David's King

What we're going to look at this Christmas is the king who is going to come next Christmas. We'll pick up another theme that we find in redemptive history for Advent. And there's some other verses we can look at that discuss the kingship. And I kind of cheated on the one I chose tonight. We're going to do Psalm 110. The reason I chose that is because it's the most quoted and alluded to verse in all scripture, which means I get to go to a lot of other texts that I wanted to look at. So we're going to look at Psalm 110. It is a Psalm of David. If you're using one of our. Oh, there are Bibles at the end. If you're visiting with us, you don't have an ESV Bible. Please feel free to take one of the Bibles at the end of the pew. It's on page 508 or 509, rather, in most ESVs. The Lord. Well, it will help us as we understand this psalm, if we go ahead and say it the way it should be said, Lord in all caps is Yahweh. God's proper personal name. So it helps us understand what's actually happening here more if we go ahead and say, Yahweh says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord sends forth, Yahweh sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies. Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power in holy garments. From the womb of the morning the dew of your mouth will be yours. Yahweh has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever." After the order of Melchizedek, the Lord is at your right hand. He will shatter kings the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses. He will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way. Therefore, he will lift up his head. Now, as we look at this text, obviously, the most important question is, who is my Lord referring to? David is singing this song. David is singing and declaring this hymn. Yahweh says to my Lord, who is David, the king of Israel, referring to as his Lord. Well, let's skip over to Luke 20, or we could go to Mark 12. The same teaching of Jesus is found in both Gospels. We'll go to Luke 20. Verse 42. Jesus says, How can they say that the Christ is David's son? Jesus is speaking for David himself says in the book of Psalms, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a fistful. David thus calls him Lord. So how is it? How so how is he his son? Well, it's this great mystery of God's of the Jesus majesty as God in his meekness as man. Here, I believe David. And I always wonder how much David understands because he makes such amazing proclamations such as this. How much is the spirit allowing him to understand while he's declaring these things? The Lord said to my Lord, David is saying, I believe Yahweh says to Jesus, who was the real king of the Jews. I believe David is declaring who the real king will be, who is simultaneously the one true king, the only king, and also David's son. See, as we looked at in 2 Samuel 7 this morning, David was promised that the true king, the eternal king, the forever king would come from his offspring. David here makes it very clear that there's going to be a greater king than himself, and he is going to sit at God's right hand until God makes his enemies his footstool. This is a great declaration of who this new king is going to be. He's going to be have an exalted position. He's not just going to sit in a throne in a cedar house. He's not just going to sit on a throne on top of the city of Jerusalem. His position of authority and power is at the right hand of God. He has all authority and all power. And as you walk through the rest of this text, it's about conquering, it's about victory over all of God's enemies. Now, well, the other key text here, which is really a great mystery. This is why someone 10 is the most quoted passage in all scripture. First, it says the Lord says to my Lord, sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. But also, verse four, the Lord has sworn he will not change his mind. You are a priest forever. After the order of Melchizedek. Now, somehow this one figure that David is looking forward to is the king of Israel, who's at the right hand of the father. And he's also serving as a priest. And then you have this very mysterious language about him being after the order of Melchizedek. And I really would love I wish there were more pre-Christian Jewish commentaries on what They thought of this, how they contemplated who this figure was going to be, who was going to be at the highest position of authority and who would be like the most mysterious figure in Scripture, Melchizedek, who we can read about in Genesis 14 if you want to. As you look at it, it again gives into this figure and how he will shatter kings, he will be victorious. He will lift up his head. That's a reference to a victorious one. Well, let's look and see how we can think about this passage. First of all, Jesus refers to himself, I believe, in Luke 20 and in Mark 12 as the fulfillment of this prophecy. The text that John read this morning, Acts 2, we can all turn there. So we're gonna be doing a lot of flipping. Like I said, I picked this text because I can go to all the other texts I wanted to go to. In the middle of the great sermon of Pentecost, Peter says in verse 34, For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ. this Jesus whom you have crucified. Peter, and I believe only Christians, can properly understand Psalm 110 because it doesn't make sense. Who has the credentials? Who has the ability to fill out this resume? To sit in the highest position of authority and to be the perfect mediator? Let's also turn over to Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 7. Which. Let's a sermon. We don't know who preached this sermon, particularly. Precisely, we can make some good guesses, but I believe. The sermon is made up of a couple of key texts in Psalm 10 is one of them, and if we look there. Verse 11. I'm going to read this section and then we'll begin application and take some questions about kingship. Now, if perfection had been attainable to the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek? rather than one named after the order of