Introduction
Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that is, he is the promised one, the Messiah. This is how the New Testament writers use the title. That is what the apostle Paul means when he writes in Romans 1:3–4: “concerning his Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,” In saying that he was designated the Son of God, Paul is not saying he was designated or appointed to be God. He was God from all eternity; he is God now; he will ever be God. He is saying he was appointed or designated to be Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. However, this position did not have its beginning in the New Testament; it is rooted firmly in the Old Testament. In order to clearly understand the title and the position it represents, one must clearly understand the Davidic Covenant, which is found in 2 Samuel 7.
2 Samuel 7:12–16
Covenants were foundational for believers in the Old Testament. They defined the relationship between a believer or a group of believers and God, specifying privileges and responsibilities, rewards for compliance and penalties for noncompliance. Israel viewed itself as descendants of Abraham and therefore covered by the covenant God made with Abraham. They lived their lives attempting to keep the Law, the Torah, the covenant God made with them at Sinai, the Mosaic covenant. They looked for a Messiah who would deliver them from their enemies and establish an eternal kingdom because of God's covenant with David. These covenants formed their worldview; they were the lens through which they saw their world and themselves. They defined who they were, where they came from, where they were going and how they should live. Regardless of one's theological leanings, the importance of these covenants cannot be denied. Unfortunately, a great majority of God's people today fail to see themselves through these covenants, especially the Davidic covenant, for it defines who they are and their responsibilities as a child of God.
After God had given him victory over the surrounding nations, David wanted to honor God by building a house of worship. Up to this time, the people of Israel worshipped God in the Tabernacle, the tent of worship constructed during the exodus from Egypt. When David consulted Nathan, the prophet, to see if this was acceptable, God, through Nathan, gave David a reply in 2 Samuel 7. He makes these promises in verses 12 through 16, known as the Davidic Covenant.
| 7:12 | When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. |
| 7:13 | He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. |
| 7:14 | I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, |
| 7:15 | but My loving-kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. |
| 7:16 | Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever. |
This passage declares that God would accomplish the following things for or through David and his descendant(s):
There are several methods of interpreting and applying the provisions of the Davidic Covenant. One, a near and no far fulfillment would contend that they had a historical fulfillment in the immediate descendants of David, Solomon, for example, and do not have any future fulfillment. The problems with this view are many. Most obvious is the statement in the text that the kingdom and throne of David’s descendants would last forever. This historically did not take place for them. Many other scriptures declare the Lord to be the heir of David, whose kingdom will be unending. The Davidic Covenant then has a future fulfillment. A second position, a far but no near fulfillment, would take these promises as having a future fulfillment in Jesus Christ, but without any fulfillment in the immediate times of David and his descendants. Again, there are glaring problems with this view. Solomon’s building of the Temple seems to be a direct fulfillment of part of the provisions of this covenant. From Psalm 89, one also sees that David could address God as his father in accordance with this covenant. The Davidic Covenant then also has an immediate fulfillment.
The best way to understand this covenant then, as with many other prophetic statements, is to see it as having both an immediate fulfillment and a future fulfillment. The near fulfillment is that they apply to David, his immediate heir Solomon and successive rulers of his line. The far and ultimate fulfillment is climaxed in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The promise that God would be a father to the king and the king be a son to God was a promise made to the entire line of Davidic kings, not just the final king, the Messiah. For example, the writer of Psalm 89 speaks of David in verses 20–28 of that Psalm and then of his descendants in verses 29–37. The statement in verse 26, “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’” refers specifically to David, showing the father-son relationship he had with God. The question one must ask concerning the statement, “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me.” is how it applies? What did this mean to David and his physical descendants, and insofar as the Davidic covenant applies to the Lord in his humanity as a descendant of David, how does it apply to him?
Israel did not think of this in physical terms nor that the king was actually a descendant of divinity, as did many Gentile nations. They regarded it in adoptive terms. “...the “expression I have begotten you”...refers not to physical birth but is an extended metaphor describing his becoming “God’s "Son.”...The significance of this adoption of the king as God’s anointed son is seen in his inheritance.” 1Allen P. Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament ed., ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 792. This promise of adoption belonged to Israel (Rom 9:4). The king was deemed to have a unique relationship with God. God would be a father to him, and he, a son to God.
