Dear Associates, Students and Friends:
King David had a most remarkable life. I suppose his contemporaries would have considered him to be one of those “lucky” people for whom everything seems to go right in life. Whenever he was down and close to being out, circumstances quickly changed and he came out on top. He survived many close calls with death. He was a man of action but also subtle and wise, as well as a musician and a man of letters, one of the world’s greatest poets.
The title of this month’s article is “The Tomb of David and Psalm 30.” In this article I analyze two passages about King David: 2 Samuel 7:18–29 and Psalm 30. Both passages revolve around the “house of David” that was, as we have seen in other articles, another name for the tomb of David that was unopened in the time of Christ (Acts 2:29) and by all indications is still unopened to this day:
“Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek YHWH their Elohim, and David their king; and shall fear YHWH and his goodness in the latter days.”
Hosea 3:5
Second Samuel 7:18–29 gives us a wealth of information about David’s immediate thoughts in reaction to God’s pronouncement of death. Psalm 30 gives us additional data on David’s later thinking about his postponed death and about his impending death. He came to terms with his death. This took place at the time of the dedication of “the house of David” after it was fully prepared for David’s body after his death.
King David had an advantage in his life. God anointed David to be King of Israel, and He saw to it that circumstances were arranged for David to reach the goal God set for him. His advantage was that God was working behind the scenes for David to succeed in everything he did (2 Samuel 8:6, 14), so that he could be called “David the Great”:
“And I [YHWH] was with you whithersoever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.”
2 Samuel 7:9
By the time David was age 40, through many dangers, wars, combats, intrigues, and betrayals, David had risen from being a shepherd in his teens through years of struggle to be king (1 Samuel 16:13). David always understood God’s role in his life and how God managed his success. He was an anointed of God, YHWH spoke by him (2 Samuel 23:1–3), a prophet of God (Acts 2:30).
When King David dedicated “the house of David” (Psalm 30:1, the definite article “the house” is in the Hebrew), it was a time of joy. It was a time of celebration, yet it was a time of solemnity because the completion of the House of David meant the future death of King David, beloved king of united Israel and Judah, and most importantly beloved of God.
David expressed his total dependence upon God in his life and in his rise to be king. He expressed it in the two sections of Scripture we shall consider, 2 Samuel 7:18–29 and Psalm 30. These two passages relate to each other because both speak of the same subject which is the house of David, the Tomb of David. Both passages were addressed by David to God, acknowledging God’s total role in David’s life and success. Both passages acknowledge God’s glory being magnified through David’s success.
We too have an advantage that in many ways parallels David’s. God is on our side in life. God is not, however, helping you or me to glory and success in our present lives. One purpose of David’s success was to be a physical archetype of Christ, an ideal type of king, but also an example to us who live everyday lives. David is an example to us, on a physical level, of how God can arrange, and is arranging, circumstances for our spiritual success and glorification with Christ.
At present our success is assured. Legally we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies:
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us [loves us, present tense], Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, has raised us up together, and made us sit together [now, legally] in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4–7
While riches are a blessing from God (Proverbs 10:22 and Ecclesiastes 5:19), our spiritual blessings far outweigh riches. I know it is difficult to understand and accept, but your life now is preparing you for success far greater than anything David achieved. In fact you are far greater than a king; you are a child of the creator God.
When you are resurrected to your reward in the Kingdom of God, you will take — literally — your proper place, a place that you hold now only in a legal sense. It is the position God intended for you all along, and for which you are training at this very moment, however mundane your life may be. Legally you are, and you will be actually, seated with Christ Jesus (the Messiah) at the right hand of God the Father to assist them in ruling all creation as a child of God.
King David was loved by God. The name David itself means “beloved” and implies “beloved of God.” Each of you are a David in a sense. Have no doubt, each of you is beloved of God (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9). “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Just before his stoning Stephen was given a vision. You and I shall live the reality of what Stephen saw in vision:
“But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.’”
Acts 7:55–56
The crowd rioted at that statement and Stephen was taken and murdered by stoning. Stephen’s next realization immediately after his painful last breath in death (though in reality 2000+ years after that event) will be a sensation of his being lifted into the air, with an angel beside him. Immortality like a cloak will then be put around him (1 Corinthians 15:52–54). He will be taken into the presence of the Son of Man and later God. This is not just Stephen’s legacy but it is yours and mine.
We are extremely grateful to God for the future He has in store for us all. Helping the world learn about that future is what we at ASK do. That was what Dr. Martin’s hard work and legacy of research was all about. You help us perform that function. We work to study, produce, improve, and clarify information from the Holy Scriptures to learn about the past, the present, and the future so that you can study and understand the role you will play in the plan of God.
We thank you for allowing us to continue our efforts that would be impossible without your financial support and encouragements. We are grateful to God for your helping us all grow in grace and knowledge. Keep doing what you are doing to support ASK, and ASK will keep supporting you.
David W. Sielaff
David@askelm.com
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