Lesson 3 — The Seed Line of David
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 7; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9; Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 11:1, Micah 5:2, 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Simon woke to the sound of pouring rain. Parts of the roof were leaking and outside the wind was blowing fiercely. Abba was speaking in hushed tones with Ima and her abba. Out of the corner of his eye, his aunt was making a cooking fire. His abba looked up as Simon approached him. “ Too stormy for fishing today! The lake is angry!” Then he added, “Be sure to take a cloak with you, and your mother has some fresh bread for the rabbi. Where is Andrew? Come right home today, don’t dawdle!”
“Yes, Abba,” Simon smiled up at him. His father knew he loved to take the long way, past Hannah’s house, whenever he could. That was true of course, but lately, he was enjoying the longer walk for other reasons. There was so much to think about– The Seed of the Woman, The Promised One, the Messiah, a King!
Andrew and the others joined him, then, and it was not long until they were seated on the floor in the synagogue classroom with the others once again. The rabbi nodded a thank you as Simon delivered his mother’s bread into his hand. Rain was coming in one of the open windows, but the rabbi had started a fire.
Near the Rabbi’s seat there were many scrolls. More than usual. The boys noticed immediately. James leaned slightly toward Andrew. “There is more today,” he observed. Andrew gave a small nod.
The rabbi sat, placing the scrolls carefully before him.
He rested his hands on them for a moment. Then he spoke.
“You have learned that the Messiah comes from Judah. Today… we will find many clues about him. Who he is. Where he comes from. There will be many verses. There are many prophecies in the scriptures about Him. They are hidden, here and there in the Holy Books, but those who seek the Hidden Manna will find them.” He paused, “And you will begin to see why it is difficult to understand.”
Philip shook his head. “What does that mean? Why is it so difficult to understand?”
Without answering, the rabbi unrolled the first scroll. The parchment crackled softly. “Listen. Today we will begin with the writings of Samuel. It opens with the story of Hannah, Samuel’s mother. She is praying for a son, and Yahweh grants her wish. Remember? She is so happy, she begins to prophesy! Listen for references to The Promised One, the Seed of the Woman.”
The rabbi began to read.
“My heart rejoices in the LORD;my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,for I rejoice in Your salvation.There is no one holy like the LORD.Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God. Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth,for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.The bows of the mighty are broken,but the feeble are equipped with strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven,but she who has many sons pines away. The LORD brings death and gives life;He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth;He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world. He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail. Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them.The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His King. He will exalt the horn of His Mashiach.” (1 Samuel 2: 1-10).
“What do you hear?”
John spoke up, “Hannah is speaking of the Promised One!”
“Yes, in fact, she is the first person in the Holy Books to call Him Messiah!” noted the rabbi.
“How did she know? Andrew wondered. “ Israel did not even HAVE a king yet!”
“What else do you notice?”
“The Lord brings death and gives life! He brings people down to Sheol and raises up! What does that mean? Does the Messiah have power over life and death? This King is no earthly King!” added James.
The rabbi smiled at James. “Let’s move on. Maybe we will discover the answer. Later, during the time of King David, God was speaking to him about the future. What tribe was King David from?”
Simon answered, “The tribe of Judah. The seed line! The kingly line!”
The rabbi slowly read the scroll he had unrolled.
“ When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your Seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom” (2 Samuel 7:12, NKJV).
The boys leaned in. “What does that mean? Simon said.” Is the seed spoken of Solomon? He was David’s son. The next king. He had a great kingdom!”
“Well, that is true,” admitted the Rabbi. “But let us finish the scripture.”
“He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever”( 2 Samuel 7:13). “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever”
(2 Samuel 7:16, NKJV).
The rabbi looked at Simon and said,” Solomon did indeed build a “house” for YHVH. But this word can have two meanings. In the scriptures, a “house” can also mean a dynasty. Indeed, David had a great dynasty of kings. But this goes farther. This house and kingdom will be forever!”
Philip raised his hand slightly, “Rabbi… David died.”
The rabbi nodded, “Yes, just as the scripture foretold.”
“And his sons died.”
“Yes.”
Philip’s brow furrowed.“Then how can his throne last forever?”
Silence filled the room. John spoke softly. “One of his descendants… must live forever.”
The rabbi looked at him. “Yes! And who might that be?” The rabbi’s eyes twinkled.
“The Messiah,” James guessed excitedly, “is the Son of David!”
Simon’s face lit up.“A king like David.”
The rabbi lifted his hand gently. “Yes… but greater than David. ”He leaned forward. “David ruled for a time. The Messiah will rule forever.”
The rabbi focused again on the scroll. “ Here is another important clue, another portion of the same scripture. It is tucked in here as if unimportant, yet it is a magnificent verse about Messiah. God is speaking and He says, “I will be his Father, and he shall be My Son”(2 Samuel 7:14, NKJV).
