The Davidic Covenant-Part 3

By: Dr. Renald Showers; ©2002

Bible scholars disagree concerning when and how God’s promises concerning David are to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. But, as Dr. Showers points out this month, several biblical items indicate that Christ will fulfill God’s promises concerning David in the Davidic Covenant in the future—after His second coming.

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Introduction

In our previous article concerning the Davidic Covenant we noted that Bible scholars disagree concerning when and how God’s promises concerning David are to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Amillennialists claim that Christ will not reign over a literal, earthly, political kingdom on this present earth. Some Amillennialists believe that Christ fulfills the promises of the cov­enant now (during this present age before His Second Coming) in His present rule over the Church or human hearts as He sits at God’s right hand on the throne of God in heaven. According to this view, the kingdom over which Christ rules in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant is solely a spiritual kingdom. It is not a literal, earthly, political kingdom.

Other Amillennialists believe that Christ will fulfill these promises in eternity future after the present earth has been destroyed and history has been concluded in conjunction with His Second Coming on the last day of this present earth’s existence. According to this view, the future kingdom of God that is foretold in the Bible and over which Christ is to rule will not be present at any time during the present earth’s existence.

By contrast, Premillennialists believe that Christ will fulfill these promises in the future when He returns to earth in His Second Coming and then establishes and reigns over a literal, earthly, political kingdom for 1,000 years on this present earth and for eternity on the new eternal earth.

The Future Fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant

Several biblical items indicate that Christ will fulfill God’s promises concerning David in the Davidic Covenant in the future (after His Second Coming).

First, Daniel 7:13-14 portrayed God’s giving the kingdom which lasts forever to the Son of man when that Son comes with the clouds of heaven. Several things should be noted concerning this portrayal.

1. The context of this passage indicated that the Son of man would be given this kingdom after the Roman Empire and its final great ruler (the little horn or Antichrist) have caused terrible tribulation for God’s saints and have been judged by God (Daniel 7:11-14, 17-27).
2. It is a fact that Jesus did not come with the clouds of heaven in His first coming. In­stead, at that time He came as a humble baby born in a manger. In His Second Coming He will come with the clouds of heaven.
3. In Matthew 24:29-31 Jesus clearly indicated that He will fulfill the Daniel 7:13-14 proph­ecy in His Second Coming. Having already referred to the Great Tribulation with the Antichrist (Matthew 24:15-28), Jesus said that immediately after the tribulation of those days cosmic disturbances will take place in the heavens (v. 29), “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (v. 30). These things indicate that the kingdom over which Christ is to rule was not given to Him in conjunction with His first coming. God will not give it to Him until His

Second Coming. Thus, Christ is not exercising that authoritative rule during this present age.

Second, another item which denotes a future fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant by Christ is found in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus declared that He would sit on His throne, judge the Gentiles, and send believers into the kingdom in conjunction with His glorious Second Coming. Thus, He put His throne and kingdom at the Second Coming, not before.

Third, Zechariah 14:4 and 9 disclosed that the Messiah will be King over all the earth after His feet have touched down on the Mount of Olives at His Second Coming.

Fourth, according to Psalm 110:1-2 Messiah is to sit at the right hand of His Father in heaven until it is time for Him to rule. Thus, Messiah’s rule as King will not begin until after His present session with the Father in heaven.

Fifth, Jesus stated that He would sit on the throne of His glory as the Son of man when the earth is regenerated (restored to its prefall condition as the result of the curse of man’s sin being lifted from it) (Matthew 19:28; compare Romans 8:18-22). This regeneration of the earth has not happened yet. When the apostle Peter referred to this same change for the earth, he called it “the times of refreshing” and “the times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21). Peter made it clear that these times will not come while Jesus is in heaven. He indicated that they will come when Jesus has returned to be present on the earth and when Israel has repented as a nation. Israel has not yet repented as a nation. The combi­nation of Jesus’ and Peter’s statements demonstrates that Christ will not sit on His throne until He has returned to the earth in His Second Coming.

The Political Fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant

Amillennialists believe that the kingdom over which Christ is to rule is not political in nature. By contrast, several biblical items indicate that Christ will fulfill the Davidic Cov­enant by reigning over a kingdom which is political in nature.

First, Isaiah 9:6-7 stated that when the Messiah sits upon David’s throne ruling His kingdom, the government will be upon His shoulder, and the increase of His government will have no end.

Second, when the Messiah reigns He will exercise control over international relations, causing the nations to live together in peace (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3).

Third, during the Messiah’s reign His capital city, Jerusalem, will be the legal center of the world. Out of it will issue forth the law by which the nations of the world will be governed (Isaiah 2:1-3; Micah 4:1-2).

Fourth, just as David functioned as supreme judge over the affairs of his subjects (2 Samuel 15:2), so the Messiah, when He reigns as the Branch of Jesse and David, will function as Supreme Judge over the affairs of His subjects and the nations (Psalm 72:1-4, 12-14; Isaiah 2:4; 11:1-5; Jeremiah 33:14-16; Micah 4:3). In this function He will protect the poor, the needy, and the meek of the earth, and He will punish the oppressors and execute the wicked. This is the function of political government (Romans 13:1-7).

For a comparison of Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology obtain the follow­ing book: Renald E. Showers, There Really Is A Difference! (The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Telephone: 800-257-7843. Mailing address: P.O. Box 908, Bellmawr, NJ 08099).

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