Daily Lesson for Tuesday 27th of February 2024

The Davidic covenant contains God’s promise of everlasting support of David’s line and prosperity of God’s people (1 Samuel 7:5-16; Psalms 89:1-4,19-37; Psalms 132:12-18).

Image © Linda Lovett from GoodSalt.com

The permanence of the covenant was established on God’s solemn oath and the king’s faithfulness to God. However, even the devoted kings, such as King David, were not always faithful to the Lord. Psalms 89:1-52 laments over the harsh reality that seems to indicate that the glorious promises of the Davidic covenant have been lost. Is Israel hopelessly deserted by God? The answer, of course, is—no!

God’s wrath is, yes, an expression of divine judgment (Psalms 38:1, Psalms 74:1). Yet, it does not last forever because God’s everlasting love forgives people’s sins when people repent. However, while it lasts, God’s discontent with His erring people is serious. The people feel the bitter consequences of their disobedience and realize the gravity of their sins (Psalms 89:38-46). Yet, they ask, “How long?” appealing to the passing character of God’s wrath (Psalms 89:46). Renewed hope springs from new assurance in God’s faithfulness to “remember” His grace (Psalms 89:47,50).

In short, although the human component of the covenant failed, the people could rest in the promise of God’s unchanging purposes through the Messiah, who embodies all righteousness and salvation of Israel and of the whole world. That is, in the end, God will prevail, and His eternal kingdom will be established forever—but only because of Jesus and not because of God’s people.

Jesus Christ is the Son of David and the Messiah (Matthew 1:1, Hebrews 1:8). He is called “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NKJV), alluding to Psalms 89:1-52:27, which calls David, who was a type of Christ, God’s firstborn. “Also I will make him My firstborn, / The highest of the kings of the earth” (NKJV).

Clearly the title “firstborn” does not express David’s biological status, because David was the eighth child of his parents (1 Samuel 16:10-11). It’s the same with Jesus. This title signifies His special honor and authority (Colossians 1:16,20-22). God made Jesus the supreme King over the whole world when He raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:30-31).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-09-forever-faithful-to-his-covenant/

Daily Lesson for Monday 26th of February 2024

Many psalms express the agonizing feelings of utmost forsakenness of the suffering Messiah (e.g. Psalms 42:1-11, Psalms 88:1-18, and Psalms 102:1-28). Psalms 22:1-31 is a direct Messianic prophecy because many details in this psalm cannot be historically connected to King David but perfectly fit the circumstances of Christ’s death. Jesus prayed with the words of Psalms 22:1-31:1 on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

The torment of Christ’s separation from His Father, caused by Christ carry­ing the entire world’s sins, can be measured only by the extent of their closeness, namely, their unparalleled oneness (John 1:1-2; John 10:30). Yet, even the depths of inexplicable suffering could not break the unity between the Father and the Son. In His utter forsakenness, Christ unconditionally entrusts Himself to the Father, despite the utter depths of despair He faced.

“Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible mani­festation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 753.

The threatening animal imagery of strong bulls, roaring lions, and dogs highlights the people’s cruelty and animosity that Christ, who is compared to a harmless and helpless worm, met in His final hours. With amazing accuracy, Psalms 22:1-31 conveys the venomous remarks of the crowd that mocked Jesus with His own words to the Father (Psalms 22:1,8; Matthew 27:43) and the soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments (Psalms 22:18, Matthew 27:35). Little did the people understand then that the “worm” they sought to crush would become the chief “cornerstone” of the Temple and secure its foundation (Psalms 118:22).

However, the rejected Messiah became the Source of salvation for God’s people after His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:10-12). Christ suffered the rejection of humanity, but God glorified His Son by making Him the living “chief cornerstone” of God’s spiritual Temple (Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:4-8). For those who reject this Stone, namely, God’s means of salvation, it will become the agent of judgment (Isaiah 8:14, Matthew 21:44).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-09-the-suffering-messiah/