2 Samuel 7:1-17
A pastor is walking down the street one day when
he notices a small boy trying to use the doorbell on
a house across the street. However, the boy is very
small and the doorbell is too high for him to reach.
After watching the boy’s efforts for some time the
pastor walks across the street up to the little fellow
and rings the doorbell.
Kneeling down next to the child, the pastor smiles
and asks, “And now what, my little man?” To which
the boy replies, “Run!”
Abraham bought himself a fancy new computer. He
was showing it to Isaac one day. “Look at all the
wonderful programs it has on it. And look at all the
neat things it can do…”
Isaac was impressed, but a little concerned…”But
dad, I don’t think your computer has enough
memory.”
Abraham said “Don’t worry son; the Lord will
provide the RAM.”
Today we are going to talk about the covenant that God
makes with David. It’s interesting because we have been
going through our systematic theology study on
Wednesday evenings and we just got finished talking
about the covenants God makes with His people.
Isn’t it amazing how God’s timing is perfect and how He
orchestrates things just how He wants them?
Our text this morning is 2 Samuel 7. We will be looking at
the first 17 verses. Before we read them, let’s take a few
moments to pray and ask God to speak to us and teach
us all that He wants us to know this morning.
2 Samuel 7:1-3
David’s Desire
Back in chapter 5 Hiram king of Tyre sent supplies and
builders to construct a house for David to dwell in.
Also God has given David rest from his enemies, so David
has time to think.
David’s desire is to build a house for the ark.
Now that David has brought the ark of the covenant to
Jerusalem he decided that it isn’t right that he lives in a
house made of cedar and the ark has no place but a tent
to dwell.
So he tells his prophet friend Nathan how he is feeling.
Nathan doesn’t consult God, he just tells David to do
what is in his heart because the Lord is with him. It’s ok
because God is going to speak to the prophet and give
him a message to pass on to the king.
2 Samuel 7:4-11b
God Speaks to Nathan
God Questions David
The word of the Lord came to Nathan and told him to ask
His servant David, Are you going to build me a house?
It’s a rhetorical question because God is actually going to
provide two answers to the question a little later in the
text.
God refers to David as His servant two times, v.5 and v.8
David is a man after God’s own heart. He knows David
wants to honor Him and be obedient to Him.
Isn’t this what we want to hear God say to us one day?
“Well done, good and faithful servant”
God then reminds Nathan that He has not dwelt in a
house from the time He brought the people out of Egypt
until this time.
God had shown His presence in the pillar of fire and the
pillar of cloud. And He has had a tent for His dwelling.
He never asked the people to build him anything.
God Chose David
God has Nathan remind David that He chose him from
among all his brothers and out of all the men of Israel.
God wanted David to be the king of Israel.
He chose the shepherd boy because that is what His
people need, a shepherd to lead, guide, provide and
protect them.
It’s not a coincidence that Jesus calls Himself the good
shepherd. God loves His children and wants the shepherd
to take care of His sheep.
In the same way He calls pastors to be the shepherd of
the sheep. It’s our job to feed the sheep the word of God
and guide them in obedience to God.
God Protected David
God also has Nathan remind David that He has protected
him from his enemies.
It was God who allowed David to defeat the 9 foot tall
Philistine from Gath with only a sling and a stone.
It was God that gave David every victory against his
enemies.
It was God who allowed David to escape the murderous
attempts of Saul.
If God is for us, who can stand against us?
God Promises David
Name – I will make you a great name like the great ones
of the earth. This is a reference to Abraham. God had
promised Abraham that He would make His name great
and give him descendants as numerous as the stars in
the sky and the sand of the seashore.
God promises to make David’s name great.
Place – this promise also builds on God’s promise to
Abraham. God planted them where He wanted them and
gave them land where He wanted them to dwell.
Rest – God promised to give David rest from all his
enemies. David was definitely a man of war. Remember
the song the women used to sing: Saul has killed his
thousands, David his ten thousands. But God promises
that there will be a time of rest for David in the future.
2 Samuel 7:11c-17
God Answers His Rhetorical Question
God tells David He is going to build David’s house.
David wanted to build a physical structure for the ark of
the Lord.
God will Build David’s Dynasty
God is telling David He is going to build his dynasty.
Remember the promises we just talked about.
God is going to make his name great, give him a place to
be planted and rest from his enemies.
Solomon will Build the Temple
God also tells David that his offspring will build a house
for the Lord’s name.
I Chronicles 28:3 the Lord tells David that he cannot
build a house for His name because he is a man of war
and has shed blood.
God’s Promise to David’s Descendants
Establish the Kingdom
This is not just about Solomon, this is about all the kings
that will come after David.
Establish the Throne of his Kingdom Forever
This is about the fact that Jesus comes from the line of
David and will sit on the throne of David forever.
Be a Father to them
This is about the disciple God will provide when any of
the kings do not obey Him. God reminds David that
although none will be perfect, including David, God will
not leave them or remove His blessing from them.
God disciples for our benefit. As Hebrews 12:10 says,
“He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His
holiness.”
The best news of this chapter is that Jesus is the Messiah
that was promised in the OT. He is the one who will come
and sit on the throne of David when He comes back to
rule for 1000 years. We know the King is coming!!
Luke 1:31-33 “And behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his
name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the
Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to
him the throne of his father David, and he will reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
there will be no end.”
Jesus is coming and His reign will be forever.
APPLICATION
Today we saw David learn to deal with disappointment.
He wanted to build the temple for the ark of God, but
God had other plans.
Trust God’s Plan
We must remember that God’s plans are always the best
plans.
We must not try to help God or get in the way of what He
is doing.
We should only join in the work that He is doing and
serve however He calls us to.