Grace Thoughts
The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity – Part 25
In the last part of our series we looked at the path of the Seed that God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and how it made its way to King David centuries later.
Now we’ll look at the importance of the Seed of David as our series on The Great Reveal continues.
Seed of David
The name David is mentioned more than a thousand times in the Bible – more than Abraham, more than Moses. There’s a reason for that.
“Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
John 7:42
Jews living in Israel in the 1st century AD knew that Messiah (the Christ) would come from the seed of David. They knew that Messiah would be from the town of Bethlehem, but didn’t know that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. They thought Nazareth was His birthplace. The point is that Jews expected Messiah to come from the seed of David.
We know from the Gospels that Jesus was born in Bethlehem from the seed of David.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.” Matthew 1:1-6
“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David.” Luke 3:23-31
The lineage of Jesus, from both Joseph and Mary, demonstrate that He came from the seed of David. The Apostle Paul also made it abundantly clear that Jesus was born of the seed of David –
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:1-4
“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” 2 Timothy 2:8
Okay, so Jesus came from the seed of David. What’s the big deal about that?
The big deal is a covenant that God made with David in 2 Samuel 7 –
“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”
2 Samuel 7:12-16
This is known as the ‘Davidic Covenant.’ God promised David that He would establish an everlasting kingdom through his seed that would come from his body. The promise began with David’s son Solomon who did build a house for God (the Temple in Jerusalem). Even though many kings would come from David’s seed, some who God would chasten because of their iniquity, God promised David that his house and kingdom and throne would be established forever.
Solomon repeated the Davidic Covenant when he dedicated the new Temple –
“Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ And now, O Lord God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David.”
2 Chronicles 6:16-17
It is also repeated in Psalm 132:11-12 –
“The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: ‘I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
This ‘Davidic Covenant’ is the basis for the Messianic hope of Israel. The Savior of Israel would come from the seed of David.
Son of David
The term “Son of David” is a Messianic title that refers to Messiah being the ‘seed’ of David. 1st century Jews understood that and held the lineage (including birthplace) as part of the standard for identifying the Messiah when He came.
“Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!’ Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!’ So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, that our eyes may be opened.’ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”
Matthew 20:29-34
Even Gentiles knew that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of David –
“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
Matthew 15:21-22
However, the Jewish leaders (e.g. Pharisees, Sadducees) either couldn’t or wouldn’t see that Jesus was the promised seed of David.
Jesus added to their confusion or disobedience with this truth claim –
“Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, ‘How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
Mark 12:35-36
Jesus was quoting from Psalm 110, which was about the promised Messiah. He answered His question in Revelation 22:16 –
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Jesus is both the Root and the Offspring of David! There is no one like Him.
Next Time
We will look at the how the ‘Seed’ of David is also the ‘Branch’ of David as our series on The Great Reveal continues.
[You can read more about the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in our book A History of Man’s Quest for Immorality.]
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
God's Eternal PlanIsraelJesus ChristSeed of DavidSon of David
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Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
