06.30 God Promising an Everlasting Kingdom ""And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. And now, O LORD God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant." (2 Samuel 7:16, 28)" The opening verse consists of promises from the Lord to David. They guaranteed an everlasting kingdom for David's line. The following verse conveys David's response to God's promises. His response reminds us how we should respond to the promises of God. The kingdoms of man come and go. The kingdom that God establishes for His people is forever. This kingdom is made available to man by the promises of God. The Lord ordained that King David would have a key role in this plan. "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." It would be through David that the promised Messiah would come. This divine King would sit upon David's throne in a rule that would have no end. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6-7). When the angel was announcing to Mary the conception of the Messiah, these promises were reiterated. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:31-33). These promises will be eternally fulfilled some day. "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Revelation 11:15). This is the kingdom Jesus offered when He walked upon this earth. "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 4:17). For all who would respond in faith like David ("Your words are true"), a place would be given in that everlasting kingdom! "Eternal God, I believe Your words are true. I have repented of my sins and have turned to Jesus as my Savior and my King. I praise Your holy name for giving me a place in the everlasting kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."