Intro

David’s Big Idea

When the king had settled into his palace and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”

So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

2 Samuel 7:1–3

The kingdom is in a good place, everything’s going better than David could have hoped for. Israel’s enemies have been defeated.

He’s living in a new, posh, cedar palace. We’re talking top of the line luxury in those days, designer stuff from the Chip & Joanna Gaines of the day—cedar shiplap covering the whole place!

This is the first time we’ve heard of Nathan, but he’ll play a large part in the story coming up.

For now, imagine them sitting on the back porch of the palace one warm evening, drinking some sweet tea and shooting the breeze.

David looks out over Jerusalem with deep satisfaction, “Isn’t this beautiful?”

Then he glances over, and the Tabernacle catches his eye. The Tabernacle that God had instructed Moses to build so carefully, that had been with the Israelites through all their 40 years in the wilderness, where they had worshipped when they came into the Promised Land, that had moved from town to town over the years.

No doubt it was magnificent when it was first built, but that was upwards of 500 years ago. Anybody enjoy tent camping? If you do, then you know, it doesn’t matter how well you care for your tent, if it’s 500 years old, it’s definitely going to be showing its age!

So David says, “You know, Nate, there’s something that’s been bothering me for a while now… here I in this beautiful new palace, living in luxury, and the ark of God, the place where God’s very presence dwells, is sitting over there in that ratty old tent. I walk in to the smell of cedar, while people walk in there to the smell of mildew. Something’s not right with this picture.”

And Nathan responds the same way any responsible pastor responds when someone wants to fund a large building project from their own pocket… “Do all that’s in your mind, for God’s with you.”

You know that feeling you get when you’re at the very beginning of a new project? If you’re anything like me, that’s the most fun you’re going to have. I love brainstorming, coming up with ideas, planning how things will look, what we’ll need to get it done. That’s the fun part, execution is another matter.

You know David was probably up half the night drawing up plans for this house that he’s going to build for God.

But David’s not the only one up half the night. So was Nathan, getting God’s perspective on David’s plan. Let’s pick it back up in verse 4:

But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: “Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in? From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egpyt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling. In all my journeys with the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’

“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline hime with a rod of men and blows from mortals. But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”

Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

2 Samuel 7:4–16

That had to be an interesting conversation, didn’t it?

After a night of prayer, Nathan had
to withdraw the building permit!”

Eugene Peterson

Ever had someone do something for you, all of their own volition, and it was incredibly sweet… and it turned out terrible, not what you wanted at all? It’s an extremely awkward moment.

Amy & Penny painting scene from The Big Bang Theory

David’s heart was in the right place, no doubt, and so was Nathan’s. But what they hadn’t done is ask whether what they were doing was actually what God wanted.

God’s Perspective on David’s Big Idea

God basically says, “I appreciate the sentiment, David, I really do… but did I ask you for this?”

This is basically a one point message. And here it is:

Life in the Kingdom is not about what we do for God, but what He does for us. David starts this chapter trying to go and do. It ends with God commanding him to sit and know.

DAVID: I’m going to build you a house. GOD: Thanks, but I’m actually going to build you a house (dynasty).

Importance, Davidic Covenant

If you were to make a top 10 list of most important chapters in the Bible, what would be on your list? ‌(Gen 1,3; John 1,3; Rom 8, Rev 21)

It probably wouldn’t make the average person’s list, but if you were to ask theologians, this would be in almost all of them, because this is what’s known as the Davidic Covenant.

We don’t have time to go into all the details of it this morning, but if you compare what God promised Abraham in Genesis and what God promises David here, they are similar/parallel. It becomes clear that the the way God is going to fulfill his promise to Abraham to bless the whole earth is through David’s kingly line.

We’ve been talking all along about how you have to understand David if you want to understand Jesus. Jesus’ most frequent title in the Gospels is “Son of David”. This passage makes the Jesus-David connection clearer than any other.

It is a fulcrum between all that was promised to Abraham and all that is finally ours in a new heaven and new earth.

Alistair Begg

God’s Promises to David

“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you.

2 Samuel 7:8–11

Who is giving to whom? God is giving to David, not vice versa. Hear this: At its core, Christianity is not about giving to God or doing things for God. Christianity is about what God has done for you.

The heart of the gospel is not spelled D-O, but D-O-N-E.

