Sunday, October 22, 2017

Sunday, October 22, 2017 Lesson: II Samuel 7:1-6, 8-10, 12-16; Time of Action: about 1000 B.C.; Place of Action: Jerusalem Golden Text: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever (II Samuel 7:16). I. INTRODUCTION. The Bible refers to many covenants. Some of them are purely human agreements, but others are between God and men. For instance, the covenant God made with Noah was a divine commitment to all mankind that He would never again destroy earth s inhabitants with a flood (see Genesis 8:20-9:17). God s covenant with Abraham (see Genesis chapter 15) promised to multiply his descendants and give them the Land of Canaan for their own. The covenant of the law, or the Mosaic Covenant given to Israel at Mount Sinai, prescribed a way of life for that nation and promised blessings in return for obedience. This covenant was renewed just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. This week s lesson introduces us to still another

covenant, one consisting of God s promises to David. Although it was made with only one person, its provisions have impacted the entire history of Israel and the church, and it will affect the prophetic future as well. II. LESSON BACKGROUND. The beginning of David s reign was filled with wars against Israel s most immediate threats. The stronghold of Jerusalem was taken from the Jebusites, and David made it his capital (see II Samuel 5:6-9). He also twice defeated the Philistines (see II Samuel 5:17-25). Another endeavor of David was to return the Ark of the Covenant to the heart of the kingdom. After one attempt that resulted in the death of Uzzah (see II Samuel 6:1-8), David finally succeeded in bringing the ark into Jerusalem. There, amid great joy, he established a permanent place for it (see II Samuel 6:12-19). Israel now had a central sanctuary. But as the procession came into the city, Michal, Saul s daughter and David s wife, watched from a window and saw him leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she was filled with contempt for him (see II Samuel 6:16). After David placed the ark inside the tent that he had prepared for it, he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. Then he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and gave a present to everyone men and women alike consisting of a loaf of bread, some wine, and a cake of raisins. When it was all over, and everyone had gone home, David returned to bless his family (see II Samuel

6:17-20). Then Michal, David s wife came out to meet him and shouted in disgust, How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the girls along the street like a common pervert! David replied saying, I was dancing before the Lord who chose me above your father and his family and who appointed me as leader of Israel, the people of the Lord! So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be respected by the girls of whom you spoke (see II Samuel 6:21-22). Chapter 6 then ends with the statement that Michal was childless throughout her life. This is where our lesson begins. III. DAVID RENDERS A PROPOSAL (II Samuel 7:1-3) A. David s desire to build a temple (II Samuel 7:1-2). 1. (vs. 1). Our first verse says, 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. Prior to David being crowned king over all of Israel, the nation endured a civil war that lasted several years (see II Samuel 2:8-4:12). Now, as king over all Israel (see II Samuel 5:1-3), David was at rest from warfare. He sat in his house quiet and undisturbed, having no occasion to take to the battlefield. The Lord had given him rest round about

from all his enemies. At this time he enjoyed calmness, and was in his element when he was sitting in his house undoubtedly meditating on the law of God (see Psalms 1:2; 119:15). 2. (vs. 2). This verse continues to say 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. As David sat in his house enjoying his own comfort and prosperity, he thought about the ark of God and how it deserved a better dwelling place. These thoughts prompted him to say to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. As king, David lived in a cedar palace probably built for him as a gift from Hiram, king of Tyre (see II Samuel 5:11). Since most buildings were constructed with stone, the words an house of cedar most likely refers to the inside of the palace and not the outside. In Moses day, curtains were used to construct the tent that housed the ark of God while Israel traveled in the wilderness (see Exodus 26:1). But now, as far as David was concerned, God s house or the tabernacle, was embarrassingly simple compared with the luxury in which David lived. As a prophet, Nathan s primary role was to give spiritual advice to the king just as Samuel did to King Saul (see I Samuel 15:1-4), although Saul didn t always heed Samuel s instructions (see I Samuel 15:12-22). In essence, David was asking for Nathan s approval to build God a more durable and better house for the ark of God.

