2 Samuel 7 part 5

 

Tonight we will be looking at 2 Samuel 7. This is another one those chapters that is just full of great material. In fact one writer had this to say, 

 

"2 Sam. 7 is, without doubt, the theological highlight of the Books of Samuel”

 

2 Sam. 7 has four basic divisions: (1) David's plan to build the Temple (2 Sam. 7:1-3); (2) God's rejection of David's plan (2 Sam. 7:4-11); (3) God's revelation concerning David's throne (2 Sam. 7:12-17); and (4) David's prayer of thanksgiving (2 Sam. 7:18-29).

 

I also want to mention that a parallel account of chapter 7 can be found in 1 Chron. 17.

 

2 Samuel 7:1 Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around,  2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains."  3 Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you."  

 

David’s military history can divided up into 3 general areas. 1. He fought as a soldier for King Saul. 2. He fought to establish his kingship. 3. He fought to expand his king his kingdom. Now our text tells us that David was staying at his house. Now a better descriptive word to be used here would be palace because that is exactly what he had it was just your standard home. At this particular time David was at rest from his enemies but this was just a temporary lull because his battles certainly not over.

 

Now in verse 2 were introduced the prophet Nathan for the first time. Nathan will play important part in these last years of David’s life. Now we see the David wants to build a house for the ark especially when he starts thinking about how nice of home that he has while the ark is just dwelling in a tent. Now some have suggested that maybe David was feeling guilty about this but whatever his emotions may have been one thing is clear is that he is not just looking out for number one is also concerned about the things of God because he knows that everything he has been blessed including his kingship came from God and so this was his way that he wanted to do something for God. This is certainly a great attitude for every Christian to have.

 

 Now Nathan thinks this is a great idea and as a friend of David encourages him to do what is in his heart. Now I want to point out that Nathan even though he was a prophet of God was speaking from his own personal thoughts. This teaches us that not every word that comes out of a prophets mouth was the word of the Lord because we find out in the following verses that Nathan was wrong in what he said.

 

2 Samuel 7:4 But it happened that night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,  5 "Go and tell My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: "Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?  6 "For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.  7 "Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " '

 

Here we learn that Nathan find out that same night that David is not to build God a house. In fact God points out that he has never asked anyone to build him a permanent dwelling place because God doesn’t require such a thing not to mention the fact that some building that man makes couldn’t possible house God almighty. God also points out that he is a provider of food and clothing but he himself needs none of these things. It interesting to note that even though God did not need a temple he did allow Solomon to build one in his name but even Solomon being full of wisdom understood that this was not literally dwelling place for the Lord. Please notice Solomon says in,

 

2 Chronicles 2:4 Behold, I am building a temple for the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, for the continual showbread, for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.  5 And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.  6 But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?

 

Solomon built a great temple for God but he only did so to honor God and to have a place to offer up burnt sacrifices to him. It was never built with the impression that God was suppose to be dwelling there. Again notice what Solomon says in,

 

2 Chronicles 6:18 " But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!  19 "Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You:  20 "that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.  21 "And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.

 

Once again Solomon makes it clear that the temple was never to be viewed as God’s actual dwelling place but as time went on many Jews began to view as a such and that is why Stephen makes this statement to the Jews,

 

Acts 7:44 " Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,  45 "which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,  46 "who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.  47 "But Solomon built Him a house.  48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:  49 'Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?  50 Has My hand not made all these things?'

 

So we clearly see that the physical temple that was built was more for the use of man that it was for God and today of course we know that we make up the temple of God in a spiritual way and that no physical building today makes up that temple. Now notice what Nathan is to David,

 

2 Samuel 7:8 "Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.  9 "And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.  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; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously,  11 "since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.

 

God just want David to know, that he is control. It was by the power of God that David was chosen to move from being a sheep herder to end up becoming a King. It was by the power of God that David was able to accomplish victory over the battles he had faced so far and how he will establishing David’s house forever. The messages is simply this, if God wanted a house to dwell in he could certainly provide himself one and so he does not need to David to do so. Now finally he says that he will make David a house. Now remember David already has a house, in fact it’s a palace made of Cedar. So what it God talking about here. Well the answer to this question is found in the following verses.

 

2 Samuel 7:12 " When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  14 "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.  15 "But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.  16 "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' "  17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

 

So from the verses we see that the house God is going to build for David is talking about his dynasty. Now the verses we just read can be very challenging when we start asking questions like who is this talking about. It is talking about Solomon or is it talking about Christ or perhaps a combination of the two. First of all I can certainly see why some would think this is talking about Solomon. First of Solomon was of David’s seed. Second of we see some very similar language of verse 13 and 14 in 1 Chron. 28:3-7

 

1 Chronicles 28:3 "But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.'  4 "However the LORD God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel.  5 "And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.  6 "Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.  7 'Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.'

 

And so we see that Solomon indeed build a house for God which of course was the temple and we even see that he was considered Solomon as a Son and he would be his father and that he would establish his kingdom forever IF he observed his commandments. Now at first glance you might say, yeah exactly what that prophecy is about, However as we consider the whole council of God we are going to learn that the prophecy has something much greater in mind.

 

First thing I want to point out is that God said he would set up David seed after him. However Solomon was set up by David himself  during his reign and not after. Also notice what Isaiah has to say,

 

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

This is prophecy of Christ and notice he will reign upon the throne of David and over his kingdom forever. Now this is not talking about a physical kingdom but that was spiritual in nature. Again, we gain some more insight on this by going to the NT and reading what Peter says about this,

 

Acts 2:25 "For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.  26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.  27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'  29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,  31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.  32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.  33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.  34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand,  35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '  36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  

 

Now that we have examined more of God’s word we can see that Nathan’s prophecy was fulfilled in Christ and not in Solomon. Jesus was the seed of David that came after him We find that in the passage that we just read and in other passages such as, Matt. 1:1; John 7:42; Rom. 1:3-4. We also know that Jesus truly is the son of God and that God is his farther. We also know that Jesus’ spiritually kingdom will be forever. Both and Isa and Dan. Prophesied of the everlasting kingdom that Jesus would establish. This is why it is important that we use the whole council of God to determine what a text may be referring too because on the surface it may appear to have one meaning while it really has something greater in mind.   Now lets continue on as David gives a prayer of thanksgiving.

 

2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?  19 "And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?  20 "Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.  21 "For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.  22 "Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  23 "And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name -- and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land -- before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?  24 "For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.  25 "Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.  26 "So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.  27 "For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.  28 "And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.  29 "Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

 

In this prayer we certainly see the humble attitude of David especially when he says,

 

"Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 

 

Now David loved God with all his heart but one thing he struggled with was why in the world would someone like God have anything to do with him since he was just a man and David gives thanks to God for all that has been promised him that will come from his seed. Again I cant help but point out that David attitude here is one that ever Christian should have. We should never think that anything that we do or anything that we own every makes us worthy to be considered by God because God doesn’t care about such things and so we have nothing to boast about so therefore we should be humble in the sight of God. After all it is only by God and his wonderful grace that we even have the opportunity to be close to him in the first place. So we should always be thankful toward God for giving us his son even though we did not earn it or deserve it.