Jeffrey Price OT510 – Major Project

Consummated Kingdom
Kingship and Covenant in the Early Prophets
Jeffrey Brooks Price
4/30/2010

Contents

Introduction 3

SECTION 1: Relationship of Kingship to Covenant 4

Role of Kingship and Covenant in Old Testament 5

History of Patriarchs 8

Deuteronomistic History 10

Future Implications 13

SECTION 2: History of Kingship 13

Judges 14

Samuel 16

Kings 21

SECTION 3: Consummation of Kingship 24

Chronicles 25
Future Implications 26

Conclusion 28

Bibliography 30

Introduction

There has forever been a fascination with kingship in western culture, especially within English
literature. Whether it was the noble kings of old, like King Arthur, or the tyrannical villains who
abused their power and required valiant saviors like Robin Hood to right the wrongs. Post-modern
western culture is not alone in its desire to explore kingship, as this was a vital way of life for the
Ancient Near East and the History of Israel, which rose and fell into captivity during from the twelfth
to the fifth century BC. The focus of this paper will be on the history of kingship as it is revealed
through the triumphant and tragic history of Israel in the Ancient Near East.

There are three broad sections through which we will explore the foundation (patriarchal covenant), the
establishment (the history of the kingdom itself) and the fruit of the Kingdom of God (the future
consummated glory). Before we can explore the history and role of kingship in Israel it is important to
first understand the context that surrounds the patriarchal foundational of the king and his kingdom.
This foundation can only be understood by seeing the connection and relationship between kingship
and covenant. Once the foundation has been built on covenant, the kingdom is then established
throughout history in God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – Israel. Specifically, this promise
is fulfilled through Israel’s third son, Judah, who was set apart and preserved for a special role in the
history of Israel’s kingship. Finally, the fruit of the Kingdom of God is revealed in the consummation
of God’s promises to Israel to both give them land in which to dwell and the blessings of the eternal
family, true Israel. Through this covenant God builds, establishes and completes the coming of his
Kingdom in the seed he promised to Abram.

Kingship, in Israel, though reflected in the culture that surrounded it in the Ancient Near East, is
something altogether different and more powerful than an earthly kingdom. Kingship in Israel is the
making of history, the foundation for life and the mode by which redemption is purposed, completed
and consummated by the King for his people.

SECTION 1: Relationship of Kingship to Covenant

There are many broad themes that recur throughout scripture, which are of great significance. These
main themes begin with creation and the foundation of the world by God, the fall when man ate of the
forbidden fruit, and redemption where the natural order of the world is once again restored. From the
history of creation, fall, and redemption naturally comes the cultural mandate to be fruitful, to rule and
subdue the earth, and the promises of God to supply the land flowing with milk and honey and the
promise of offspring. Through these promises God establishes his relationship with mankind by setting
the stage, providing the means, and ultimately accomplishing his purposes through his creation. There
are two major and over-arching themes that emerge within this context – kingship and covenant are so
interconnected with one another, that it is folly to pull them apart.

Kingship and covenant are integral to our understanding of both a systematic and biblical theology that
is complete, coherent, and cogent. We see both, kingship and covenant, revealed in the story of
creation, fall and redemption. Through the establishment of the created order the Framework Theory
postulates that the first three days of creation are the establishments of realms or kingdoms and the
second three days establish the rulers or the kings of each realm. Light was created on the first day and
the Sun on the fourth, the sea and the air on the second day and the fish and birds on the fifth day, and
finally the land on the third day and man to rule them all on the sixth day. Kingdom and King are
established through creation, with God almighty, the maker of Heaven and Earth as man’s king. Then
a covenant or promise is made to mankind that lays out what God has done through creation, and
establishes stipulations and blessings for man if he keeps the covenant. God establishes his relationship
with Adam and Eve through this covenant promise as their King, but rebellion sets into their hearts;
they break the covenant by attempting to usurp God’s authority and rule the kingdom through their
perceived enlightenment. They are tempted and fall for the lies that they will be like God. Despite
their disobedience, or covenant-breaking, God establishes another covenant that will bring about
redemption, and keep his promises of a land and family provision for Adam and Eve. The Kingdom
will remain, the King will still reign, and mankind will be purchased by the blood of the King.
“Kingship, far from being antithetical to the purposes of God for Israel, was fundamental to his salvific
design.”1 Kingship and covenant are established by God, are married into man, and are brought to
fruition by the history of redemption through man, guided by God’s providence and covenant-keeping
promises.

