Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 7
David, and the kings from his family, were not like Saul or the kings of other nations. That was because God had chosen the kings from David’s family to be God’s own sons. In other words, God was establishing a close family relationship with them that was like the relationship between a father and his son.
In such a relationship, the son should respect the father, and the father should direct the son (Proverbs 4:1-12). When the son behaves wrongly, discipline and punishment become necessary. However, even those can be acts of love, because they teach the son how to behave in the right manner (Hebrews 12:5-11).
The kings from David’s family did many wrong things, and they suffered much because of their evil behaviour. Their punishment came when their enemies attacked them or their nation (for example 1 Kings chapter 11). Sometimes a king did turn back to God after he suffered such troubles - for example, King Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:1-20.
King Saul had turned away from God, and God no longer accepted him as king (1 Samuel 15:22-29). However, God’s love for David’s family will remain. That is necessary because the last and greatest king from David’s family is the Messiah, also called the Christ (Isaiah 11:1-10). He truly is God’s son (Psalm 2; Hebrews chapter 1). His rule is perfect; he obeys God in everything.
Next part: David and Nathan see the Messiah (2 Samuel 7:16-17)
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