The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
(Luke 1:30–33, NASB)
For years I read the Christmas story in the Gospels skimming over references to the covenants, not having a clue as to what they were or why they were even included. With an understanding of the covenants and their relationship to the birth of Jesus, the Nativity story explodes with the larger purposes of God and becomes immeasurably enriched.
As my wife often says, “In God’s economy, there’s always more going on than meets the eye.” This is certainly the case in the Nativity story! Of the four unconditional covenants, Luke refers specifically to the Davidic Covenant in Luke 1:30–33.
We find the Davidic Covenant first given in 2 Samuel 7:12–16. It is here God makes certain promises to David regarding his house, his kingdom, and his throne—each of which will be established forever. The word house has to do with David’s lineage or dynasty, culminating in Messiah! The word kingdom refers to Israel’s earthly kingdom, and the word throne indicates His authority or right to rule.
Jesus the Messiah, David’s descendant, is the ultimate fulfillment of this magnificent promise! When Jesus returns a second time, He will sit on David’s throne and rule over His kingdom forever.
Let your eyes scroll to the top of this page and reread the angel’s message as he delivers it to Mary. There’s no mistaking the fact that Mary’s Son would fulfill the covenant that God made with David.
This Davidic Covenant has not yet been fulfilled in its fullness. The tiny babe in the manger, the Second Person of the Trinity, clothed in human flesh, fulfilled prophecies regarding the suffering servant. He grew up, died for our sins, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven. At the Second Advent, the Davidic Covenant will be completely fulfilled as the Son of David, born in a manger, rules forever from David’s throne!