NOTE.—This series of lessons is entitled, “Studies on the Gospel Message.” For introduction and excellent suggestions as to their study, we refer the student to the Lesson Quarterly.
It is death which prevents the continuance of a house or family (Heb. 7:23); and sin is the cause of death (James 1:15); and sin is disobedience to the law of God (1 John 3:4). Righteousness gives permanence to a house. Prov. 12:7. Therefore the promise to establish David’s house forever (2 Sam. 7:16), and that his seed should never cease to exist (Ps. 89:35–37), was the promise of a Saviour to come in the flesh, who should save from sin (Matt. 1:21), and bring to humanity complete victory over death and the grave (Rev. 1:17, 18). This was the blessing which David asked for his house (2 Sam. 7:29), the blessing of righteousness by faith (Rom. 4:6–8), that righteousness which is the basis of God’s eternal throne (Ps. 97:2), and which has in it the assurance of eternity to man (Isa. 51:7, 8). Through the promises made to David of a throne and a house to be established forever, the covenant was made that the Son of God should become the Son of man and occupy David’s throne (Luke 1:31, 32), as David’s Son (Matt. 22:41, 42). This is the last Adam, the second Man (1 Cor. 15:45–47), the head of the new humanity, the promised Seed. Thus David’s house became the Lord’s house, and in this union of divinity with humanity the rock foundation was laid upon which the house was to be built which would continue eternally. Matt. 16:15–18. We personally share in “the sure mercies of David” by building upon the sure foundation (Isa. 28:16), and becoming a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:4, 5), the temple of the Lord (Eph. 2:21, 22). In this house the law of God is enshrined (Heb. 8:10), as in the tabernacle of old, and over it Christ the Lord is also Son (Heb. 3:6), as the pledge of its eternal continuance.
QUESTIONS.
What causes the extinction of a house?
Of what is death the result?
What does the Scripture declare sin to be?
What will cause a house to stand permanently?
What promise was made concerning David’s throne?
What promise was made concerning his seed?
Whose coming was bound up in these promises? For what purpose?
What victory was thus assured for humanity?
With what petition did David close his prayer after Nathan’s vision had been told to him?
What is the experience of this blessing?
What relation does this righteousness sustain to God’s throne?
Because of its very nature, what will it be to the one who receives it?
In the fulfilment of the promises to David, who would occupy his throne?
As David’s throne was a man’s throne, what must he become who sits upon it?
What names does the Scripture give to this occupant of the throne?
What foundation was laid by giving the Son of God to humanity? What has been built upon this foundation? What will this house be able to resist? Why?
What is the experience through which we shall be able to share in the benefit of the promises to David? What do we thus become?
What will be found in this house?
What is the assurance that all the members of this house will live forever?