Aaron. For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belong to another tribe, that of Judah, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe, Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident When another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life, for it is written of him, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, a better hope is introduced through which we draw near to God. For it was not without an oath for those who formally became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him, the Lord is sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever. This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. And then he goes on in verse 23, giving a great explanation here. The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for him. This is a very unique figure in Psalm 110. We see, I hope you hear 2 Samuel actually ringing in a lot of this. He is the only one who can serve as a permanent king, as a permanent priest, because he's the only one who has a forever reign. In Jesus Christ's resurrection, he ascends to the right hand of the Father, where he reigns as a supreme king, as the all authoritative king, And he also serves there as the perfect mediator of the new covenant. Only he who sits at the right hand of the father can intercede between the holiness of the father and us as sinners. It's only Jesus Christ in his mediating role at the right hand of the father and his perfect sacrifice, his never ending service as the one true perfect high priest. He's the only one who can give us true peace. See, the Levitical order was broken. Because year after year, there was a different priest and a different new sacrifice. And what that was showing, as the author of Hebrews points out, it was a temporary order. It was a temporary means of forgiveness. It wasn't the perfect sacrifice. It was more like an IOU. When Jesus Christ came, He gave the one sacrifice and he served, he began his forever ministry for us who believe in him as a perfect high priest. So as you think about this, well, first, before I start looking at application for this, this was a lot. I really just tried to exposit Psalm 110 based upon the New Testament authors themselves. Do you have any questions about who Christ is and how he fulfills the criteria of being this figure who sits in the right hand of God and is a priest after the order of Melchizedek? Or if you have a question about this morning's sermon in connection to King's show. Yes, John. Oh, OK, what? Yeah Yeah, let's let's all let's all turn there my mind no, no, I I Appreciate that. I'm trying to look I I had for my answer. Let's read that. I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son when he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with a rod of men with the stripes of the sons of men. But my steadfast love will not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before you. I should have said this, I think Chris was the one who asked the question in the hall. There's a sense in which the sons, the offsprings of David actually fulfilled this prophecy partially. Some of them more than others. So I think Solomon is a fulfillment of the prophecy. I didn't point this out, but look at 2 Samuel 6. Someone read that very last line as I'm turning there. What's the very last sentence it declares? All right. This is Abrahamic, isn't it? God promises Abraham, you're going to receive a child through whom I'm going to bless all the earth. What's Abraham's dilemma there? Barrenness. Difficulty in tolerating the curse. Well, here it's actually intentional. Mikal, the daughter of Saul, who is his wife, had no children. And then you get the promise of an offspring the very next chapter. If you're a Hebrew, the curse and the blessing back in Abraham, it's alluding to that at some level. So as you're reading this, You're you're you're hearing this promise of offspring and you're seeing barrenness as again the problem. God must overcome the curse to bring about the blessing. So as we look at Solomon who OK comes about through the marriage of Bathsheba which that has all the problems of the curse in it as well. But I believe at some level he is a fulfillment of many of these promises. And I believe most importantly, God is saying all of your sons who are going to follow you, they're all going to fail. And I'm going to discipline them, and so this verse is particularly for them. But as I read it and I interpret all this this passage, particularly as fulfilled in Jesus Christ, perfectly and permanently, I have to look through it and say, how in the world Is this passage fulfilled in Christ? And the only way I can understand the passage would be to say, well, it just doesn't apply to him because he never commits iniquity. Or as I read the gospel into the passage, I see that as he committed no iniquity, but was punished for my iniquity. That's how Christ is in this passage. And maybe that's a looser reading than necessary, but as I see it, it brings the clarity of the gospel into what this one is going to do. Does that answer your question? So as Chris was asking, were the sons of David, Solomon and Rehoboam and Jeroboam and all those other guys who really messed up Yes, they fulfilled this prophecy, but only slightly. It's kind of like looking at a mountain range. You know, you've got those smaller mountains, and the bigger mountains, and the bigger mountains, and the biggest mountains. You can only see that one mountain range until you get over it. You see the bigger one, and then you get over that mountain range, you see the next big one. Well, that first one is Solomon. And after you cross that, it's not until you cross all the mountain ranges, you see the real peak, the real final fulfillment. That's progressive revelation. Other questions? That was very good. Probably the most difficult passage, so that was the easiest question to ask. Way to go, Sean. Alright, well two brief applications from our passage this morning. taken straight out of the New Testament. One, let's look at Colossians 3.1, where Paul is clearly alluding. Another place he alludes to it