“Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.” Psalm 89:19 ESV
Reflection: when will God fulfill His promises, of an everlasting king and kingdom?
Seems to me there is an increasing number of prophets these days. Have you noticed the same? A lot of talk about end times, of Christ return, of the last day. Jesus spoke about the end times quite a bit, so it is not like we shouldn’t. In fact, Jesus encouraged us to look at the signs of time, so that we can know and not be deceived. You can read what he said, recorded in from Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. But we also see prophecies of the future all throughout the Old Testament, such as in psalm 89.
When you read psalm 89, you might at first experience a bit of a time warp. We can see the psalmist bringing up the past, the present and, probably without realizing it, way in the future. Because, a vision was given to the people, of a king and a kingdom without end. But let’s look at how this vision unfolds. “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’” Psalm 89:20-26 ESV.
As we read this first part of the vision, we can attribute that to be fulfilled through David. But, now look at what comes next. “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies. Selah” Psalm 89:27-29; 36-37 ESV. When you read this, we see that this was not fulfilled by David. But we see the “firstborn” coming much later, being fulfilled through Jesus Christ. And he is the king of kings, his throne is forever. An everlasting throne and kingdom.
The psalmist continues, again with a different time horizon, looking at how the earthly kingdom of David was destroyed. “But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors.” Psalm 89:38-41 ESV. So the psalmist appears very confused about this, as if he is saying “Didn’t you God make a promise, a covenant, of an everlasting kingdom?” But, we have the benefit now to look back in history, to see more. To see that David was only an outline of the king to come.
This psalm should encourage us, as we see the hand of God being outside of time. That He speaks in a “different language” than the linear timeline we use. And, He says clearly His words, His promises and covenant stand firm “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.” Psalm 89:34 ESV. He will finalize what He has spoken. And, when we look through His lens, we understand that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 ESV