It is in this remarkable and unique relationship that the promise of God’s not removing his mercy is based. This mercy, חֶ֫סֶד (hesed), while it has been described as covenant love, is a quality that arises from God’s very nature, and God may exercise it apart from any covenant. It is not confined to God, for people may exercise it or fail to exercise it. However, it is most often seen describing attitudes or actions between two parties in some type of relationship. R. Laird Harris closes the discussion of this word in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament with this, “It often takes verbs of action, “do,” “keep,” and so refers to acts of love as well as the attribute. The word “lovingkindness” of the KJV is archaic, but not far from the fullness of meaning of the word.”2R. Laird Harris, et al., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1st ed. (Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1980), 307. Because God is a father to the king and the king, a son to God, God will discipline him as a son if he should sin. However, because this father-son relationship exists, he will never remove his mercy or loving-kindness from him. This relationship officially began when the king took up his reign (Psalm 2). With the passing of the kingdom at the captivity and the later re-establishment of the nation under gentile domination, Israel began to look for the re-establishment of the Davidic kingship. They looked for the promises made to David to be fulfilled (Ps. 89). They anticipated the ultimate fulfillment when the one promised would take up David’s throne and be that Son of God, that is, the King.
Psalm 89
Psalm 2 and Psalm 89 both refer to the Davidic Covenant. The first was authored by David (Acts 4:25) and the second by Ethan the Ezrahite. The first was composed within years of the establishment of this covenant, the other, hundreds of years after the covenant was made, in the years following the exile. Psalm 89 is a national lament psalm. The writer looks at the nation, laments the conditions his people face, then makes a plea that God would intervene. The basis for the writer’s plea and praise is the Davidic Covenant. The Psalm divides as follows:
Following the statement of the writer’s name and the type of Psalm (a Maskil) in the superscription, the Psalm opens with an introductory section of praise in verses 1–4. One should note the words loving-kindness, חֶ֫סֶד (hesed) and faithfulness, אֱמוּנָה, (faithfulness), keywords occurring in one form or another repeatedly in this Psalm. They are the attributes of the LORD which the writer praises and upon which he relies. Loving-kindness has already been mentioned, or as it is sometimes translated, mercy or loyal love. There is no suitable English noun to translate this. It is kindness, love, and loyalty because of some relationship that exists between two persons. Faithfulness comes from a root, which means to be firm or steadfast. God’s faithfulness is firm; it is sure, a support that will not give way under stress. He is a firm, solid, and sure support. In this introductory section, the psalmist praises the LORD for his faithfulness and loving-kindness, especially as seen in the covenant made with David (verses 3 and 4).
Verses 5 through 18 forms the next section of praise in which Ethan praises the LORD for his strength and power. It is interesting to note the last verses where the writer states, “For our shield belongs to the LORD, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.” At this point in the nation’s history, they had no king! This is indeed a statement of faith in God’s promise.
In the next section, the writer reviews the establishment of the Davidic Covenant and some of its provisions. He speaks concerning David in verses 19 – 29 and specifically of David’s descendants in verses 30 – 37. The reader is told that both David and his descendants could call upon God as a father. Therefore, this covenant applied to him and his descendants. Furthermore, while David and Solomon were victorious over all the enemy nations they faced, there were many they did not conquer. This covenant will not be entirely fulfilled until it is fulfilled in the person of the Lord.
Having stated the wonderful provisions of the Lord’s covenant with David, the writer now states the current state of affairs in verses 38 and 45. Instead of doing all the things in the covenant, the writer says, “LORD, you have done all the opposite things!” This leads to the plea section, where the writer calls upon God to remember his covenant with David.
In the next section, verses 46–51, the writer asks, “Where is Your loving-kindness which you swore to David in your faithfulness?” Finally, the psalmist or editor of the Psalms closes this psalm with a short doxology or statement of praise in verse 52. This closes not only Psalm 89 but the third book of the Psalter as well. This psalm indicates that Israel knew that David and his royal descendants could call upon the LORD as father and that Israel was awaiting the LORD to fulfill these promises to David.
