Shall you build a house for God?
2 Sam 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;
Sam 7:2 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.
David, sitting in his palace of cedar wood is convicted in his heart. Shall I sit in a beautiful home and the ark of God is still in a tent? A question we all can ask, do I glorify myself and have all that I need of God's blessings and what of God's place, is he receiving honor and blessings? The ark then was the presence and the dwelling place of God's Spirit, some would say, "God in a box." Now, through the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the dwelling of God is in the tabernacle of our hearts.
2 Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Cor 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2 Cor 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2 Cor 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
2 Cor 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
2 Cor 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2 Cor 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2 Cor 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
2 Sam 7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.
The prophet Nathan gave his blessings to David to build a house for the LORD. He knew that David had a heart after God's heart.
2 Sam 7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
2 Sam 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
2 Sam 7:6 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.
2 Sam 7:7 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?
Now, Nathan hears from God. Have I commanded David to build me a house of Cedar? In this we should heed, do we build a church building? Why do we do this, has God spoken or is this a man's idea? The confirmation should come from God through those who hear from him. The LORD followed the presence of the people, wherever they went. It is more so today. The presence of the Lord is in God's people, the church is his people.
2 Sam 7:8 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:
The LORD reminds David that he was chosen when he had no dwelling as he cared for his father's sheep as a shepherd boy. From this humble beginning David was chosen because he had a heart of praise towards God and he had trusted in him.
2 Sam 7:9 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.
The LORD followed David wherever he went, even in all the years that he was fleeing from King Saul. He had made David a great name and a great reputation. It was the LORD who built David and established him. What can we do for God that he has not already done for us?
2 Sam 7:10 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,
2 Sam 7:11 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.
The LORD had brought his people into their new dwelling place in Canaan. They are now the nation of Israel and at peace. God had done all this for them. Now, the LORD said that He is telling David that he will make thee, David and Israel, a house, a house of worship. What had the LORD commanded in the beginning concerning building his altar?
Exo 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
Exo 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
There was to be no tool used, or it would be polluted. Man's efforts at building God's house were unacceptable.
Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Davidic Covenant
2 Sam 7:12 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.
A seed shall come from David whose kingdom God will bring forth. He would build and strengthen this kingdom.
2 Sam 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
Two promises:
He shall build a house for God's name. Many refer to the temple which was to be made as God's house. Jesus referred to his body as the temple. So there was to be a house of God in Jerusalem for a period of time. Ultimately there would be a house of believers, including the church, the spiritual body of Christ.
The second promise was that God would make his kingdom, forever. So, it would start on earth with the seed, Solomon who would build a temple, yet later another seed would come of David's lineage, that was the Messiah Jesus. Through Jesus an eternal throne shall be established.
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
2 Sam 7:14 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:
This also applies to Solomon, God would be as a spiritual father to Solomon and an actual father to Jesus. Jesus committed no iniquity, he was without sin, yet he took upon himself the sins of us all and men struck him with rods and put bloody stripes on his back with cruel whippings.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
2 Sam 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
Jesus was God in the flesh, the eternal Living Word. Solomon was a man with many weaknesses, yet God said he would not take his mercy from him, as he did with Saul.
2 Sam 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
The spiritual house of David would be established forever, and David's throne shall be forever.
Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
God had chosen David as king, after his own heart. He would not turn away from his chosen.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
2 Sam 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
David's heart reaction
2 Sam 7:18 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?
David speaks from his heart, upon hearing the prophecy of God's covenant relationship with David and his seed. He doesn't go to man speaking as a man of pride. He goes to God in prayer, speaking personally to Him, with humility. Who am I to be so favored? A question each of us may ask. How is it that we were chosen?
2 Sam 7:19 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?
The blessings and the choosing of God are but a small thing to our LORD, but to us they are wondrous and too marvelous for words. Not only David but his house and lineage were favored, a seed to come, first Solomon, and later the Lord Jesus Christ. We also come to him, filled with blessings from him for ourselves and for our family to come. These things are not of man, not wishful words of a man claiming to be a prophet. These are the words of God, spoken through His servant Nathan, the prophet.
Many today claim to be prophets. Many are not, but speak presumptuously. A person with the gift of prophecy speaks as God's Spirit speaks through them, they speak not of themselves. You shall know them by their fruits. If they prophesy and it does not come about, they are false.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
2 Sam 7:20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
2 Sam 7:21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
Saul was rejected as king because he was not obeying God. The LORD choose David because he saw his heart.
1 Sam 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
David knew God and God knew David's heart. You cannot lie to God, it is always important to speak our heart to Him, in reverence and in respect. If we lie to God, we lie to ourselves, if we hate God, we serve the devil.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2 Sam 7:22 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.
David exalts the LORD, not himself: there is none like thee, no one could bless and choose us, not even ourselves, it is of God. It is the Father who brings us to himself because of the work of the seed, Jesus who died to set us free.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
2 Sam 7:23 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?
2 Sam 7:24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.
The LORD had chosen Abraham and through him a nation. Israel. Through them came the law and the prophets, the promises and the blessings of God. Israel was redeemed from Egypt and slavery and brought into their promised land, flowing with milk and honey. The seed to come would redeem His people and the chosen from all nations. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the redeemer, the seed, our Lord Jesus Christ, His ministry and now our ministry.
Isa 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
All this was a result of God's promise through Abraham and then to his servant David. The promise of blessings and freedom are for you too, the redeemed of the Lord. David spoke as a man after God's own heart.
Prayer in agreement
2 Sam 7:25 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.
David received the covenant blessing. What of God's free gift of salvation? If you do not receive Jesus, you do not have the gift.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Some say that Jesus died for all the world, so all the world is saved. Not so, we must agree with God, believe in his Son Jesus and then we receive the gift.
2 Sam 7:26 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.
David exalts the LORD. The LORD is building His house.
2 Sam 7:27 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.
2 Sam 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2 Sam 7:29 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.
David remains the servant of God, receiving what God has said and will do. He agrees with the promise of God. When we pray in agreement with God's promises. our prayer of faith will be answered.
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