B. Nathan s approval of David s proposal (II Samuel 7:3). This verse says And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee. The prophet Nathan who appears here in Scripture for the first time was no doubt touched by the sincerity of David s intentions. Therefore, Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee. However, it s obvious from what follows that Nathan was speaking for himself, not from any divine revelation from God. Like the prophet Samuel before him, Nathan was susceptible to error (see I Samuel 16:6). As we often do, Nathan assumed that he knew the will of God. But as we later will see, the prophet spoke too quickly agreeing with the king s desire to build God another house when he said Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee. Just because a decision seems good and reasonable does not necessarily mean that it s God s will and what He wants to be done. Note: Like these prophets of old, our pastors and teachers are fallible and subject to error. Unless they allow God s Word to permeate their thoughts, they can give bad advice. One of their greatest temptations is to give approval to what sounds logical, workable, or spiritual without investigating God s thoughts (see Joshua 9:3-27). Instead of relying completely on what a person teaches, we ought to imitate the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (see Acts 17:11). C. DAVID S PROPOSAL IS REJECTED BY GOD (II

Samuel 7:4-6 ) A. A revelation from God (II Samuel 7:4-5). 1. (vs.4). This verse says And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying. The very night after the prophet approved of David s plan to build the Lord a temple, God spoke to Nathan and corrected the hasty counsel he had given to David. We are told that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan that night indicating that this revelation from God was during a dream. However, since the passage does not stipulate that it was a dream, it could also have been a vision. At any rate, it was very clear to Nathan that this revelation was the word of the Lord. Note: The Lord has spoken in many different ways in history (see Hebrews 1:1-2). It is debatable whether or not God speaks today the same way He did in the past. However, we can be sure that God does speak through His written Word which is inspired by the Holy Spirit (see II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21). Therefore, we should always consult the Bible when making important decisions. It is true that Scripture doesn t always tell us what to do in each and every situation or circumstance, but there are principles in God s Word that can guide us in all our decisions, whether great or small. 2. (vs. 5). In this verse, the Lord said to Nathan Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? God

addressed David as my servant, a title that may seem humbling, but prior to this, the title had been given only to a select few such as Moses (see Numbers 12:7), Abraham (see Genesis 26:24) and Caleb (see Numbers 14:24). Thus, the word servant is actually a term of honor. The phrase Thus saith the Lord indicated that this message was not from any human source (see Galatians 1:12). The first question for David was Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? This question implies that the initiative for building a temple was to come from God Himself and no one else. It also implies that if a temple was to be built, David was not the person who would do it. However, as we will see in verse 13, God was not opposed to a temple being built, only who would build it. In His sovereignty, God demanded the right to choose the proper person and the proper time for a temple. Note: There were a number of reasons why David couldn t build the Lord a temple. One reason was that God didn t have the need for a temple. He was satisfied with the tabernacle. Second, God already had determined who would build Him a temple and it wasn t David. Third, it wasn t time to build the temple since Jerusalem could still be attacked (see I Kings 5:3-4). The proper time would be during Solomon s peaceful reign. The fifth reason why David couldn t build the temple was because David was a man of war who had shed much blood (I Chronicles 22:8-10). B. A review of Israel s history (II Samuel 7:6). God went on to say in this verse, 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. The Lord pointed out that until this time He had been satisfied with the place of worship, a tent that He had designated for Himself. God dwells in heaven (see Acts 7:45-50), but His earthly presence to Israel was shown in the tabernacle, particularly above the Ark of the Covenant. The phrase since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day is a reference to the almost 435 years between the Exodus and David s reign. During that time, God said He walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. The word walked carries the idea of moving about as the Israelites did. It was also a reminder that He was with Israel during her wanderings. God s desire to walk in fellowship with man is revealed throughout the Bible, beginning at Genesis 3:8 (see also Leviticus 26:12). This desire is seen in the incarnation of the Son and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (see I Corinthians 6:19). The mention of both a tent and a tabernacle does not mean that God lived in two separate places. The tabernacle was a tent that could be set up and taken down when travelling or camping. Note: God had told Moses at Mount Sinai how the tabernacle should be built (see Exodus chapters 25-27). Skilled craftsmen followed God s orders, and before Israel moved on, the tabernacle had been finished and dedicated (see Exodus 40:17-33). The glory of God filled it and accompanied its movements throughout the desert wanderings. The Ark of the Covenant or the ark of God which symbolized God s presence, dwelt in the