Role of Kingship and Covenant in Old Testament

It should be clear by now that kingship and covenant played an instrumental role in the history of
Israel, of redemption and, consequently, the history of Scripture itself. In fact, Meredith Kline
believed, “whatever the individual names of the several major literary genres of the Old Testament, as
adopted in the Old Testament their common surname is Covenant.”2 The Old Testament was written,
and was formed during the Ancient Near Eastern time period where the influence of the suzerain
-vassal treaty was prevalent in all cultures. The suzerain-vassal treaty was the establishment of a
covenant between a supreme King, and his lesser subjects who would be dependent upon the supreme
King for protection and provision. Again, kingship and convent are interrelated as the king relates to
his subjects through the establishment of a covenant. Within the covenant were not just promises of the
King’s protection and provision for the people, but stipulations that the people would serve the mighty
King or suffer the consequences of disobedience and the dissolution of his protection. “On the
understanding of the Old Testament as a covenantal corpus, the presence of its legal materials is readily
explained; for the stipulations imposed by the suzerain were a central element in ancient treaties.” 3

Specifically, what unfolds before us in the Old Testament is God forming his kingdom as suzerain,
placing within his kingdom a people, the vassals, which he will love and protect. The foundation of
their relationship is built on the promises or covenant treaty he sets up for them. Unfortunately there is
covenant-breaking on the part of the vassals and the history of Israel declares the stories of faithfulness
and disobedience to God’s covenant. “God rules Israel by virtue of his covenant. God’s throne is the
ark of the covenant, between the cherubim and beside the book of the covenant (1 Sam 4:4, Ps 99:1).
As the Lord, the King controls his realm and speaks with authority. He also stands with his people, to
protect and defend them, to provide justice and mercy.” 4 Kingship and covenant are part and parcel to
understanding the history of Israel and the history of redemption. The Old and the New Testament are
infused with kingdom and covenantal language, and therefore the flow of history which begins with
creation and ends in consummation will also be driven by the active catalyst of kingdom and
covenantal work.

Far from being unique to Scripture and Israel, these kingdoms and covenants were part of the Ancient
Near Eastern world. In a large way, God’s providence is evident in the flow of human history to
provide the perfect atmosphere for the writing of the Old Testament in this culture at this time to reveal
the complexity and magnitude of God’s truth through his word. The Old Testament then, is God’s
redemptive language and lens through which he was setting apart his people to reveal his glory in
human history. “Certainly the biblical Lord is not just any ruler. It would be wrong for us to expound
God’s lordship merely by appealing to extra-biblical models of kingship, rule, dominion, and so on.
God is different in many ways from an oppressive patriarch, a Roman emperor, a feudal lord, or a
European king. But the basic concepts of hierarchy, rule, and power are intrinsic to the lordship of
God. To oppose the rule of God is to oppose his Lordship altogether.”5 Kingdoms and covenants
while used by other cultures during that time period, would only find their true and full meaning in the
paradigm defining events of Israel’s history. “In brief, we have now seen that Old Testament historical
records, Pentateuchal and post-Pentateuchal, are extensions of the treaty prologues. They stand linked
to both law and prophecy, and on both scores served as an instrument of covenant administration.”6 As
a record of Israel’s history, the Old Testament stands as the covenantal document for the people of
God. “God is the head of covenants-covenants made with creation in general, with the human race in
Adam and Noah, and with specific families in Abraham, Moses, David and Christ. In those
relationships, he is the supreme controller, the supreme authority, and the inescapable presence.” 7

History of Patriarchs

Genesis, the beginning of the covenantal document established by God, traces the history of mankind
from the general creation mandates, Adam and Noah, to the ever more specific family paradigm with
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah. The specific family, sons and daughters of Abraham, is established,
built and consummated in the promises of God made to Abraham through God’s covenant language.
From the introduction of Abram in Genesis8, God has already promised to give him offspring and a
country, seed and land, and telegraphing what he is to promise in a king and kingdom9. God is also
abiding in his word to Adam and Noah that they will be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth. God
would continue to choose and set apart the sons of Abraham that were meant to inherit this promise. It
would not be Ishmael, for he was a child of unbelief, nor would the promised inheritance be given to
Esau, for he did not walk by faith. The promise was established in Abraham, given over to Isaac and
then Jacob. The promises of God would be fulfilled in them for their descendants to both be kings and
receive the inheritance of the kingdom, seed and land. “The kings (plural) promised to Abraham (Gen
17:6, 16) became more specifically identified by Jacob as one (singular) to whom the royal scepter and
staff would belong (Gen 49:10). He is one from Judah.” 10 Therefore, not only did the Ancient Near
Eastern culture establish the context by which the kingship and the covenant would be on display, but
was also the back drop for the family of God to establish its inheritance, birthrights and fulfilled
blessings through the chosen line. “The books of Genesis and Numbers unequivocally anticipate
kingship as God’s gift to the patriarchs and/or nation [of Israel].”11 The patriarchal families, God’s
covenant promises to them, and the blessing of covenant faithfulness reveal the history of a people
becoming a great nation with a mighty king.

In fact, Israel blesses his son, Judah, that “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff
from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”12
This blessing bears its fruit in the life of David, but it is the Book of Ruth which connects these two
amazing stories together as one. “The reason the Bible takes pains to trace David’s ancestry back to
Judah is to be found in Jacob’s deathbed blessing to Judah (Gen 49:10). That this promise was
actualized in David is clear from many passages but never more unambiguously than in the story of
Ruth, particularly the genealogy.”13 Ruth is the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi, who is in fact
widowed herself when her husband dies, Elimelech, ‫ ֱֽאִליֶ֡מֶלְך‬or God is King. Ruth will not abandon her
mother-in-law, but takes Naomi’s God as her own. They both return to Bethlehem and seek a redeemer
to purchase their land, and provide for them in protection, in home and in offspring to carry on the
name of Elimelech. The worthy kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, emerges as their savior. And it is the
genealogy of Boaz, as being a son of Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar, that points back to the family
line of Judah. Simultaneously, the offspring of Boaz and Ruth, the redeemed “God is King”, points
forward to the fruit of Judah’s line in the birth of David. “Indeed, David’s eternal dynasty mediates the
kings whom I AM promised to give from Abraham and Sarah’s own bodies.”14 From this train of
thought emerges the evidence that there is a continuous and unwavering line of covenant promises
from Abraham to David which fulfill the promised coming of the kingdom – land given to Israel, and
ruled by the coming king – God’s anointed son, David.