Philip looked up quickly. “Rabbi, The Promised One is more than a king! He is God’s Son!”
He nodded and reached for a different scroll. “Yes. Here is another verse from Psalm 2 about The Promised One. God is speaking to Him. ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’”
James questioned, “The Messiah is called God’s Son? Rabbi, What is God’s Son like? Is He like God? Or is He a man? Will he look like a man? An angel? A burning bush?”
“These are good questions. Let’s continue to look in the scriptures for the answers. What clues can we find about the Messiah in Psalm 110?” The rabbi began to read clearly.
"The Lord says to my lord 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'
The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, 'Rule in the midst of your enemies!'
Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.' The Lord is at your right hand he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook along the way and so he will lift his head high."
Philip whispered, “David calls the Mashiach, MY Lord. David knows the Messiah is greater than himself!”
The rabbi nodded, “What else?”
“Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God in heaven. He is resting until the time is just right, when God says it is time to set up The Promised One as King in Zion, in Jerusalem, on the earth!” added Andrew.
“Peter, what do you see?”
“Messiah, the son of God, will arrive in splendor! He will have a mighty army! He will crush the kings of the nations on the day of His wrath! He will crush the line of the serpent!” Peter replied.
“John?”
“The Messiah will also be a priest! How can that be? He is not of the line of Levi! But it says he will be a King and a Priest! A priest like Melchizadek!”
“James?”
“He will have troops! They will be arrayed in Holy Splendor, too!!”
“Ah, now we have a picture of a Coming King!” concluded the rabbi. “Let’s take a look at this verse from Isaiah.” He read it out loud. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, NKJV).
Simon frowned. “How can that be?”
Philip added, “That is not possible. The word means a young woman. Among our people, such a one is pure. How could she have a child without knowing a man?”
“That is true,” said the Rabbi. “But according to the scriptures, a young woman will bear The Promised One, The Son of God. The Holy Spirit will come upon her! This child will be Emmanuel, God with us! He will be part God and part man.”
“Wait a minute,” said Philip. “The Promised One will be born on the earth, like a man? I thought he was a King from heaven? How can those both be true? He comes as a baby?”
“Yes,” said the rabbi, his eyes twinkling. “And we even know where he will be born and where he will live!”
The boys were wide-eyed, now, wanting to hear. The rabbi read from the book of Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2, NKJV).
Andrew said softly, “Bethlehem! Like David! Of course! He is the seed of David!”
John added, “ But this Ruler, this King, comes from the beginning of time, and will endure forever.”
The rabbi opened another scroll. It was a large one. “This verse is from the great scroll of Isaiah,” he said. Remember, boys, Isaiah came after David. He began to read, “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.”(Isaiah 9:6, NKJV)
Simon blinked. “A child? Called Mighty God?”
Philip shook his head slightly. “How can that be?”
John spoke slowly. “He is human, and divine. Rabbi, will he live in Bethlehem?”
"No, not in Judea. Listen to what Isaiah says, right before the last part I read to you.”
“ The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the Sea (of Galilee) and beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, Light has dawned.”
John asked, “So, you think this will be the primary place of Messiah’s ministry? Right here?”
“Certainly it seems that way! This is quite a clue. Certainly this region will be blessed! Here is one more for today. There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse…” (Isaiah 11:1, NKJV). This one I will help you with. Messiah will be born when many will think the Kingly line of David is gone. But it will not be!”
Philip spoke slowly, carefully. “Rabbi, how can all of this be true? A Coming King. Messiah from the line of David. Coming from heaven, yet born of a woman. Exists from everlasting. Born in Bethlehem. Called Son of God.” He shook his head. “These do not fit together.”
The rabbi looked at him with calm understanding.“You are beginning to see the difficulty.” He paused. “The prophets reveal the Messiah, but not all at once.”
The rabbi rolled the scrolls closed one by one.
“You are right, rabbi. We must keep searching the scriptures! What will we learn about Him next time?” James asked.
“We will experience the bruising of the heel. This is yet another mystery to unfold.”
The rabbi stood then, absentmindedly dismissing the boys for the day. It seemed he was deep in thought, planning the next lesson in his mind.
Outside, the rain had stopped. On the way back to their homes, the boys said little, each weighing their own thoughts. Andrew was asking God if he could meet Messiah someday. Philip was trying to imagine a baby that was part God and part man. Peter wondered if Messiah’s army would have supernatural weapons to crush the kings of the world. James was trying to imagine Jerusalem with a King from the line of David actually sitting on a throne and ruling the world. And John was wondering if it would be possible to have a relationship with such a king.
Discussion Questions: For Lesson Plans for this Lesson, CLICK HERE!
What is the difficulty the rabbi keeps alluding to?
What part of this lesson stood out to you the most?
What new names for the Promised One were introduced in this lesson?
What does this mean, "The government will be upon his shoulder?"
What question would you like to ask the rabbi?
Going Further
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