Lesson: II Samuel 7:4-16
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).
INTRODUCTION. After David became king of all Israel, he moved to build the kingdom. He captured Jerusalem, defeated the Philistines, and moved the ark to Jerusalem. It was his desire to build a temple, but God had a better idea. God’s plan for David is the subject of this week’s lesson.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON. The events of this study occurred when king David “sat in his house and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies” (see II Samuel 7:1). The beginning of David’s reign had been occupied 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 defeated the Philistines twice (see II Samuel 5:17-25). Another early endeavor of David was to return the Ark of the Covenant to the heart of his kingdom. One attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem was aborted because it resulted in the death of Uzzah (see II Samuel 6:1-8). Once they moved the ark properly (carried by the Levites: Deuteronomy 31:25), amid great joy, David established a permanent place for it (see II Samuel 6:12-19).However, David was still not satisfied. He thought the ark of God deserved a better dwelling place.He said to Nathan the prophet “I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains” (see II Samuel 7:2). In David’s mind, curtains, or a tent had been suitable for the wilderness wanderings after the Exodus, but surely a more durable structure would be better now.Besides, God’s house, the tabernacle was embarrassingly simple compared with the luxury in which David lived.The prophet Nathan, no doubt was touched by the sincerity of David’s intentions.Therefore, without consulting God, he hastily gave David the go ahead to build a temple (see II Samuel 7:3). This is where our lesson begins. Note: As we will see later, it’s obvious that Nathan was speaking for himself and not from any divine revelation from God. Like Samuel before him, Nathan was susceptible to error (see I Samuel 16:6). This is where our lesson begins. Like these prophets of old, our pastors and teachers can make mistakes.Unless they allow God’s Word to permeate their thoughts, they can give bad advice. One of the 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 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).
III. ABOUT DAVID (II Samuel 7:4-9)
A. Not appointed to build the temple (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 Nathan approved of David’s plan to build a temple, the Lord spoke to Nathan in a dream and corrected the hasty counsel he had given to David.
2. (vs. 5). 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 to do it. However, as we will see in verse 13, God was not opposed to a temple being built, just who would build it. In His sovereignty, God demanded the right to choose the proper person and 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 for Jerusalem might 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. Precedent of the tabernacle (II Samuel 7:6). God went on to say “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. 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 all through 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 raised and lowered 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.
C. God’s silence concerning a temple (II Samuel 7:7). In this verse, God posed another question for David. He said “In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?” God was simply asking David if He had ever asked or commanded any of the tribes of Israel to build Him a “house of cedar?” The term “cedar” refers to an expensive temple. God was inviting David to think back to every location in which God had fellowshipped or walked with Israel to determine if God had ever directed anyone to build Him a house. After thinking this through, David would realize the answer was no. There is some question about the expression “the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel.” The parallel passage in I Chronicles 17:6 uses the word “judges” instead of tribes. However, there is no contradiction here. The difference is due to the viewpoints of the sacred writers. The tribes had supplied the nation with judges (see Judges 2:16) and leaders before the time of David. The words “feed my people Israel” refers to the governing of the nation which was done at one time by judges and then transferred to the tribes to which the judges belonged. Perhaps the tribes of Israel acted as shepherds through their judges. In essence, the Lord made it very clear that He had never demanded Israel’s former leaders to build Him a temple. He had been and still was content with the present arrangement. Indeed, there would be a time for such a building, but that time had not yet arrived.
D. A great reputation for David (II Samuel 7:8-9). At this point, the Lord’s instructions to Nathan for David took a different turn. Nathan was to inform David of something wonderful God had planned for him and his descendants.Verses 8-16 present the Davidic Covenant, an unconditional agreement between God and David, the fulfillment of which depended totally on God’s faithfulness, not David’s obedience.
1. (vs. 8). God said 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 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 the powerful contrast stressing David’s transition from the lowly position of shepherd to a position of great prominence. 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). God cared for David as 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 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. The name David has its place among the names “of the great men that are in the earth.”
IV. ABOUT ISRAEL (II Samuel 7:10-11)
A. A place for the nation of Israel (II Samuel 7:10). God’s covenant with David included more than personal blessings on David. God said “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 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 God’s promises to Abram have yet to be fulfilled completely to this day. 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.
B. Peace for the nation of Israel (II Samuel 7:11). This verse 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 went on to say “And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.” In other words, God was saying that one day Israel’s enemies will not oppress the nation again as they had done before there were judges and even after God had “commanded (appointed) judges (leaders) to be over my people Israel.” In addition to this promise, Nathan was to tell David that God said that He had “caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.” If this phrase is taken separate from the immediate text concerning what God would do for both David and Israel in the future, the words “caused thee to rest from all thine enemies” might appear to refer to the rest from war that David was already experiencing (see II Samuel 7:1). However, in the Hebrew, the verb “rest” can also refer to a future rest which fits better in the context of this verse. Therefore, this last phrase can also read “I will also give you to rest from all your enemies.” Nathan concluded this verse saying to David that “Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.” Notice the play on words here. God would not allow David to build Him a house (or temple), but God said He would “make” or build David a “house,” referring to a dynasty. David had already built himself a house of cedar (see II Samuel 7:1-2). The “house” or dynasty that God had in mind for David was a royal line stretching out to eternity.
V. ABOUT SOLOMON (II Samuel 7:12-15)
A. The heir (II Samuel 7:12). Nathan continued to say to David “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.” 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 his 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 this time, David had at least six sons and maybe even nine (see I Chronicles 3:1-9). Of course this 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, for 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 fulfilled in a marvelous way during Solomon’s reign for Israel was never as large, wealthy, and renowned as it was under Solomon. The complete and eternal fulfillment is still to come as we will see in the next verse.
B. The house (II Samuel 7:13). Still speaking of David’s heir, God said “He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” The “he” here refers to Solomon, David’s son who God said “shall build an house for my name” or 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 descendent 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 their own kings. David’s descendents continued to rule the Southern kingdom until Jeconiah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians. 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 descendents. 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 (Isaiah 11:1-10; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 19:11-16).
C. The help for, and chastisement of Solomon (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 his heir if he committed “iniquity” or sin. God said He 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.
2. (vs. 15). Although God said that He would discipline David’s heir when he committed sin, here God 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, who began his reign well but declined spiritually toward the end of his life under the influence of his many wives, 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).
VI. ABOUT THE DYNASTY (II Samuel 7:16). God, through Nathan now gave David a promise. He said “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” The “house” or dynasty and “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 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, according to God’s words (see Jeremiah 22:30), would be the last of Solomon’s descendents 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 descendents 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 descendent of David 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 descendent 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. Sometimes, even when our motives are pure and sincere, God may overrule our plans. God revealed that He didn’t need a house from David. Instead He intended to establish the house or dynasty 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 completely. We can count on it!
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