Question:

In 2 Samuel 7, God didn’t allow David to build a house for Him to dwell in. In verses 12-16, God says He will raise up David’s offspring and build a house for His Name. So, is it referring to a single person, since the Scripture used the singular form: he? If so, who is it referring to? Is it Solomon, since he built the temple for God later on after David died? But did God ever call Solomon his son?

Answer:

I believe that 2 Samuel 7:12-16 is a good example of what can be called a “double prophecy.”  I assume that David and his son Solomon interpreted this as a prophecy concerning Solomon and his male successors.  And they would be correct in this interpretation!  However, from the New Testament perspective, this is a messianic prophecy.  The Messiah is the “Son of David” (Matthew 1:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 30:9, Ezekiel 34:22-23) and the “Branch of Jesse.” (Isaiah 11:1-2).  Any person who is saved and in whom the Holy Spirit dwells is a fulfillment of this prophecy. The Church is a fulfillment of this prophecy.  The messianic office held by Jesus is a fulfillment of this promise.   But…. It is also Solomon.  In a sense, as king and as God’s representative on earth, Solomon was God’s son (small s) as was David.  However, I believe that the chief purpose of this statement that he will be God’s son is messianic.  The promise that the kingdom of David will endure forever is clearly Messianic, as is shown by history, because Zedekiah was the last physical son of David to occupy the throne, and as is further demonstrated by other uses of this phrase, such as in Daniel 2:44 and Daniel 7:27.  What I call “double prophecy” can be confusing at first, but there are many examples of this, both in the New and the Old Testament.  The promises to Abraham are double prophecies, the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11 is a double prophecy, the prophecies in Ezekiel 34:11-31 and Ezekiel 36:24-38 and Ezekiel 39:25-29 are all prophecies with application both in the near term and in the Messianic age.

John Oakes