Deuteronomistic History

There exists both controversy and confirmation within the corpus of what is called the Deuteronomistic
History of Israel. As with all controversies, there is not a clear single view but multiple views that
encompass the disagreements. The crux of the argument though is in the authorship of the Pentateuch,
which as we have already seen, outlines the framework from which the historical kingdom of Israel
emerges. Could Moses, the author of the Pentateuch, including Deuteronomy have written these books
of the law that so perfectly aligned themselves, and thus, confirmed the historical kingdom of Israel?
Covenant or berith is intimately connected to kingship, and critical scholars have taken an interest in
unraveling the historicity and therefore the truth found in the Old Testament. “[A]ccording to these
writers, the berith conception made its entrance into the historiography of the Old Testament religion; it
was subsequently introduced, according to them, into all the older documents in which previously it
had not occurred.”15 The essence of this argument then is that a later writer inserted the covenantal
language into the Pentateuch, but this would undermine all the stories found therein since the pivotal
point of each story is the promises of the covenant to the chosen family of God. The question then
becomes is it more probable that a later writer with an agenda created all the stories (Genesis – 2
Kings) based on tradition and hundreds of years of history, or that the Pentateuch was a product of
Moses and the subsequent books were written by various authors over the span of history? The
controversy almost proves the confirmation of the truth, in the miraculous consistency from book to
book over the large time span of history. And the book at the center of both the controversy and the
confirmation is Deuteronomy, thus the term Deuteronomistic History.

“[Deuteronomy] is the culmination of the Pentateuch, and it throws the shadow of its distinctive
theological perspective on the rest of the Old Testament – history (particularly Samuel-Kings) and
prophets (e.g., Jeremiah) alike. For good reason, Wenham has called it the linchpin of the Old
Testament.”16 It is the power of the shadow which both shrouds this book with the darkness of
controversy while simultaneously shedding light on the future. The real value is found in the truth and
history of God’s continued promises to his people in the founding of both a family and a nation. “It is
fairly clear that Deuteronomy was well described as a ‘covenant’ document.”17 The book documented
“a covenant initiative [of] God’s faithfulness and [established] the meaning of Israel in history.”18 In
effect, Deuteronomy “became the ‘constitution’ of ancient Israel,”19 the constitution of a nation born
out of a chosen family.

Again, the institution of kingship and covenant came in the context of the Ancient Near Eastern
culture. “Israel [could not] adopt these institutions (prophets, priest, kings) without adaptation to
Israel’s covenants. In the rest of this statute, I AM meets precisely this need. He reinterprets kingship
in a way appropriate to his rule.”20 Moses tells the new nation what they will do, “When you enter the
land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say,
‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us.’”21 However he does not leave them there, and
also tells Israel that they must “appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses”22 because he
will be the anointed son of God to rule in kindness, justice and mercy. Deuteronomy 17 ends with the
stipulations for the king himself, as the anointed King of Israel that he should keep the law of the Lord
and not turn to the right or the left of it.23 Here we see a picture, once again of the infused nature of
kingship and covenant, as the King of Israel is instructed to remain a covenant-keeper. God, the King
of Kings, will remain a covenant-keeper, not falling off to the right or the left, just as “a smoking
firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces”24 confirming the covenant with
Abram.

Once Moses is gone, “Joshua models the leadership kings are to exercise: keeping the law, taking
responsibility for Israel’s entering into the land and keeping it; and being formally inducted into office
(Deut 34:9).”25 Israel is given the picture in their history, in the law and covenant made with Moses,
and now even with his chosen replacement that ushers them into the promised-land. They have been
given their kingdom, but are awaiting the fulfillment of the promised seed to come in their king.
Within the Book of Deuteronomy specifically, and the Deuteronomistic History broadly, “law and
grace are held in an unrelieved tension, the very tension that energizes the remainder of the
Deuteronomic History.”26 The history has been cast, and the future set by the implications of the
kingdom and king to come for Israel through the covenantal promises made by God.

