This key text of the “Davidic Covenant,” is similar to an airport or a train station insofar as one can go all kinds of places from here.¹

For example, this chapter gives the reason why the united kingdom of Israel is divided into the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah in 1 Kings 11-12; because God promised David in 2 Samuel 7 that a Davidic king would always rule, one tribe is given to David’s descendants. One can also get to the Exile and Return from here, as in Psalm 89:38-51, when the people protest because it appears that God’s promises—in 2 Samuel 7—have been made void. And of course, this text is the starting point for the understanding that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of David, the King of the Jews whose kingdom will be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

But rather than only using this text as a jumping-off-point, it is worth lingering in it for a while, similar to those train stations that have been renovated to show the lovely original woodwork, the intricate tiles, the decorative ceilings. The details of this chapter demonstrate important truths about the nature of a relationship with God, ...