David the Prophet

I have written about King David before, but this article is more about David the prophet.  They are one and the same, but the perspective is different. 

For purposes here, we will be looking at the passage in Acts 2 where Peter stands up along with the rest of the apostles and makes a speech.  He is establishing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He rose from the dead.  He quotes David where David is recorded in Psalms 16 prophesying about the coming Christ.  Realize that when David spoke about Jesus, he was doing so many centuries before Jesus would be born.  Here are some of Peter's comments quoting David:

"Because You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence."

Without explanation, this writing would be difficult to understand.  But Peter in his speech explains that David is not speaking of himself...but of the Christ to come.  Here is Peter's explanation:

"Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.  This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses."

David testified of Jesus, perhaps not even knowing what he was saying.  He made it clear that the Christ would not see corruption, decay, from the death process.  Peter in his speech is pointing out that David died and his grave was still in existence (still is today).  But Jesus has no grave because He rose from the dead and proved that He had the power over death.  And this is important to us, of course, because by proving that He could overcome death, He can carry us beyond the grave....to a heavenly reward.  How great that is!  Praise God!

Thanks for reading.  Praise God for His wonderful grace.