2 Samuel 7:1 – 17 “After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
And Nathan replied to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling. In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
And I will provide a place for My people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own and be disturbed no more. No longer will the sons of wickedness oppress them as they did at the beginning and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house for you. And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
But My loving devotion will never be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I moved out of your way. Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.” So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire vision.”
David’s heart is very tender toward the Lord, and he really feels guilty. Here God has moved King Hiram of Tyre to send stone masons and carpenters and magnificent cedar logs to build David a handsome palace; meanwhile, the Ark of the Covenant is still lodged in the tent that David has constructed. David calls Nathan the prophet, his advisor, suggesting that he (David) should build a temple to house the Ark. Nathan’s first reaction is “Great!” but then God weighs in with Nathan speaking on His behalf.
- At no point in the history of Israel has God ever required any leader to build a temple.
- God reminds David that He picked David out of the sheep pasture to be king and that He has cut off all David’s enemies and has protected David.
- God promises to make David famous and to establish a safe dwelling place for Israel, planting them so that nobody can disturb them.
- God further promises that He will establish David’s throne and that David’s son will build the temple and that God will establish David’s son’s throne forever.
- God also promises that if David’s son does wrong, God will discipline him, but God will never remove His loving devotion from him as God did with Saul.
- Finally, God promises again to establish David’s house and kingdom forever.
APPLICATION: WOW! JUST WOW! Although David began his life as the youngest son, someone only fit to herd sheep, he is now enjoying the favor of God. Filled with gratitude, David wants to do something special for God. Why should the Ark of the Covenant remain in a tent while David occupies a stone palace with cedar paneling? David’s heart is in the right place, but God has other ideas.
By necessity, David has become a man of war. God wants David’s son Solomon, a man of peace, to build His temple. But God is thrilled that David cares so much for the symbol of God’s holiness and makes many amazing promises to David.
“But,” you ask, “have those promises actually come true? Wasn’t there a period in history where the Jews were taken captive and carried off to Babylon and Assyria?” Yes. When the Israelites forsook God, God allowed their enemies to overrun them and carry most of them away. But then God moved King Cyrus, King of Persia, to suddenly proclaim that the Jews should return to Israel and re – build the temple.
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’” (2 Chronicles 36:22 – 23)
Astounding! A pagan king suddenly proclaims that God has appointed him to build a temple for him in Jerusalem. Led by Ezra and later by Nehemiah, groups return to Jerusalem to re – build. But this move by Cyrus is only the beginning. Centuries later, God uses the horrific genocidal campaigns of Nazi Germany to drive Jews from around the world back to Israel. Today, the nation of Israel stands as a shining tribute to the mercy and goodness of God. Years ago, one friend told me that it was the return of the Jews to Israel after World War II that convinced her that the Bible could truly be trusted.
What about the throne of David? Here, God is foreshadowing the coming of Jesus Christ, whose human father Joseph came from David’s house and lineage. Born as a man, Jesus Christ is the true King who has come to occupy David’s throne forever. Jesus is truly King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His Kingdom is an everlasting one that can never be shaken. If we follow Jesus Christ, we are assured of being citizens of that everlasting kingdom. No matter what life may throw at us, no matter the pain and suffering, no matter the sorrow, we can rest in the knowledge that God’s kingdom will last forever. God has planted His people Israel, but God will also plant us, if we will allow Him.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let everyone who reads these words trust in You, so that they become citizens of Your unshakeable kingdom. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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