tabernacle which was largely a tent both during the forty years of wandering and after Israel reached Canaan. The first lodging place for the ark in Canaan was Gilgal close to the Jordan (see Joshua 4:18-19). Eventually the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh (see Joshua 18:1). The ark stayed there until the Philistines captured it. David finally had it moved to Jerusalem (see II Samuel 6:1-19), but there was still no permanent temple for the Lord. V. GOD REVIEWS DAVID S PAST (II Samuel 7:8-10). Verse 7 is not part of our printed text, but in that verse God continued his questioning of David s desire to build Him a temple saying Wherever I have gone with all the Israelites, did I speak a word to any from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, asking, Why have you not built Me a house of cedar? This is where the second part of our text begins. A. David was blessed (II Samuel 7:8-9). 1. (vs. 8). In this verse God went on to say to Nathan, 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. Again, God addressed David as my servant (see commentary at verse 5). As God gave David this special title, He also referred to Himself in a special way as the Lord of hosts or Lord of armies. This title emphasized God s sovereignty and omnipotence. Here, it s a reminder that God had the power to fulfill all He was about to promise to David. God then reviewed all that He had already done for David. He said I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep. Note: The sheepcote or sheepfold was usually made of rough stones forming an enclosure to protect the sheep at night, and keep out human and animal intruders. Normally it had no roof. Several flocks could be kept in this pen, and one of the shepherds would guard the door or entrance. In the morning each shepherd would call out his own sheep, for they would know his voice and go to him (see John 10:1-5). During the day a shepherd would take his sheep to various pastures. Sheep were always led by the shepherd, but here God said that He took David from following the sheep. This phrase reminds us that shepherds often followed individual sheep in order to give special care while the flock grazed. David was also promoted from following the sheep to be ruler over my (God s) people, over Israel. Notice God s powerful contrast stressing David s transition from the lowly position of shepherd to a position of great prominence as ruler over my people, over Israel. To show the importance of this new position God emphasized it by calling Israel my people. David was now privileged to shepherd God s flock.

2. (vs. 9). Still speaking of what He had already done for David, God said 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. A couple of things are mentioned here. First, God said I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest. God never abandons His own (see Psalms 139:7-10; Matthew 28:20). He cared for David like a Shepherd (see Psalms 23:1). Second, God said I have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight. Whether the enemy was the Philistines, the Jebusites, the Amalekites, or King Saul, God protected and preserved David while disposing of his enemies. Third, God said that I have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. David s reputation had already grown enormously (see II Samuel 5:11-12), but this would continue so that his name would live on as one of the giants of human history. After almost three thousand years the name David still appears prominently in Israel s cultural and patriotic emblems. Just as God prophesied, the name David has its place among the names of the great men that are in the earth. B. Israel is blessed (II Samuel 7:10). God s covenant with David included more than personal blessings for David. God also said in this verse, 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. As with His earlier covenant with Abraham, this covenant proclaimed benefits for the entire nation. God said that He would appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them. The word plant involves more than the initial sowing. Included in the meaning of the Hebrew verb is the work of establishing what has been planted. The work of planting and cultivating the nation is not yet complete. Much work still remains for a future day (see Amos 9:13-15; Ezekiel 36:33-36). When God plants Israel, they will dwell in a place of their own. This is a reference to all the land promised to Abram (see Genesis 15:18-21). Even in Solomon s day Israel didn t dwell in all this land; so to this day, God s promises to Abram have yet to be completely fulfilled. God also said that Israel would move no more. The Hebrew word for move means to be disquieted or disturbed (see I Samuel 28:15; Jeremiah 50:34). God promised that Israel s enemies will not again disturb their land. Such events as Hitler s holocaust will not be repeated. In addition, the Gentile nations, here called the children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, as beforetime. This refers to the time before the judges when the Israelite tribes were in a state of disunity and periodic oppression from surrounding nations. This was as a result of Israel not completely driving out the pagan inhabitants from the Promised Land. Note: Israel did enjoy security in Solomon s day (see I Kings 4:21-25), but later history has shown that wicked men have mercilessly persecuted David s people. So, the promise here that God s people will be planted in their own place and will be free from affliction, no doubt refers to a time still in

