4. And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 5. Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in? 6. 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. 7. 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 a house of cedar? 8. Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel; 9. 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. 10. 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, 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14. 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; 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee; thy throne shall be established forever.
Golden Text: “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust.” Ps. 71:1.
Note.—It is well always to read the context, in this case the whole of chapter 7 and the parallel passage, 1 Chron. 17:1-27. The Messianic Psalms may be read with profit, as for instance, Psalms 2, 110, 72, 45, and 2 Sam. 23:1-7. In the New Testament read, Luke 1:32, 33; Matt. 25:31-34. The time of this was probably about B.C. 1042; the place, Jerusalem. David was now about 44 years old. The prophets were Nathan and Gad. David’s wars were over, and he had rest from his enemies. As he reflected on God’s goodness, he determined to show his gratitude by building a house for the Lord, and so stated to the prophet. This plan seemed wise to Nathan’s judgment, and he told David to do all that was in his heart; for the Lord was with him. 2 Sam. 7:1-3. Here our lesson begins.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Who came to Nathan after the prophet’s assurance to David? Verse 4. (2) What was he told to tell David? Verse 5. Note 1. (3) How did the Lord say his presence had dwelt among them? Verse 6. (4) Had he ever asked a house from any tribe? Verse 7. (5) How did he say he had exalted David? Verse 8. (6) How had he been with him and what had he done for him? Verse 9. (7) What did the Lord say he would do for Israel? Verse 10, and 11 first part. Note 2. (8) What did he promise David for his faithfulness? Verse 11, last part. Note 3. (9) What did the Lord promise should follow David’s personal reign? Verse 12. Note 4. (10) What should Solomon do? Verse 13. Note 5. (11) What did he say of his dealings with Solomon? Verses 14, 15. (12) For how long will the kingdom of David through Christ be established? Verse 16.
NOTES.
1. The reason why David should not build the house of God is stated in 1 Chron. 22:8,—he had been a man of war and blood. A man of peace and rest must build God’s house of rest. The time had not quite come for a permanent house.
2. My People Israel.—That is the true Israel of God. Israel was a derived name, indicating character. (See Gen. 32:24-30.) It is also used many times as meaning all of Jacob’s descendants. But it is always the remnant, true to God, that the Lord counts as his people. (See Rom. 11:2-5; 9:6.) All Israel, the true Israel, shall be saved even as was Jacob, by faith. (See Rom. 11:20, 26.) The time when the people of God will dwell in such safety as is set forth in the text will be when Christ enters upon his eternal reign in an earth free from the blight of sin (Psalms 72; Revelation 21, 22), when the kingdom, and the dominion under the whole heaven shall be given to him and his people (Dan. 7:27).
3. A house.—God would give David something better than the privilege of building the Lord a house; God would build him—David—a house, a spiritual,—but not the less literal,—and an eternal house. The reign of his seed should be eternal.
4. Thy seed after thee.—Solomon, who was also, in his name, his wisdom, his glory, and his peaceful reign, a type of the eternal kingdom of Christ.
