II Samuel 7
Outline
1-3 | David plans to build a temple
4-7 | God has other plans
8-17 | God’s covenant with David
18-29 | David’s response in prayer
Reflections
We have all made plans to do something for God and for whatever reason we may find ourselves unable to complete them. We don’t usually know all of the reasons why that is the case or why God would have us do something different.
In this chapter David determines in his heart to build a permanent house for God, he consults Nathan the prophet, who gives his initial approval. His initial blessing was given without consulting the Lord. That is the first principle that we can learn from this incident: even if our plans appear to be God honoring, we should never plunge ahead with them until we have consulted with the Lord in prayer and ask Him to confirm or redirect our steps as He wills. Then we need to be open to God’s leading.
That night God revealed His thoughts concerning a permanent dwelling place, “I didn’t ask for any other house than the tabernacle, did I?” David’s desire to give God a place of worship and dwelling was commendable but it wasn’t something that God sought for Himself.
This makes me remember the verse from Proverbs regarding a man’s plans.
Proverbs 16:9 NASB The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
David had begun to make plans to build a temple but God chooses to complete the plans in a slightly different manner, it would be built by David’s son and not David. God affirms His choosing David from the humble beginnings of a shepherd and making him king over God’s people. Yet because David was a man of bloodshed, he would not be allowed to build the temple, but his son would. Moreover, God promises to establish David’s royal line for eternity (which is ultimately fulfilled by the birth of Jesus, our eternal King, in the bloodline of David).
God also promises some other things regarding David’s son. Consider what God promises in verses 14-16.
II Samuel 7:14-16 NASB “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”‘”
“…when he commits iniquity…” God knows that humans aren’t perfect and that we have a tendency toward sin, resulting in our being disciplined by Him, as a father disciplines his children, but His love for us doesn’t change, unless we continually rebel against God, as Saul did. Remember that Jesus said that every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t mean that we can sin willy-nilly and dishonor God grace.
Matthew 12:31-33 NASB “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.
How do we respond to God’s discipline? Do we respond like David?
Consider David’s response in II Samuel 7:18-29. He acknowledges God’s blessing on his life and thanks Him for revealing His plans to him. David knows that God’s plans are best and will result in God’s name being lifted up and that there is none like God. All that God has done for Israel displays that He can accomplish the establishment of David’s royal line for eternity. It is because of all this that David is even able to offer the prayer that he does and David asks for God’s blessing on his house forever.
Just as we have been reading in Exodus about the building of the tabernacle, God has specific things He wants men to accomplish and in particular manners. Even though we might determine to do certain things on our own which sound God honoring, we can’t forget to inquire of the Lord to confirm or redirect our plans to His honor and glory.
Heavenly Father, we pray Your guidance as we make our plans asking that You would be honored in all that we do. We pray that Your Spirit will help us to see and understand Your leading as we seek to do Your will and live to honor You in our lives. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
2Samuel_07_RL_DavidsPlansRevisedByGodAndGodsCovenantWithDavid.pdf