J.D. Greear

When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

2 Samuel 7:12

Which ‘son’ is God talking about? Well, as with other Old Testament prophecies, this prophecy has a double fulfillment. There is a short-term one and a long-term one.

A. Jesus, the Ultimate Tabernacle

God’s desire has always been to dwell with his people—to walk with us, talk with us, to be close to us.

The Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us.

John 1:14

The point of Christianity has never been merely believing the right things or behaving the right ways; the point is being united to, communing with, and walking with God. Knowing him. Trusting him. Abiding in him as he abides in us

B. Jesus, the Eternal King

He is your “personal Savior”, but He’s way more than that.

This promise will find its fullfillment in a King who comes, a King who will out-king all the kings who have ever lived.

Alistair Begg

Jesus is not just a personal Savior who forgives my sins; he’s the reigning King who promises to come again soon and wipe away every tear from my eye, and in the meantime promises to use all my pain for my good and his glory.

“I tried Christianity, but it just didn’t work for me.” That’s precisely why it didn’t work for you—it doesn’t work like that!

All that means I tried to use Jesus to help me achieve another goal that I had—happiness, joy, peace, whatever—but that’s not Christianity. Life in His Kingdom is submitting to Jesus as King and letting him set the goals.

You can’t test drive total commitment, any more than you can test drive death.

C. Church, the Eternal House

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Ephesians 2:20–21, NLT

We, individually & corporately, are the temple of God now. This building is a helpful tool, but it is not God’s house. This is God’s house. If it burns down tomorrow, Third Baptist will still exist. We’ll still gather for worship next Sunday morning… location TBD!

On what basis does God promise these things?

One word: grace!

This Kingdom was not something David would do for God,
but something God would do for David.

I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

Matthew 16:18

The verbs related to the Kingdom in the NT aren’t verbs like build or expand, but words like “receive”, “enter”, and “inherit”.

Think of [the Kingdom] like the sun. When the clouds part on a cloudy day we don’t say, “the sun has grown.” We say, “the sun has broken through.” Our view of the sun has changed or obstacles to the sun have been removed, but we have no changed the sun. The sun does not depend on us. We do not bring the sun or act upon it. The sun can appear. Its warmth can be felt or stifled. But the sun does not grow…

We herald the kingdom and live according to its rules. But we do not build it or cause it to grow because it already is and already has come.

The kingdom is a gift that God gives us,
not a project that God expects us to accomplish.

Kevin DeYoung

David’s Response (and ours)

Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God. What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.

This is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms. And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed from Egypt. You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.”

2 Samuel 7:18–29

If you mark in your Bible, you should underline the words sat & revealed or know.

This chapter starts with David wanting to go and do for God; it ends with David sitting in wonder at all He has done.

David now has his house in order.

This may be the hardest lesson to learn in Christianity:
we come to God not with anything to give, only to receive.

J.D. Greear

Conclusion

God offers grace, not reward.

Some of you may have struggled & struggled & struggled in your Christian life, and you can’t help but think that God must be done with you by this point.

If God didn’t choose you based on your righteousness, then you’re lack of it won’t cancel His choice. The basis of His relationship with you, from start to finish, is grace.

The righteous person shows that they’re righteous not by not falling, but by what they do when they fall. Each time, over and over, he/she gets back up, looking at Jesus.

Billy Graham used to say that it’s not usually people’s sins that keeps them out of heaven; it’s their good works. God has abundant mercy even for the biggest sins; it’s people’s pride in their good works and their sense of personal worthiness that keep them from throwing themselves on that mercy.

If I ask you, “Why do you think God will let you into heaven?” and you answer with anything about you, your old foundation isn’t broken up yet.

If I ask you, “Why do you think you’re going to be a successful parent?” Or, “Why do you think you can live an effective Christian life, and you point to anything about you, then you’re still trying to build a house for God.

Apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5, ESV

Do you want to do something great for God? Give up any idea that you can do anything great for God. All the greatness lies with Him, not with you.

God is building you a house.

Life in the Kingdom is not going and doing something great for God; it is sitting in wonder at all he’s done for you. That’s why Dvid starts this passage with a desire to go and do and it ends with a command for him to sit and know.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:16–17

The same mercy and faithfulness that guarantees David an eternal kingdom can guarantee you all the joy and righteousness and peace of that Kingdom, today.

John Piper