Sarah
2 Samuel 7
By that time, David had become king. Most of the battles were over, and the enemies around him had temporarily quieted down.
David was living in a pretty impressive palace made of cedar, and life had finally become peaceful.
One day, David thought about it and said to the prophet Nathan:
“Look at this. I’m living in such a nice house, but the Ark of God is still sitting in a tent. How does that make sense? I’m living in a palace while God is living in a tent. That doesn’t sit right with me. I’m thinking about building God a great house—a temple. That should be a good thing, right?”
Nathan heard this and thought it sounded like a pretty good idea too. So he said to David:
“Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, because God is with you anyway.”
But that night, the word of God came to Nathan.
God said:
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Don’t be in such a hurry to build me a house.
Think about it. When I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, all the way until now, when did I ever ask them to build me a house?
I didn’t.
All these years, I have been going with my people. Wherever they moved, I went with them. When they lived in tents, I was with them in the tabernacle.’”
Then God said to David:
“Do you remember? You used to be a shepherd.
I took you out from the sheep pen and told you that you didn’t have to spend every day following sheep around anymore. I made you king over Israel.
Wherever you went, I was with you.
When you fought your enemies, I helped you win.
What you were before and what you are now—all of it came from me.”
Then God continued:
“And David, don’t think this is only about you building a house for me.
Actually, I’m the one who is going to ‘build a house’ for you.
Do you understand what I mean?
I’m not talking about building you a house made of bricks and walls. I’m talking about establishing a family, a dynasty, a kingdom that will continue from generation to generation.
When you have finished your life and go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your descendant after you, and I will establish his kingdom.
He will build a temple for my name.
I will be his father, and he will be my son.
If he does wrong, I will discipline him. I may even punish him with the rod of men.
But don’t worry. My love will not leave him because of his mistakes.
I will not take my love away from him as I took it away from Saul.
Your family, your dynasty, and your kingdom will stand forever before me, and your throne will be established forever.”
After Nathan heard all of this, he went and told David everything God had said.
When David heard it, his heart was suddenly overwhelmed.
He went into the presence of God, sat there, and began talking with God:
“Lord God, who am I?
What am I?
And what is my family?
Why have you been so good to me?”
“God, your grace toward me is so great.
And that wasn’t even enough—you also told me that you would let my family continue for generations.”
“Lord God, you know me.
You know what I am really like.
None of this is something I could have made happen by myself. You have done all of this because of your word and because it is what you desired to do.”
“God, you are truly great!
Of all the things the people of Israel have heard, is there any god who can compare with you?
No!
There is no other god like you anywhere in the world.”
“You remember the people of Israel, right?
They suffered in Egypt, and you were the one who rescued them.
You brought them out of slavery and made them your own people.
And you became their God.”
“So now, God, I’m going to be bold enough to ask you for one more thing:
Since you have already promised these things to me, please do exactly what you said.
Establish your promise to me and my family, and let it continue forever.”
“May everyone know how great your name is!
May people all over the world say:
‘The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel!’”
“God, since you yourself have said to me:
‘I will establish a house for you,’
then today I dare to ask you for this.
Because I’m not making this up on my own. You were the one who spoke to me first.”
Finally, David said:
“Lord God, you alone are the true God.
Everything you say is true.
Since you have promised to bless me, please continue to bless my family.
May my family stand forever before you.
So please, according to your own promise, bless me and my family forever.”
Friends, think about this:
David wanted to do something for God, but God told David, “You don’t have to prove anything to me by your own strength. I have already decided to bless you.”
That is grace.