Future Implications

We will explore the future implications of God’s promises later in the consummation of the kingship,
but it is important to take a moment now to touch on the future fulfillment. While Joshua did take
Israel into the promise land, and David was the fulfillment of the seed promise made to Abraham, there
is an even greater fulfillment of these earthly realities still to come. These were but a foretaste for
Israel, so that in the coming of the promised Seed27, there would be an even greater fulfillment of the
everlasting covenant made in the coming of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. In essence, the veiled
darkness of the Deuteronomistic history is torn open and light is shed upon the altar of truth for all to
see. What the Old Testament revealed in shadow, the New Testament reveals in light so that the
announcement of the coming kingdom of God would be heard by all, heralded by some, and believed
in faith by the true Israel who keeps God’s covenant, trusts in God’s promises, and bows down to God
as King.
SECTION 2: History of Kingship

With the stage properly set and the context of Israel’s history laid down as a foundation, we now turn
our attention to the history of kingship. We know that the roots of kingship stretch as far back as the
creation account in Genesis, but we will focus specifically on the early prophets of Judges, Samuel, and
Kings in this section. There is a distinct shift from the Pentateuch and Joshua as foundational history
and the fruit of the promise given to Israel in the land, to now the banner of leadership has been passed
from Moses to Joshua to a new generation, and it is from this new generation that kingship will take
hold over Israel.

Judges

Behold a new generation is born unto Israel and unfortunately they “knew neither the LORD nor what
he had done for Israel.”28 They no longer had a central leader, but were a divided tribal confederation
that was now living in the land they were promised but not faithfully. “The Israelites did evil in the
eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had
brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them.
They provoked the LORD to anger.”29 In essence they were breaking the covenant that God had
established with them in their constitution, Deuteronomy, and they would have to bear the
consequences of covenant-breaking. “In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to
raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able
to resist.”30 Despite the Israelites’ disobedience, God did not leave them without hope but raised up
local leaders or judges to prevail over their enemies. “The ‘judges’ were not primarily judicial
officials; rather, they were military leaders and clan chieftains who appeared periodically in different
areas among the tribes to affect deliverance from enemies threatening parts of Israel.”31

Since the throne of the king had not yet been established, the priesthood of Levites had been corrupted
by Baal worship, and no prophets had been raised to replace Moses and Joshua, these local judges were
used by God as temporary agents of justice and peace for Israel. As temporary and local agents
though, a series of cycles began whereby God would raise a judge to deliver Israel, they would
experience a time of peace and then afterwards Israel would return to their harlotry.32 It is clear from
this cycle that the judges were never meant to deliver permanent peace for Israel, as they were used
during a time of testing to “see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their
forefathers did.”33 God wanted Israel to keep the covenant that they had made with him, and to abide in
his rule as their King. These judge cycles would prove more than anything that Israel was disobedient,
not a faithful nation. “The book of Judges shows clearly that decentralized rule, even blessed with
periodic divine intervention in the nation’s leadership and wars, would not produce a holy nation.
Moses knew that Israel would someday have a king (Deut 17:14-20), and Judges prepares for the
transition to monarchy.”34

The Book of Judges, while preparing for monarchical transition to come, does foreshadow a taste of
what is to come in the kingship. With Gideon’s victories Israel asked that he rule over them like a
king, 35 but he refused and reminded Israel that “[t]he LORD will rule over you.”36 Gideon is a
typological king in that Israel enjoyed forty years of peace during his rule, just as they did under David
and Solomon’s reign respectively. Additionally, like David and especially like Solomon, Gideon had
many wives and many sons who caused him to stumble and prostitute himself. Finally, Gideon’s son,
Abimelech (Father is King - ‫)ֲאִביֶ֡מֶלְך‬, decided on his own that he would be the rightful heir and ruler of
Gideon’s office. The connection to David and Absalom cannot be missed here, nor can the seemingly
unfortunate mode of his death.37

In the end, the Book of Judges repeats this familiar refrain four times, “In those days Israel had no
king,”38 followed twice by “everyone did as he saw fit.”39 Israel had fallen into moral decline, they had
not remembered their covenant with God, and they had not made God their King. “The appendix of the
book of Judges [chapters 17 – 21] affirms kingship by its inclusion that implies that Israel’s lack of
kingship contributes to its moral anarchy during the dark age of the warlords.”40 Judges leaves Israel in
a dark place, but does foretell of the hope to come in the establishment of the true king of Israel who
would produce a holy nation.

Samuel

The birth of a nation had been realized in Israel, and now this nation had shown a dire need for a ruler,
a king to rule the kingdom. “[T]he LXX’s translators title the books Basileion (‘Concerning
Kingdoms’), a title that includes the books of the Kings.”41 Israel is about to embark on a journey that
will bring about the establishment of their king’s throne and propel the history of their nation forward
in a major way. “The book of Samuel narrates three tectonic shifts in God’s structuring of his
kingdom. 1) Israel’s liturgical worship shifts from Shiloh to Jerusalem. 2) Israel’s leadership changes
from episodic warlords to the eternal kingship of David. 3) Israel is transformed from the tribal league
to a unified kingdom capable of exercising imperial power over neighboring states.”42 The tribal
confederation was replaced by a kingdom, enthroned by a king who ruled from his capital city,
Jerusalem. “[Samuel] is a book about transition – transition from theocracy to monarchy. Under the
theocracy, God had provided the periodic leadership needed by the people (judges); now leadership
would be institutionalized and hereditary.”43

Waltke outlines four essentials elements to the nature of kingship that were true of both Israel and the
Ancient Near Eastern culture 1) Divine election, 2) Designation by popular assembly after victory, 3)
Dynastic succession, and 4) Authorization of an overlord.44 These elements will emerge as the history
of Israel’s kingship unfolds, but it is already clear it would take the establishment of God’s chosen
king45 for Israel to become the holy nation promised to Abraham. “First Samuel introduces us to
Israel’s last two judges (Eli, a failure; Samuel, a success) and first two kings (Saul, a failure; David, a
success).”46 Samuel and David were successes because they were men chosen by God, who sought the
Lord.

