King David: The High Point of Old

Testament Typology
April 25, 2009 / davidsschrock

For the last few weeks I have been considering the subject of typology and Christology in the
OT, asking the question: Is there a progressive and increasing nature to the conception of
typology in the Old Testament? Looking particularly at personal types of Christ in the OT
(i.e. Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, etc…), I believe that there is an element in which the
mediatorial leaders marked out by the Spirit in the OT do in fact show more and more
likeness to the Christ as redemptive history moves forward towards Christ. So that, we can
say that David depicts Christ in a more full way than does Abraham or Adam. That is
my hypothesis, at least.

I have found some very illuminating and helpful contributions to this subject, but perhaps no
more succinct and enriching as Herman Bavinck’s consideration of David as the highpoint of
OT typology (and Christology). He writes in general of typology,

The Old Testament does not contain just a few isolated messianic texts; on the contrary, the
entire Old Testament dispensation with its leading persons, and events, its offices and
institutions, its laws and ceremonies, is a pointer to and movement toward the fulfillment in
the New Testament (Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in
Christ [trans. J. Vriend; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006], 243).

Then he highlights Davidic typology as the zenith of the OT revelation for the person of
Christ to come,

Especially the office of king achieved such typical [i.e. typological] significance in
Israel. The theocratic king, embodied especially in David with his humble beginnings, many
sided experience of life, deep emotions, poetic disposition, unflinching courage, and brilliant
victories, was a Son of God (2 Sam. 7:14; Pss. 2:6-7; 89:27), the anointed one par excellence
(Pss. 2:2; 18:50). People wished for him all kinds of physical and spiritual blessings (Pss.
2:8f; 21, 45, 72), and he was even addressed as “Elohim” (Ps. 45:6). The king is the bearer
of the highest–of divine–dignity on earth. Theocratic kingship…found its purest embodiment
in David; for that reason the kingship will remain in his house (2 Sam. 7:8-16). This promise
to David, accordingly, is the foundation and center of all subsequent expectation and
prophecy (244).

Bavinck’s comprehensive survey of Davidic typology affirms what the entire OT is seeking
demonstrate–the coming of a Davidic son who will reign on the throne. From Genesis to 1-2
Samuel, the Spirit of Christ is inspiring Biblical writers to anticipate David: The covenantal
promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob point to the emergence of mighty king (Gen. 17:6, 16;
35:11; 49:9-12); Deuteronomy 17 makes legal preparations for the rule of this king; Numbers
24:15-24 announces a scepter who will rise from Israel who will rule over the nations; in
Judges the nation of Israel spirals out of control without a king in Israel (21:25); while the
book of Ruth chronicles YHWH’s providential control of history that results in a Davidic
genealogy (4:18-22). Moreover, when David comes onto the seen in 1-2 Samuel (and
Chronicles), his life is a divinely-intended adumbration of the Christ who is to come. In this,
the account of David’s life is genuinely historical. Yet, all the while, it typifies the life of
Christ to come.

In his treatment of this subject, Bavinck arrticulates how preexilic and postexilic prophets
develop this Davidic typology. Moving from the historic David to the more excellent
prophecies about his greater Son, Bavinck points out that the prophecies consistently take on
a Davidic shape,

Prophecy, which is added to interpret typology, looks out from the past and present to the
future and ever more clearly portrays the — to be expected — son of David in his person and
work. To the degree that kingship in Israel and Judah answered less to the idea of it, to that
degree prophecy took up the promise of 2 Samuel 7 and clung to it (Amos 9:11; Hosea 1:11;
3:5; Mic. 5:1-2; Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-2, 10; Jer. 23:5; 30:9; 33:17, 20-22, 26; Ezek. 34:23-24;
37:22-24). This anointed king will arise from the dynasty of David when–in utter decay and
thrust from the throne–it will resemble a hewn trunk (Isa. 11:1-2; Mic. 5:1-2; Ezek.
17:22). God will cause him to grow as a branch from David’s house (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:14-17),
so that he himself will bear the name “Branch” (Zech. 3:8; 6:12). Despite his humble birth,
he will be the true and authentic theocratic king. Coming from despised little Dethlehem,
where the royal house od Savid origniated and to which, driven from the throne, it withdrew
(Mic. 5:2; cf. 3:12; 4:8, 13), the Messiah will nevertheless be a ruler over Israel; his origins
as ruler–proceeding from God–go back to the distant past, to the days of old. He is God-
given, an eternal king, bears the name Wonderful, Counselor, mighty God (cf. Isa. 10:21;
Deut. 10:17; Jer. 32:18), everlasting Father (for his people), Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6-
7). He is anointed with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and courage, of
knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2) and laid as a tested, precious foundation stone
in Zion (Isa. 28:16). He is just victorious, meek, a king riding on a donkey; as king he isnot
proud of his power but sustained by God (Jer. 33:17, 20, 22, 26; Zech. 9:9f.), a king whom
the people call and acknowledge as “the Lord our righteousness” (Jer. 23:6f–cf. 33:16,
where Jerusalem is called the city in which Yahweh causes his righteous to dwell). he will be
a warrior like David, and his house will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who at the
time of the exodus led Israel’s army (Zech. 12:8; cf. Mal. 3:1). He will reign forever; found a
kingdom of righteousness, peace, and prosperity; and also extend his domain over the
Gentiles to the ends of the earth (Pss. 2, 45, 72; Ezek. 37:25; Zech. 6:13; 9:10; etc.) (244-
45).

All in all, I believe that the entire OT finds organic, covenantal ties (historically)
and inscripturated revelation (textually) that point to or build off David’s person and
kingdom. Resultantly, it seems legitimate to conclude that one of the reasons why Jesus can
say that all Scripture speaks of him (John 5:39), is because of David’s central role in the
canon of the OT. Since Jesus is the greater David, he fulfills in a more exalted way,
the mediatorial role (i.e. prophet, priest, and king) lived out by Israel’s first true king, thus
fulfilling the typological life of David in the OT, as well as all the other covenantal mediators
in th OT. In this way, David is the greatest personal type of Christ in the Old Testament, or
at least that is what I am arguing. Would love to hear your thoughts.

If this Davidic typology peaks your interest, I encourage you to listen or read Jim
Hamilton’s “The Typology of David’s Rise to Power: Messianic Patterns in the Book of
Samuel.”
https://davidschrock.com/2009/04/25/king-david-the-high-point-of-old-testament-typology/
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