II Samuel 7:4–16
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, may Your kingdom come, and Your will be done. Amen.
The Lord Establishes His Kingdom
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
Have you ever tried to do something nice for someone? Hopefully, this is something we can all say yes to. But have you ever tried to show kindness or honor someone, only to have them say “no” or refuse to receive your act of service? Maybe someone did something for you which you really appreciated, and in an attempt to show your gratefulness you wanted to give them something in return—maybe something you think they would really need. But as you bring them your gift or explain to them your plan, they politely refuse to accept it. This can be somewhat perplexing and maybe even frustrating when we think it is a really good idea. In our lesson today, we see how the Lord turned down David’s plan to build the Lord a temple.
I. His Will, Not My Will
David was now king of Israel. He had conquered Jerusalem and with the assistance of the King of Tyre had built a house in the city of David. The Ark of the Covenant had been brought to Jerusalem and there was peace in the land. When David saw all that the Lord had given him—a home and rest from his enemies—and how the ark of God was only in a tent, he wanted to honor God and felt compelled to build a house or temple for God. When David explained his plan to the prophet Nathan, even he agreed and encouraged David to build a house for God.
But in our lesson, we learn that the Lord did not want David to build him a house. Our text doesn’t explain why, but we learn the reason from the book of Chronicles where it says, “You have shed much blood… You are not to build a house for My name.” (1 Chronicles 22:8). Because of all the blood David had shed in war, the Lord would give the honor of building a temple for the Lord to David’s son, Solomon.
It can be challenging for us to be told “no” by God, when we have good intentions. Perhaps we have certain plans, but the plans do not work out. Maybe we have ideas that we think are good, but God says no. Not only does this apply to our own personal lives, but also to the church. It makes me think of pastors and churches today that try to grow the church by coming up with different ideas and practices—like making the church service into a show to try and attract people or opening up the communion rail so that anybody can come up or allowing any person to be a pastor. A person could think that they would be honoring God by trying to extend God’s kingdom to others. But God isn’t pleased with our good intentions, but with our obedience and faithfulness to his Word.
This is why David serves as such a great example for us. When he learned that the Lord did not want him to build a temple—he didn’t go on with it anyway. He honored God by obeying his will and then praised God for all his blessings. David knew that the one who told him “no” was the same God who had blessed him beyond measure. The same is true for us. Sometimes God tells us no. But we should humbly say yes and “amen” to God, because we know that he is the Lord who has blessed us beyond measure, even giving us his own Son to be our Savior.
This is why we pray for God’s will to be done in the Lord’s Prayer, and we sing in the hymn (ELH 477:1):
The will of God is always best
And shall be done forever;
And they who trust in Him are blest,
He will forsake them never.
He helps indeed
In time of need,
He chastens with forbearing;
They who depend
On God, their Friend,
Shall not be left despairing.
As Christians, we at times struggle to submit ourselves to God’s will. Our sinful nature would prefer not to. Certainly, we can all think of times where we went against God’s will. This is why we thank and praise God for giving his own dear Son, who perfectly obeyed God’s will in our place, who prayed, “Not my will, but Your will be done.” Through faith in Jesus, we are given the perfect will and life of our Savior.
II. Now & Forever
So, David serves as a good example for us to honor God’s will. Yet, the most important detail in our lesson isn’t David’s response, but the Lord’s great promise to David. In addition to promising to make David’s name great and granting him peace from his enemies, the Lord says, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” This promise points us beyond David’s son, Solomon. While Solomon built the temple, God was not his father. This is the first promise in Scripture that foretells of David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ, descendant of David and God’s own Son.
This is the first of the Old Testament prophecies which clearly picture the person of the Messiah as the Son of David. All the earlier prophecies speak of him as the Seed of the woman and Offspring of Abraham. The Messiah would be a human being, a mortal man like you and me. But the Lord also promised, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” Not only would the Messiah be a descendant of David, but the almighty God would be his father. Paul puts it this way, “From the Israelites are the patriarchs and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised” (Romans 9:5).
Jesus became true man so that he could be our substitute. He humbled himself, putting himself under the law, so that he could take the punishment we deserve. Jesus never sinned—he was holy and innocent—but the Lord disciplined him with the stripes of men—with the punishment we deserved. All our sin, shame, and guilt was put on Jesus. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquity and by his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Why does this matter? Because now that sin is no longer on you. It has been removed from you as far as the east is from the west. For the times you have ignored God’s word, for the times you have loved the things of this world, been selfish, got angry, been greedy—all your sin is gone away. Because the man who died on the cross was no ordinary man—but the man Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all. For you. Because of Jesus, you and I have the promise that the steadfast love of God will not depart from us.
But God’s plan for David was not the establishment of a permanent earthly kingdom. This never happened. Israel and the temple were destroyed. The modern state of Israel has nothing to do with God’s promises of an eternal kingdom. The Jewish nation rejected Christ. The true Israel refers to those who by faith lay claim to the promises of Abraham. This is what Paul teaches in Romans 9, “Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed” (9:8).
The permanent kingdom, the eternal kingdom, that the Lord promised was the kingdom that would be established by David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come to give us a temporary kingdom of peace. He came to give us a lasting kingdom. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Today, we see many Christians confused when it comes to the nation of Israel. While God chose the Israelites to be God’s special people in the Old Testament, when the Jews rejected Christ, they were cut off from God’s promise. Being a descendant of Abraham means nothing unless you have faith in Jesus. They are among those in our Gospel lesson who rejected the Lord’s invitation to the great banquet.
One of the major reasons the Jews rejected Jesus was because he was not the earthly Messiah they wanted. This is the same reason many turn away from Jesus today. We too are tempted to find reason to ignore God’s invitation to his banquet. We can get caught up in this world of money and power and entertainment. We are tempted to turn away when our will does not align with God’s. We can lose sight of what is most important. None of us should think that we would never be tempted to do this. The devil works slowly to vie for the affection of our hearts. The devil will use whatever he can to pry us away from God’s kingdom—whether that be money, lust, power, or even our own family.
And this is why it is important for you and me to be reminded again and again—that this world is not home. Scripture states, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (II Peter 3:13). The author of Hebrews writes, “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (11:16). Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2).
But this kingdom is a strange one. While this world often reserves invitations for friends and people of high esteem—Jesus sends his invitation out to the highways and byways, to those in every corner of the world and from every strata. But don’t let this open invitation make you think it is unimportant. Instead, remember who is the One sending it. It is the Lord of all, who so deigned to dwell with us, humbling himself to the point of death on the cross so that the Scripture may proclaim, “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 9:13). An invitation so powerful and sure, that even a thief could be granted access in his dying moments, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Just as God blessed David then and forever, so too he blesses us. Jesus promises us an eternal home, but he also blesses us now. He gives us a foretaste of his heavenly kingdom every time we hear the words of absolution. He makes us citizens of heaven in our baptism. He gives us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet when he gives us his body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. This is all for you. The Lord establishes his kingdom. He brings it to you now so that you may rejoice in it for all eternity.
May God grant us faith to believe this Word of promise, gladly receive it, and run with eager hearts to the water of life in his means of grace which will quench our thirst eternally. Thy will be done. Thy Kingdom come. Amen.