Understanding, Grace, and Love

This is from Second Samuel. David declares to Nathan the prophet that David will build God a temple.

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2 Sa 7:1–17). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

I want you to note a few things in this passage.

First, note that Nathan blessed David’s plans. He told David to go build the temple that David wanted to build. But God went to Nathan and said he had a better plan. He didn’t yell at Nathan for Nathan’s presumption. He went gently to Nathan at night and told Nathan to go back to David with a grander plan that God himself would carry out. There’s a management lesson there somewhere in how to talk to others carrying out your will.

Second, look at God’s desire to be with his people. This is one of my favorite passages of scripture.

6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

God had been content just to be with his people in the desert living in a tent. He did not want or need a temple and had never asked for one. Instead, even as he forced the Israelites to wander, God was willing to wander with them and dwell in a tent. The punisher endured the punishment of wandering just as he would endure the cross.

That’s how badly he wants a relationship with you.

Third, see that God has a vision for all the days. He used some wordplay in his message to Nathan and David. In Hebrew, house and dynasty are the same word. David wanted to build God a house and God said, essentially, “nope, but I’m going to build you a dynasty.” God would use the House of David and his lineage to bring forth the King of Kings in Bethlehem. He had it all planned out.

Fourth, if God had all that planned out and used Solomon to build God’s temple and David to build God’s human dynasty to fulfill the covenant with Abraham and the promise in the Garden, God has all this planned out too. War, plague, famine, turmoil, dysfunction — things that we see as chaotic, God sees as part of his plan. He is acting even as we don’t see him and long for him because we feel so helpless. He’s still there. The king is coming back.