the future. At that time, the Jews will be regathered to their land from all over the world, they will accept Christ as their Messiah, and they will finally be able to live in peace (see Ezekiel 39:25-29; Zechariah 10:6-12; Romans 11:26). The final fulfillment of this verse is yet to come. VI. GOD S PROMISES TO DAVID (II Samuel 7:12-16). As with verse 7, verse 11 is not part of our printed text, but it is a continuation of verse 10, connecting the fact that one day Israel won t be afflicted as she had been before the days of the judges. God then continued in verse 11 saying even from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that He will make a house (royal dynasty) for you (Amplified Bible). Our lesson continues with verse 12. A. The kingdom established (II Samuel 7:12-13). 1. (vs. 12). Still speaking for God, Nathan continued to say to David in this verse, 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. The

phrase thou shalt sleep with thy fathers is an Old Testament way of describing physical death. God told David that when he died and was buried with thy fathers or his ancestors, He would set up thy seed after thee. In other words, when David died, God would securely install David s heir, who was yet to be born as king. This child would proceed out of thy (David s) bowels meaning that the child will come from David s body. This also indicated to David that the child that would succeed him as king was not one of his present sons. At that time, David had at least six sons and maybe even nine (see I Chronicles 3:1-9). Of course this unnamed heir would be Solomon (see Kings 2:10-12). It s possible that David may have thought that God was speaking about Absalom, his oldest son, because Solomon had not been born yet. However, the use of the words shall proceed refers to a future time and therefore another son. God said that He would establish his (Solomon s) kingdom. This has a twofold fulfillment. This prophecy was partially fulfilled in a marvelous way during Solomon s reign, for Israel was never as large, wealthy, and renowned as it was under Solomon. However, the complete and eternal fulfillment is yet to come as we will see in the next verse. 2. (vs. 13). Still referring to David s heir, in this verse God said He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. The pronoun He here refers to Solomon, David s son who God said shall build an house for my name meaning a place where God s name would be honored and glorified. The house refers to the first temple that Solomon was to build. The temple was, in fact, filled with the glory of God

when it was completed (see II Chronicles 7:2-3). The building of the temple is described in I Kings chapter 6. It took Solomon seven years to complete it. In the last part of this verse, God also said I will stablish the throne of his (Solomon s) kingdom for ever. This appears to indicate that there would always be a descendant of David ruling over all Israel. However, history teaches us that after Solomon died, the nation of Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom called Israel, and the Southern kingdom called Judah. Each nation had its own kings. David s descendants continued to rule the Southern kingdom until Jeconiah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians (see Jeremiah 24:1). He was the last in David s line to sit on the throne, but only over Judah. There have been no kings of Israel from the Davidic line since the Babylonian Captivity in 586 B.C. Taking all of this in to account, it would seem that this prophecy has gone unfulfilled. However, the term throne here, does not refer to a physical throne, but to the authority to rule. The Hebrew word translated throne simply means a seat of honor. Therefore, the expression stablish the throne of his (Solomon s) kingdom for ever means that the Davidic authority and kingdom rule over Israel shall never be taken from David s descendants. Note: Regardless of how many kings rule over Israel, the right to rule will never be transferred to another family, and it is designated for eternity. Although there is no Davidic king in Israel now, the throne will return to David s Seed when Jesus returns to set up His millennial reign on earth. At that time the throne will be restored to the Davidic line never to end (see Isaiah 11:1-10; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 19:11-16).

