David's Line is Alive and Well

Scripture:
Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked,
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.
Psalm 89:49-51

Observation: The psalmist of Psalm 89 has been lamenting the downfall of Israel, and explicitly focused on the Lord's covenant with David, which is that the line of David will exist as a royal line forever. However, Israel and Judah are now nearing destruction, so the hope is that this will not occur due to the promise of David.

God's servant - the children of Israel - have been mocked, humiliated, and defeated as divine punishment. However, the Lord's promises are to be trusted. Therefore, even as the enemy mocks the people and even the anointed leader, there is hope. Israel must still believe that, somehow, the Lord will provide the way for his steadfast promise to be fulfilled.

Application: Today, we discussed the current state of affairs in Ashdod, Israel, where the Jews are actively fighting against the church of Jesus. We also read in Romans how Paul understands the promise of Messiah being for the Gentiles, for while some Jews have believed the good news many have not. And I wonder ... how can this be? How can the Jews fervently pray for and believe in the promise of the Messianic king, and then actively and aggressively reject the Messianic king? And repeat both of those behaviors for thousands of years?

Such is the way of faith, that those who actively seek it can simultaneously aggressively reject it. Those who wish with all they have for hope in their lives, then angrily fight against the source of hope. Those who desire a loving and peaceful society rail against the source of love and peace.

I pray for our society, and for our city, and for our region. I know the bible proves that many will reject any truth about Jesus. However, some will believe, and our hope and work needs to be offering more and more people that opportunity to believe.

Rumors of the failure of Davidic covenant are greatly exaggerated. The line of David is alive and well, sitting on his throne, at the right had of Yahweh, Lord of all creation.

Prayer: Lord, may we all find the strength to pronounce your good news. The news was always that salvation is available through Messiah, no more and no less. May that news be both whispered in streets and shouted from the rooftops in Ashdod, and Seattle, and the ends of the earth. Amen.