that God’s word is final. God had made an eternal covenant with him. “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.” (2Samuel 7:16-17) And although David had failed to measure up in terms of his actions and had allowed his flesh to take over his better judgement, He was a man after God’s heart. When Saul committed witchcraft, the kingdom was taken from him. Samuel told him, “But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought Him a man after His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him to be leader over His people, because you have not kept what Jehovah commanded you.” (1Samuel 13:14) Luke mentions Samuel’s words when he testifies of Jesus. “And when He had removed him, He raised up David to them to be their king; to whom He also witnessed and said, I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after My own heart, who shall fulfill all My will. Of this man's seed God has raised to Israel, according to His promise, a Savior, Jesus;” (Acts 13:22-23) Luke is affirming that David’s kingdom will be everlasting because Jesus is the promise given to David. Jesus is eternal Who will have an eternal kingdom.

David’s faith was in God’s Word. He never doubted that God’s Word would not fail. David knew that what God had promised to him would be fulfilled. And like David, we can trust that God’s promises to us will be fulfilled. His promises have never failed. They are sure mercies. God is faithful. “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me and Silas and Timothy; was not yes and no, but in Him was, yes! For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God by us.” (2Corinthians 1:19-20) That is because they don’t depend on us. They are dependent on the Jesus, His righteousness and righteous works and His faithfulness in fulfilling God promise to us. We in this world are the ones who say yes one time and no another depending on the circumstances. God’s promises are dependent on His love for us which never fails. (1Corinthians 13:8) God doesn’t lie. Samuel the prophet said to Saul, “And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent.” (1Samuel 15:29). And in prophecy, Isaiah said, “...so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do.” (Isaiah 55:11) We can count on God’s Word like David did.