B. God threatens chastisement for disobedience (II Samuel 7:14-15). 1. (vs. 14). Still talking about Solomon, God said 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. The Lord declared that He would have a father-son relationship with David s heir, Solomon. As a result of this father-son relationship, the new king could always call on God for help, but he was never to think that his position was so grand that Yahweh (Jehovah) would not bring judgment against him. Therefore, the Lord said If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. In other words, God told David that He would chasten Solomon, his heir if he committed iniquity or sin. God would chastise David s heir with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. This means that God would use other nations to discipline Solomon when the need arose. The promised son would be the one who would build the temple. He would not be a perfect ruler, and for his sins he would be chastised by God through human means. 2. (vs. 15). Although God said that He would discipline David s heir when he committed sin, here He also says But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. When divine chastisement or discipline occurs, it doesn t mean that

God withdraws His mercy. Under the law, David deserved to die for his many sins, among which were adultery and murder (see Leviticus 20:10; Numbers 35:30-31), yet God extended mercy to him (see Psalms 51:1). Likewise, God said that He would have mercy on Solomon when he sinned. As things turned out, divine discipline for Solomon was apparently minimal, at least during his reign, for his kingdom flourished with little intimidation or damage done by foreign nations. God compared how He would deal with Solomon s sin with how He dealt with Saul s sins. He said that He wouldn t take His mercy away from Solomon as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. Saul s death as recorded in I Samuel chapter 31 was ghastly and tragic. In contrast Solomon began his reign well. However, he declined spiritually toward the end of his life under the influence of his many wives (see Deuteronomy 17:17; I Kings 11:1-13), but he had a peaceful end. However, Solomon didn t avoid discipline, for God punished him in an emotional way by letting him know that his kingdom would be split following his death (see I Kings 11:1-13). C. God assures David of a dynasty (II Samuel 7:16). God, through Nathan now gave David a promise. In this verse He said And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. This promise is referred to as the Davidic Covenant. It was made between God and David looking forward to the kingly rule of Christ during the millennium. It is an unconditional covenant in the sense that

it depended only on the faithfulness of God for fulfillment. It was not based on David s continued obedience to the Lord. It was essential for David to agree to the covenant with God, but if David or his descendants disobeyed the Lord after the initial agreement, the covenant would still remain in force, but they would suffer God s discipline. Thine house which refers to David s seed, would be a dynasty and both his kingdom established by God for David, as well as the throne serving as a symbol of that kingdom, will endure forever. Solomon had not been born yet, but God promised that his dynasty would not be cut off. In ancient times such a promise was very comforting because assassinations occurred frequently. Without the protection of God, no ruler could be sure his line would survive very long. God said that David s line, his kingdom and his throne would not merely last for a long time, but forever. The only way such a promise could be fulfilled literally was for the eternal Son, Israel s Messiah to sit on the throne of David. Someday Jesus will do just that (see Luke 1:32-33)! Note: Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah and Coniah), according to God s words (see I Chronicles 3:16; Jeremiah 22:30; 24:1), would be the last of Solomon s descendants to sit upon the Davidic throne, yet Solomon s royal authority, or the throne of his kingdom would endure. One might ask then, how could one of David s descendants reign over the future kingdom if he could not be descended from Solomon, but still needed the royal authority of Solomon s lineage? Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (see Luke 1:32-33) solved this dilemma in a unique way. Through Mary, Jesus was a physical descendant of David (see Revelation 22:16) through Nathan another son of David (see Luke 3:31).

If Solomon had not been selected king, Nathan had the right to be king. Through His legal guardian Joseph, a descendant of Solomon (see Matthew 1:6, 16), Jesus received the authority to rule. VII. Conclusion. David had good intentions and a noble ambition. He wanted to build God a house. However, God revealed that He didn t need a house from David. Instead, He intended to establish the house of David. The covenant He made with David would not be nullified. It was a covenant with eternal ramifications. A portion of this covenant is yet to be fulfilled. Humans make promises they cannot or will not keep. It inspires worship when we realize that our God is totally capable of keeping every promise He ever made. The promises made to David will be fulfilled in their totality. ***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press***