“Appropriately, the story of Israel’s monarchy begins with an account of the early life of Samuel:
prophet, priest, judge and, most significantly, king-maker.”47 It is the last role that will garner our
attention here. As king-maker, Saul plays a vital role as God’s agent to herald in the coming of the
kingdom, to point Israel toward a Godly king and ultimately to anoint God’s chosen men to establish
his throne. “The anointing of David was the capstone to Samuel’s career.”48 However there is some
confusion over Samuel’s desire to be a king-maker, and whether Israel was wrong or right to demand a
king.49 “Samuel’s antimonarchy speeches50 are interfaced with promonarchy51 stories. The
antimonarchy speeches pertain to Israel’s sin in choosing a king and God’s punishment of Israel
through their king. The promonarchy stories pertain to God’s actions behind the scenes to raise up the
king as a deliverer from foreign oppression, an institution, that will expand I AM’s kingdom to the full
dimensions of the Abrahamic covenant”52 Samuel wanted to instruct and correct Israel of their wrong
motivations for demanding a king in their disobedience by rejecting God’s rule, while he exemplified
obedience to God’s word of anointing Saul as king. Samuel knew “[a]ny king of Israel would have to
appreciate from the outset that he was to rule over Israel but under God,”53 and he instructed both Israel
and their new king to be obedient and remain in the Lord.54

Unfortunately, just as the cycle of judges proved to be temporary rule, God was already preparing for
the future king of Israel. Because Saul did not heed Samuel’s word and remain in the Lord, he was
rejected by God and the people. “Saul’s rejection of God’s word through his prophet had led to God’s
rejection of Saul’s rule over his people.”55 The new king was awaiting Samuel’s obedience to seek out
Jesse in Bethlehem.56 “Despite his obvious faults, he is the man after God’s own heart, the key figure
in the story, the ideal king against whom the characters and careers of his royal descendants on the
throne are constantly measured.”57 David, not Saul, would be the man in whom the dynastic monarchy
would find its fruition. David and Saul would have “crossing fates”58which culminated in 1 Samuel
24. “In cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe, David may have been symbolically depriving Saul of his
royal authority and transferring it to himself.”59 This, however, was premature of David since Saul was
still king and though anointed, David had not yet ascended to the throne of Israel as her king. “First
Samuel concludes decisively with an account of the end of King Saul’s reign, contrasting Saul with
David for the last time.”60 Whereas David was victorious, humble and obedient to God, Saul’s
disobedience and arrogance lead to his defeat, his death and the end of his reign as king of Israel.

It is impossible to talk about Saul without mentioning David, but David clearly stands on his own as
the particularly anointed king of Israel in the establishment and fulfillment of God’s promises to
Abraham. “The book of [Second] Samuel narrates the apotheosis of David and the decisive moment in
salvation history when I AM establishes the house of David forever over God’s kingdom.”61 David
serves this unique purpose in the history of Israel, as both the fulfillment of promise and the
establishment of something altogether unseen until this point in redemptive history. First, the kingdom
of Israel is about to truly be united and “established under King David,”62 but even more than that the
history of redemption is about to receive another one of its great pillars on which to stand. Like Adam
in the garden, Abram in Ur, and Moses at Mount Sinai, David in Jerusalem is about to receive a great
covenant promise from the Lord through the prophet Nathan.

“As such [Second Samuel 7] is the center and focus of 1) the narrative of David’s powerful reign over
Israel, 2) the story of David’s life as a whole, and indeed 3) the Deuteronomic history itself.”63 God
made his covenant with David saying, “He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does
wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never
be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house
and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”64 Kingship
and covenant are once again deeply intertwined with the salvation of God’s people. “David was
therefore not just a king but, in line with the regnal and saving purposes of God, was in a unique sense
the son of God. That is, he was adopted by God to represent God on the earth and to establish a human
dynasty over which God’s very Son (who was also the son of David), Jesus Christ himself, would
reign.”65 As with the genealogy in Ruth, we look back at the blessing to Judah and forward to the future
consummated kingdom in Jesus Christ with David as the pivotal point. Along with this immense
covenantal blessing of everlasting salvation comes the stipulation that all sons of God must endure.
“Although the Davidic king is to enjoy the unique relationship of being the Lord’s ‘son’, he will
thereby be brought ‘all the more firmly within the constraints of Yahweh’s fatherly discipline.’”66 This
is still discipline within the family, and not being cut off which will become a hope that Israel will hold
onto as God’s everlasting promise.

