Day 109 – 2 Samuel 7:1-17
Scripture Review
2 Samuel 7:1-17
"And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;"
(2 Samuel 7:1)
David is sitting in his house, and the LORD has given him rest. David has known very little rest up to this point. He has fought lions, bears, Goliath, Philistines, Saul's jealousy, wilderness hardship, Ziklag sorrow, civil war, and repeated enemies. Now the LORD gives him quiet. This is the LORD giving His servant room to breathe. When David reached this place of settled victory, he did not turn inward to build a monument to himself; his heart turned toward doing something for the glory of God.
"That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains."
(2 Samuel 7:2)
David looks around his cedar house and then thinks about the ark of God dwelling "within curtains." The palace did not make him forget the presence of God. The comfort of his own house made him think about the condition of God's worship.
"And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee."
(2 Samuel 7:3)
David loves the LORD. The ark deserves honor. So Nathan says, "Go, do all that is in thine heart."
"And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,"
(2 Samuel 7:4)
"Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?"
(2 Samuel 7:5)
"That night" the word of the LORD came. David had spoken from a sincere heart, Nathan had encouraged him, but the LORD stepped in with His own word. God does not let David run very far with a plan He has not authorized. God's "no" is not rejection. Sometimes it is protection, redirection, and preparation for something greater.
The LORD calls him "my servant David." That is better than being called king. Then comes the question, "Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?" The LORD is not confused. He is searching David's assumption. David wants to build God a house, but God is about to show David that the greater building work belongs to the LORD.
"Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle."
(2 Samuel 7:6)
The LORD reminds David of His own history with Israel. From Egypt to this day, He had not dwelt in a permanent house. He had "walked in a tent and in a tabernacle." The LORD walked with His people. He moved with them through wilderness years, cloudy years, dusty years, unsettled years. God wanted David to remember that He does not need a house, and that He had chosen His way of revealing His presence among His people.
"In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?"
(2 Samuel 7:7)
The LORD asks if He had ever commanded Israel's leaders to build Him a cedar house. The implied answer is no. God had not complained about the tent. He had not rebuked the tribes for failing to build Him a temple.
"Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:"
(2 Samuel 7:8)
The LORD takes David back to the sheepcote. That is where God found him. Before cedar, before Jerusalem, before the throne, before the mighty men, before songs were sung about him, David was following sheep. "I took thee." David did not lift himself from the sheepcote to the throne. The LORD took him. The LORD of hosts, the God of armies, stooped down into the pasture and chose a shepherd boy.
"And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth."
(2 Samuel 7:9)
The LORD says, "I was with thee." That is David's whole story in one line. The field, the valley with Goliath, Saul's court, the caves, Ziklag, Hebron, Jerusalem, "I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest." Then the LORD says He cut off David's enemies and made him a great name. David had fought real battles, but the LORD takes credit for the victories.
"Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,"
(2 Samuel 7:10)
Now the LORD speaks not only of David, but of His people Israel. He will appoint them a place. He will plant them. They will dwell. They will "move no more." David wanted to build a house for God. God says He is planting a people.
"And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house."
(2 Samuel 7:11)
"the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house." David wanted to build the LORD a house. The LORD says He will build David a house. This is grace turning David's plan inside out. David comes with an offering, and God answers with a promise. David wants to do something for God, God tells David what He will do for him. David wants to build God a temple, but God intends to build David's house, a royal line.
"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom."
(2 Samuel 7:12)
The LORD looks beyond David's lifetime. "When thy days be fulfilled." David will not live forever in this body. He will "sleep with thy fathers." But God's promise does not end when David's days end. "I will set up thy seed after thee." The LORD is already standing in David's future. He will establish the kingdom after David is gone. This promise speaks first of Solomon, David's son, but it also reaches beyond Solomon to the greater Son of David.
"He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever."
(2 Samuel 7:13)
David will not build the house. His seed will. Solomon will build the temple, an house for the LORD's name. David's desire is reassigned to the next generation. "I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." Solomon's earthly reign did not last forever, so the promise stretches beyond him. The Davidic throne ultimately points to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose kingdom is everlasting.
"I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:"
(2 Samuel 7:14)
The LORD promises fatherly relationship: "I will be his father, and he shall be my son." This same verse speaks of chastening if iniquity comes. God will not treat David's seed like strangers. He will discipline them like sons.
"But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee."
(2 Samuel 7:15)
This is one of the sweetest words in the covenant, "my mercy shall not depart away from him." David knows what happened to Saul. Saul was put away. The kingdom was removed from his house. But God says David's line will be different. There will be chastening, but not covenant abandonment. There will be stripes, but not the removal of mercy.
"And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."
(2 Samuel 7:16)
This maybe one of the best promises. David wanted a building of cedar. God promised an everlasting throne. This is the Davidic covenant in its great statement, the promise that David's house, kingdom, and throne would be established for ever.
"According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David."
(2 Samuel 7:17)
Nathan delivers the message. He had first told David, "Go, do all that is in thine heart." Now he comes back with something different, the word of the LORD. That takes humility from Nathan. He must correct his own earlier counsel. It also takes humility from David. He must receive a "no" from God and understand that the "no" is wrapped inside a much greater "yes."
Nathan gave bad advice at first, but then faithfully gave God's words after the LORD spoke to him. This is a good word for anyone who teaches, preaches, counsels, or leads. Better to correct yourself with God's Word than preserve your first opinion.
A heart after God must learn this, the LORD is the true Builder. Build when He commands. Prepare when He redirects. Rest when He promises. And never forget the sheepcote when He lets you sit in cedar.