Psalm 2
Psalm 2 is a messianic royal psalm.3Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 786. While its immediate application is the authority of the king of Israel over those of the surrounding nations, it looks forward to the establishment of the Messianic kingdom ruled by Jesus the Lord. It is quoted several times in the New Testament. The psalm is easily divided into four sections of three verses apiece.
In verses 1–3, the psalmist, David (Acts 4:25), asks a question. It is rhetorical, not so much to get an answer but to express indignation. Why are the nations plotting to try to rebel against the LORD and the anointed one, that is, the king? They are trying to get out from under the LORD’s and his Anointed One’s rule. The LORD answers them in verses 4–6. Using an anthropomorphic figure, the psalmist states that the LORD laughs in scorn at their attempt. He says that he will speak (in judgment). He affirms that it was the LORD who appointed his king in Jerusalem. In the following verses, 7–9, it is the king, the Anointed One, who speaks. He testifies to the decree of the LORD that gave him the right to rule the world. This is the divine right of kings rightly applied. God, in the Davidic Covenant, had appointed him as king. Having stated these things, the psalmist, David, concludes and pleads with the world’s leaders to recognize and submit to the LORD’s rule through the king he appointed. Furthermore, in the last part, verses 10–12, David warns these world leaders, “Be advised; you either submit, or you will perish.”
In verse 7, the king is the speaker and states, “I will recount the decree of the LORD. He said to me, ‘You are My son, Today I have begotten you.’” Whether one takes this as purely prophetic of the Lord with no fulfillment in regard to David or immediate descendants of his line, or as having a near fulfillment in David and his line and far or ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus the Lord, one must deal with when the LORD made this decree.
Those who see Psalm 2 as having a near and far fulfillment see the decree being made at the ascension of the king to his throne. In respect to the Lord, however, when was this made? Some try to interpret this verse as referring to eternity past in that this is the eternal decree that delineates the relationship of the Second Person of the Godhead to the First Person. This view, however, ignores the context and text of the Psalm. The context is establishing God’s human representative on earth as king, not sometime in eternity past. The text says “this day” (הַיֹּום). This speaks of a definite point in time, not in the timelessness of eternity past.
Conclusion
Allan Ross, a contributing author on the Psalms in The Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament Edition, summarizes the use of this Psalm in the New Testament when he writes,
The typological significance of the “son” is seen fulfilled in Hebrews 1:5. This coronation psalm is quoted here in referring to the exaltation of Christ at his resurrection (cf. Acts 13:33) and Ascension. By this He is “declared to be the Son of God” (Rom. 1:4), a messianic title. When the Father instructs His son to ask for His inheritance, then He will bring His Son again into the world (Heb. 1:6). The Second Coming will mean wrath to all who rebel against God and His anointed King, but great joy and refuge for all who by faith submit to God’s plan to rule the world through David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. So the title of “son” from the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:14) ultimately becomes the designation of Jesus Christ as King.4Ross, 793.
God committed to man the rule over the earth. At the fall, Satan usurped this authority. He is now the ruler of this world. However, God declared that the kingship would fall to a descendant of David. This man would have an extraordinary relationship with God. God would adopt him as a son, and he could call upon God as a father. Israel looked for the coming of this Son of God following the destruction of the Jewish kingdom. As a man, the Lord, born of the descendants of David, living a perfectly holy life, was appointed to be that descendant.
He fulfills, in his humanity, the Davidic Covenant. He fulfills, as a human, what God originally intended humanity to be. Moreover, through him, one is lifted from the failure that is now humankind to become what God intended it to be in the beginning. Through him, in his sonship, a believer is adopted as a child of God. A believer’s sonship is his sonship. And that is the subject of the next chapter.
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1 Allen P. Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament ed., ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 792.
2 R. Laird Harris, et al., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1st ed. (Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1980), 307.
3 Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 786.
4 Ross, 793.