that I'm not going to look at is Ephesians 1.20, but Colossians 3.1. You have been raised with Christ. Seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. Now here, if we're going to believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord who sits at the right hand of the Father and he is the priest forever, who is after the order of Melchizedek, if we have placed our faith in him, there's a demand that we live differently. It's very concrete. It's very clear. If we believe in Christ and we hope to be raised with him in eternal life, we need to lift our minds. Do you think about those things that are above? Now, what does that mean? I think we should long to have a vision for what the heavenly Christ is going to look like. I think we need to constantly be trying to discipline ourselves to not think only in this earthly world, in this material realm. I think we need to study scripture and study every description of Christ and God and His holiness and His beauty and His wisdom and have our minds refined by the Word so that we have a clear vision of God. Setting our minds on things above means we are not worried about all the financial and physical burdens of our life, but we are thinking about who God is and his beauty. And we're thinking about what his will is in many ways, thinking about keeping our mind on the things above is really just fulfilling the Lord's prayer. May your will on earth be done as it is in heaven. We should be thinking about as we think about things above is what is God's will from heaven. and how we can be living out that will in our everyday lives. So that is a great challenge that Paul brings to us. It's thinking about the things that are above. And that is the beauty of who God is, and I believe living out God's will here on Earth. The second great application, I think, from Paul. Paul, like Psalm 110, turned to 1 Corinthians 15. And this passage, well, it's a doozy as well. First Corinthians 15. 20 through 28. The issue here is this, this is the resurrection passage, and Paul is saying, if you deny the resurrection, you've denied everything, you might as well go out and eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. But verse 20 through 28, I believe Paul refers to alludes to someone to him. But, in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. There's twice here that Paul has referenced raising from the dead with the forever King who will sit at the right hand of the Father. The firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive, but each in his own order. Christ the firstfruits, then it is coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is expected is accepted who put all things in subjection under him. That is the father. When all things are subjected to him, then the son himself will also be subjected to him who puts all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all. Now, there's a lot of subjecting there. Let's go back to verse 27 because we're the focus here for God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is expect accepted who put all things in subjection under him. So what he's saying here is father put all things under subjection to the son. I would say fulfillment of Psalm 110 one. I will make your enemies a foot so they all things will be subjected to you. But obviously, the father isn't subject to the son. When all things are subjected to him, then the son himself will also be subjected to him who puts all things in subjection under him. What Paul is trying to put forward here is a clear vision that God is the victor. The father's plan of salvation is to send his son who has all authority in heaven and earth, who has all authority over any principle, principalities of the air. And when Christ gives us his final sure victory, God may be all in all that I believe here. God is reference to the entire triune being the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. I believe we think about this passage, it's giving this beautiful vision that we need to constantly remember that we do not yet experience all things in subjection to him. We are accused by Satan. We feel an authority and a power accusing us as Christians, wanting us to feel unnecessary guilt for sin. There's a proper role for guilt and there's a proper role for shame in the Christian life. But Satan tries to tempt us to believe that he actually has the authority to accuse us and condemn us. I believe what Paul is trying to declare here is simply saying, do not believe there is any other higher authority. God's plan will come to a perfect and final end. His plan will be finalized. The Father has subjected all things under the Son. The Son will complete His work and He will hand the kingdom over to the Father and that's us. So our hope rests in Him who is able to conquer our greatest foe, death, sin and the devil. And so when we are tempted to believe our guilt is too weighty, when we're tempted to believe that the accusations against us are true. Well, we know that Christ, he has a greater authority than Satan. He has a greater authority than our sin. He has a greater authority than our own wills. He has a greater authority than death. He is able to deliver us. To conclude, I'll ask if there's any other questions about those applications before we finish. I don't know why I picked some of the most difficult passages all in one. First Corinthians 15 is a doozy. It's quite fun. As a prayer for Christmas, let us remember that this king who is all powerful, humbled himself to the lowest degree, to become lower than angels, to become like us. Such meek, meager and humble beginnings. Such a powerful, victorious ending. Let's pray. Almighty God, we come before you. We praise you, Lord, our King. You, You have all authority. You are the victorious one. In you, we have power to overcome sin and death and Satan's lies. In you alone, we have the power, the access to come into God's presence. We thank you, Jesus, for dying for us. We thank you, Jesus, for giving us new life. We thank you that we get to participate in your victory, in your resurrection. In your holy name we pray. Amen.