David’s role in God’s purpose was to complete the conquest that Joshua had begun. The promised land was to be a foretaste of the new creation that God is bringing out. As Peter says, “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). This is the true promised land of which Canaan was a mere prefiguration. As the ushering in of the new creation is preceded by the great day of judgement (Revelation 19-20), so too did God enact a great judgement upon the inhabitants of the land of Canaan in order to establish his people there. This would secure the land for God’s people and keep them from being misled or destroyed by the inhabitants. The problem with previous generations was that, due to fear and unbelief, they compromised and did not complete the conquest as God had commanded. This is where David comes in. He is the king who completes the conquest, and, as such, he prefigures his greater descendent Jesus Christ who will come again to judge the earth and bring about an eternal kingdom of peace. Everything that is happening at this point in the story foreshadows what is still to come. In this way the events of the Bible are always pointing forwards to a final fulfilment and consummation of all things. Whatever God does in history points forward to where history itself is consummated. Let every present battle remind you that a final victory lies ahead.
Ask God to help you stay faithful until the end.
Read 2 Samuel 8