David’s response to God’s covenant blessing exemplified exactly why he was granted such a divine
gift. He responds by repeatedly calling on the Lord in 2 Samuel 7: 18-29 and recognizing that he is
unworthy of such a blessing, but “The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!”67 “By nestling the divine
description of the ideal king in the middle of the poem, David’s ‘last words’68 give God the central –
and therefore the final – word.”69 David is the king that Deuteronomy 17 told Israel they would have.

Kings

The LXX title still stands as the books ‘concerning kings’ continues to unfold the drama in the history
of Israel and the history of redemption. “Thus Kings does not merely record historical events but
represents redemptive and teleological history built around the twin themes of divine sovereignty and
human responsibility, particularly as they were operative through God’s covenantal people, Israel.”70
Kings in particular reveals the desperate need of the king to remember whose kingdom it actually is
that he is serving and that disobedience to God’s word would bear grave consequences.

Primarily, “[t]he writer of Kings is concerned about demonstrating the continuity of the David dynasty
in Judah as a demonstration of God’s faithfulness to his promises (2 Sam 7).”71 While the people of
God do not consistently keep their covenant faithfulness to the Lord, he remains and abides in them.
The united monarchy continues for another forty years after David’s death, and “[t]he account of the
reign of Solomon in chapters 1-11 demonstrates the faithfulness of God to the Davidic covenant (2
Sam7) in three respects: 1) Solomon as David’s son now sits on his father’s throne, 2) Solomon, while
he follows God wholeheartedly, is greatly blessed, but when he departs from the Lord, God prepares to
bring judgment, 3) Solomon builds the house of the Lord that David had wished to build.”72
Unfortunately, the consequences of the judgment God brings on Israel are division, loss of the united
kingdom and eventually loss of the promise land in exile.

Israel was now divided into the northern and southern kingdoms, with Judah and Benjamin in the
south. The effect this had on the kingship in Israel is that while the northern kingdom continued to
stray further and further from God, the southern kingdom at least held fast to the covenant with David
and the promise of an everlasting kingdom. The northern kingdom persisted in its disobedience, “To
this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the
decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom
he named Israel. When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: ‘Do not
worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.”73 Israel disobeyed and
would have to bear the consequences of covenant-breaking. “With this summation the divine case
against Israel has been made. Despite everything the great Redeemer had done for his people, their
thankless, hardened, and apostate hearts had led them into spiritual, moral and social corruption and
thus their own demise. Israel’s checkered history should have provided a lesson for Judah.”74

Unfortunately, the southern kingdom was not without their share of idolatry either though they did have
a few shining examples. “By contrast [sic] the house of Omri, Josaiah and Hezekiah of the house of
David represent the Deuteronomist’s ideal for kingship.”75 They, however, would not be enough to
keep the southern kingdom from bearing the consequences of covenant-breaking. “The account of the
last four kings of Judah builds on the warning that despite the efforts of Josiah to purge the land of
paganism, Judah was doomed (23:25-27).”76

The judgment wrought on Judah was exile into Babylon, captivity in a foreign land, the loss of the
promise land and the destruction of Jerusalem.77 However, in the midst of these grave consequences
God did not forsake Judah. “The God who had brought the Babylonians against Jerusalem could also
cause them to show favor to a son of David.78 God has not forgotten his promise, even in a distant land
and difficult circumstances. The book ends in the exile but with a muted note of hope – that God
would continue to remember his promises to David.”79 God’s promises are great and faithful, and so is
his own kingship that though Judah was not reigning over herself – He still was. “Although God’s
people had been judged, as they must, yet God would be with them even in the midst of their
sentence.”80

SECTION 3: Consummation of Kingship

The eschatological implications of kingship and covenant cannot be overlooked or left out of a
discussion on kingship in Israel. Just as in the fall God promised redemption, so in the exile God has
promised restoration. This is the hope we are left hanging onto at the end of the books “concerning
kings”, and this is the hope that Judah clung to in God’s judgment. There is now a distinction between
Israel and Judah, or the true Israel, that has become evident in Samuel and Kings. Israel and Judah
have been judged, but redemption and hope are still at hand and being held out for the chosen
covenantal people of God’s true kingdom. Looking to the future, true Israel now awaits the raising up
of their king and the restoration of their kingdom in fulfillment of God’s promises to David. While the
history of redemption does not record the coming of the inaugurated kingdom until the New Testament
in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, there is still evidence of God’s hope and promises. “The Old
Testament hope is based on an anticipated restoration of the earth as the kingdom of God. The
expected day of the Lord brings judgment as well as salvation and is ushered in by the Messiah,
David’s Son.”81 The line of David, his seed, is the future hope of redemption as Judah, Benjamin and
the Levites are brought front and center in Chronicles and Ezra/Nehemiah.

Chronicles

Chronicles appears last in the Hebrew canon of Scripture, because it serves “to emphasize that the
postexilic community is linked with the preexilic Israel and continues to be the people of God. More
precisely, the Chronicler idealizes the unification of all Israel under the house of David.”82 These two
books, more than any other in the Old Testament, summarize the history of Israel from Adam to
Abraham to Judah to David and the promises of God made to this chosen line of kings. “According to
this point of view, the Chronicler regards the Davidic dynasty as central to the nations’ restoration and
future. In short, kingship is central to the nation’s restoration.”83 This is evident in the themes and
focus of the Chronicler, and also by the word of God himself.

