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2Samuel
CHAPTER 7

1 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 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. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

When David was "given rest round about from all his enemies" (verse 1), he had time to meditate. Notice that his meditation was on the Lord. He realizes that he has a beautiful house but the place which represents God dwelling among the people is only a "curtain" (tent) (verse 2).
The desire of David is made known: he wants to build a temple that more properly represents God's dwelling place among His people. Nathan the prophet tells him that it will be OK to do this.
Now, at this point, I must interject that even prophets do things sometimes without asking God. It is wrong, but it is the way we do sometimes. Too often, Christians will make decisions without ever consulting God.
We SHOULD believe that God is guiding us; we SHOULD believe that we are in constant contact with God, and that we would not make erroneous statements or decisions (verse 3). But how many of us can say that we REALLY ARE?

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 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. 7 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?

That night, when Nathan was alone (either in prayer or asleep), God spoke to him. The message was urgent. Nathan was to go and tell David that God had never asked for a house to be built for His dwelling, and when He was ready for one to be built, He would say so (verses 5-7).
There are many good things Christians can do. And some of them should obviously be done without great consideration; such as, Bible study, prayer, and witnessing, etc. These are general directives from God to all Christians. But vision for mission wordk, ministry and building for god comes by direct instruction from Him.

8 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: 9 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.

In these verses, God tells Nathan (who is to carry the word to David) that HE (God) has been travelling with the Jewish nation all these years and never once asked for a specific dwelling place to be set up in a permanent location. God does not dwell in temples alone (Acts 7:48, 17:24; 1Kings 8:27; 2Chronicles 2:6, 6:18).
The heaven of heavens cannot contain the glory of God!! Certainly some puny little building built by earthly men cannot hold Him!!
The only thing our churches and temples can do is represent the presence of God and become centers from which flow his work by servantship.
David was nothing but a shepherd until God anointed him and made him king. It was GOD Who did this, not David.

10 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, 11 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.

Verses 10 - 11 are very important. God says that since the time Israel began to inhabit the land He has been providing for THEM a place to dwell. God has (for centuries) been making sure that His people had a place of permanent residence. And furthermore, it is GOD Who will establish a permanent residence for David (verse 11, last line).
God will establish a permanent KINGDOM for David! God will establish a permanent ETERNAL home for David!
It is God alone Who establishes permanence!. He has indeed established a permanent dwelling place on this earth for the Jewish nation. But God also has established a permanent home spiritually for all those who trust Him by faith in Christ "...a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens..." (2Corinthians 5:1).
The only thing man has established permanently are the SCARS in God's hands!

12 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. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 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: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

God tells David that when he dies, God will establish David's son to be king. God Himself will see to it (verse 12).
It will be this son that will build a "house" for God, and God will establish the kingdom of this "son" FOREVER (verse 13)!
This statement obviously applies to Solomon, who would later build the temple that David wanted to build. But it also refers spiritually to the Son of God, born through David's family (Jesus Christ). HE has indeed established a kingdom FOREVER.
Solomon, David's son who succeeded him on the throne, di depart from God's explicit directions. He acted much like Saul. But God did not take away the power of his anointing and ability to BE king like He took away Saul's (verse 15).
God continued to work with Solomon, disciplining him, and bringing him to repentance.

18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant. 21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

When Nathan told David what God had said, David was overcome with the power of the message.
David asks a question in verse 18 that every Christian ought to ask: "Who am I that God should give me eternity with Him?"
God has promised David to set up a kingdom from his lineage FOREVER - and yet it is a SMALL THING for God to do (verse 19).
With great respect David exalts the Lord:
He is a GREAT God, and the ONLY God (verse 22)
He has formed a great nation (verse 23) to serve Him
He has established Israel as a nation FOREVER(verse 24).
David requests that God do as He has promised (verse 25) in order that HIS name be "magnified" or glorified forever (verse 26).
David implores God for His promises to be fulfilled and for His blessings to be upon David and his house (verses 27-29).

Yes. We should consider what God has done for us. He has given us eternal life in glory with Him forever through Jesus Christ. He has established us by His mercy and grace. It was not we who sought God, but God Who sought us.
We should be willing servants forever and request His mercy and grace to continue toward us.

Please continue with us in daily Bible study.