First, the overriding theme, by shear volumes of content, is the United Monarchy under David and
Solomon (1 Chronicles 10 – 2 Chronicles 10). “In Chronicles, David and Solomon are portrayed as
glorious, obedient, all-conquering figures who enjoy not only divine blessing but also the support of all
the nation.”84 The ideal Israel, for both the preexilic and postexilic Israel is a united kingdom under the
reign of their anointed king, the promised son of Abraham. As the anointed sons, “David and Solomon
in Chronicles are not just the David and Solomon, who were, but the David and Solomon of the
Chronicler’s eschatological hope.”85 This hope rests in the kingdom restoration to come, which was
promised to Israel by God.

The Chronicler includes the covenant God made with David that 2 Samuel 7 first revealed. “He shall
build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to
me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I
will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established
forever.”86 The contextual emphasis in Chronicles is the establishment of the kingdom in Solomon, so
looking at these passages together in the fuller context of the corpus of Scripture it is evident that this
promise is indeed dynastic, hereditary and part of the covenantal blessings promised to Abraham. In
David and Solomon, God is confirming and ratifying his promise of king and kingdom, seed and land.
“In fulfilling his covenant within David’s lifetime to give him a great name and Israel a secure place
and rest from all their oppressors, IAM is also fulfilling his covenant promises to Abraham with regard
to ‘seed’ and ‘land’.”87 Thus while Chronicles ends similarly to Kings with the destruction of Jerusalem
and the Babylonian captivity; it also ends with a clearer picture of a future hope. More than a son of
Judah being invited to dine at the table of the king, Cyrus, the king of Persia, charges the people with
the rebuilding of God’s house in Judah. Chronicles ends with a look ahead towards a redeemed house
of Israel, reunited as a people under their true and faithful king. “Henceforth, the idea of this kingdom
remains central in the hopes of Israel. This human kingdom, however, is only a representation of the
kingdom of [YHWH] Himself.”88

Future Implications

The promise was laid bare for the world to see through the history of the Israel, and now the future
hope is in sight. The kingship and covenant reaches its climax in the coming of the true king, who
reigns over the true Israel. It is the back drop of Israel’s past and God’s call for them as his covenant
people that shed light on the future glory of the Kingdom of God. “The significance of the unique
organization of Israel can be rightly measured only by remembering that the theocracy typified nothing
short of the perfected kingdom of God, the consummate state of Heaven.”89 The eschatological coming
of the kingdom, inaugurated by the coming of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promises made to
Abraham, Moses and David of an everlasting kingdom with a perfect king. “[Jesus Christ] rightly sits
on David’s throne in heavenly Jerusalem, of which the earthly throne was always only a type. By
fulfilling this covenant in a way far beyond what David could have thought or asked for, today both
David and I AM are universally renowned. Though the covenant is now being fulfilled, it awaits the
consummation when heavenly Jerusalem will come down out of heaven from God to the renewed
heaven and earth.”90 Renewed life in the redeemed Kingdom of God is the future hope for the world,
Israel and Gentile alike. “Prophetically prefigured in the turn from Babylonian captivity, the
conversion of Israel, and renewal of temple worship, the final expression of Israel’s hope is cosmic –
the Gentiles share in the full blessing of a cleansed and transformed earth.”91 The future glory has
come in the present hope of Jesus Christ’s consummated kingdom.

We are living in the time of the inaugurated kingdom which held future implications for Israel at the
close of the Old Testament canon that became a present reality at the coming of Jesus Christ and which
holds out future implications even now as we await the consummation. “The kingdom [Jesus] is
coming to establish, therefore, is the completed kingdom of God. He himself will in fact govern his
people as king, but in that capacity he is still no more than a theocratic king who does not rule in
accordance with his own powers but in an absolute sense realizes the rule of God.”92 God completes
his work of redemption, fulfilling his singular promises of kingship and covenant to his chosen family
in Adam, Noah, Abraham, David and Christ. But even more than that, he redeems all of creation to
consummate his kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth – the perfect reality where Christ
reigns and the family of God lives peacefully within the united monarchy once again.

Conclusion

Kings of the world have come and gone, and some have made a great impact on history and the
landscape of the world as we know it today. However, the King of Israel has changed and is changing
the history of the world like no other king – past, present or future. The King of Israel is the King of
Kings, and while the New Testament declares the new covenant and ushers in the redeemed kingdom,
it does so only on the basis of the promises and the framework of kingship found in the Early Prophets.
These essential books of the Old Testament canon connect the kingship and covenantal promises given
in the Pentateuch to the covenantal prosecution of Israel in the prophets, and ultimately pave the way
for the coming of the consummated kingdom proclaimed in the New Testament. The Early Prophets
not only reveal the history of redemption through the establishment of the united monarchy, but propel
the history forward to a future hope and glory in a redeemed kingdom.

It is then understandable why Israel would be looking for an earthly reign and redemption in the
coming of the future king promised to them. But much like all of God’s promises, he had something
even greater in store for his covenant people – a redeemed kingdom where the heavenly realities
shadowed in the Old Testament promises would come to full light. This consummated kingdom is
everlasting to everlasting with the promised Seed, Messiah and King, reigning in the very presence of
the people. And even more than simply serving the king, though that would be enough, he invites us
into his family, as joint heirs of the promise. If we are in Christ, then “we are the kings and queens of
promise,93” in the consummated Kingdom of God. We are a part of history and have been given life
through the blood of the slain King , who calls us to resurrection life as the first fruit of resurrection by
atoning for our sins and by keeping his covenant promises forever and ever.

Bibliography
Alexander, T.D. From Paradise to the Promise Land. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002.

Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation, Volume Four. Grand
Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.

Brakel, Wilhelmus a. The Christians Reasonable Service, Volume 1. Grand Rapids: Reformation
Heritage Books, 1992.
Duguid, Iain M. Esther & Ruth: Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing,
2005.

Dumbrell, William J. The Faith of Israel: A Theological Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2002.

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of God. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2002.

Iain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III. A Biblical History of Israel. Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.

Kitchen, K.A. On The Reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 2003.

Kline, Meredith G. The Structure of Biblical Authority. Eugene: WIPF & Stock Publishers, 1997.

Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2008.

Temper Longman III & David E. Garland. The Expositor's Bible Commentary: 1 Samuel - 2 Kings.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2006.

Vos, Geerhardus. Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1948.

Waltke, Bruce K. An Old Testament Theology: An exegetical, canonical, and thematic approach.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

1
(Merrill 2008, 208)
2
(Kline 1997, 47)
3
(Kline 1997, 48)
4
(Frame 2002, 369)
5
(Frame 2002, 24)
6
(Kline 1997, 57)
7
(Frame 2002, 368)
8
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built
there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Gen 12:7 ESV)
9
I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from
you. (Gen 17:6 ESV)
10
(Merrill 2008, 204-205)
11
(Waltke 2007, 687-689)
12
Gen 49:10 ESV
13
(Merrill 2008, 203)
14
(Waltke 2007, 693)
15
(Vos 1948, 122)
16
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 102)
17
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 111)
18
(Merrill 2008, 109)
19
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 112)
20
(Waltke 2007, 690)
21
Deu 17:14 NIV
22
Deu 17:15 NIV
23
Deu 17:20 NIV
24
Gen 15:17 NIV
25
(Waltke 2007, 691)
26
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 118)
27
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds,"
meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. (Gal 3:16 NIV)
28
Jdg 2:10 NIV
29
Jdg 2:11-12 NIV
30
Jdg 2:14 NIV
31
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 133)
32
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the
hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they
groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned
to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping
them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. (Jdg 2:18-19 NIV)
33
Jdg 2:22 NIV
34
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 142)
35
The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us--you, your son and your grandson--because you have
saved us out of the hand of Midian." (Jdg 8:22 NIV)
36
Jdg 8:23 NIV
37
Jdg 9:52-54 NIV
38
Jdg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25 NIV
39
Jdg 17:6, 21:25 NIV
40
(Waltke 2007, 685)
41
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 43)
42
(Waltke 2007, 624)
43
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 151)
44
(Waltke 2007, 680-682)
45
Deut 17:15
46
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 43)
47
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 43)
48
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 169)
49
They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead
us, such as all the other nations have." (1Sa 8:5 NIV)
50
1Sa 8:1-22, 10:17-27, 11:14-12:25
51
1Sa 9:1-10:16, 11:1-13
52
(Waltke 2007, 686)
53
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 89)
54
If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both
you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God--good! (1Sa 12:14 NIV)
55
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 161)
56
1Sa 16:1
57
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 163)
58
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 163)
59
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 233)
60
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 265)
61
(Waltke 2007, 654)
62
That the kingdom about to be established under King David is intended as truly united monarchy is
underscored by the use of the word “all” three times (5:1,3,5). The elders of Israel, representing the
tribes, come to David at Hebron with express purpose of submitting to his rule. (Temper Longman III
& David E. Garland 2009, 342)
63
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 376-377)
64
2Sa 7:13-16 NIV
65
(Merrill 2008, 227)
66
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 389)
67
2Sa 7:26 NIV
68
2Sa23: 2-7 NIV
69
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 589)
70
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 629)
71
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 180-181)
72
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 637)
73
2Ki 17:34-35 NIV
74
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 900)
75
(Waltke 2007, 695)
76
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 942)
77
On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,
Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every
important building he burned down. (2Ki 25:8-9 NIV)
78
So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table.
(2Ki 25:29 NIV)
79
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 186)
80
(Temper Longman III & David E. Garland 2009, 953)
81
(Bavinck 2008, 644)
82
(Waltke 2007, 696)
83
(Waltke 2007, 697)
84
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 197)
85
(Tremper Longman III and Rayond B. Dillard 2006, 197)
86
1 Chronicles 17: 12-14
87
(Waltke 2007, 692)
88
(Vos 1948, 185)
89
(Vos 1948, 126)
90
(Waltke 2007, 701)
91
(Bavinck 2008, 644)
92
(Bavinck 2008, 654)
93
Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds To Mars 2009