God Doesn't Need David

Introduction

David in his House: How God Brought the King to Where he is now

1 Chronicles 17:16 ESV

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

The story of David is similar to the story of many other men of faith that God called. He is called from a lowly position as the youngest brother in his family doing a socially undesirable job of looking after sheep to promises beyond his imagination. These promises are not given right away, but rather their faith is tested.

David faced wild animals in faith, he faced Goliath in faith, he ran from Saul in faith, he waited for God’s promises and passed his tests in faith. Now God has rewarded him with his Kingdom.

In all this, David’s faith was tested in the wilderness, overcame by faith, and was given a Kingdom. Abraham was tested in the wilderness, overcame by faith, and recieved the promise of a nation. The same was true of Isaac among the Hittites, Jacob with Laban, Joseph in Egypt, Moses in the wilderness before his calling. All of these recieved a piece or shadow of the promise, but only as a proof of greater fulfillment yet to come.

Now after David’s wandering in the wilderness to escape Saul, he has not been given the Kingdom and he sits in a grand palace. What troubles him, however, is that after all of God’s faithfulness, He is still worshipped in a tent, the Tabernacle, and not in a proper temple.

It appears that David feels he ought to repay God for all that God has given him. After all, God gave him a Kingdom that resulted in him living in a great palace, should he not do the same for the LORD?

David’s Intentions Refused

While Nathan the prophet at first answers in the flesh, according to human reason, he is corrected by God and told to give David a specific message.

Why does God refuse David’s offer to build him a house?

The New Bible Commentary 15:1–17:27 The Ark of the Covenant

What God does for David takes precedence over anything David can do for God

This “house” is not a building, it is a dynasty. God is communicating to David that his current state as the King of God’s people in his big palace is not the end of God’s promises for him and his bloodline. Just like Isaac was the first tangible sign of the fulfilment of God’s promises, his Kingdom, including his house, are just a foretaste of the greater promise yet to be fulfilled.

In this way, God is revealing Christ through David’s house, and so revealing his plans for his people. They will be shepherded by a good shepherd who will not die.

Acts 2:30–31 ESV

Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

This will be a righteous shepherd that will finally be able to care for God’s people free from sin, corruption, or any danger to the sheep.

Hebrews 3:3–6 ESV

For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

David’s New House

God’s promise to David is essentially God saying, “You want to give me something after all that I’ve given you? There’s nothing you can give me, but I am going to keep giving you something that is above and beyond the blessing you have now.

God is making it known that the relationship is not syncronistic. It’s not an “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” kind of thing. Its also not a relationship where God does favours for us and we show appreciation for them by doing favours in return. That is the kind of relationship you might have with a platonic aquantance. No, the relationship God has with man is one where man is the one in need, God provides all, and man cannot repay him in any way. There is nothing that God can gain through the work of man. God gains glory, however, when his works are on display.

A Response in Faith

David’s response is one of immediate faith and worship.

He sat before the LORD. Likely, before the alter, he came before God himself to worship. David’s grasps the truth that it is not a temple that makes God holy and mighty, but his awesome presence.

David sees that God means not only to build David a house, but in the process to build his own house as well. God does not need David to build him a house, he will build his own house and build David’s in the process. The two houses will become one in Christ.

David prays that God would do what he said. This is for two reasons, both are related to David’s excercise of faith:

David responds in faith by alligning his desires to God’s. Rather than getting stuck on the desire to build God a house, he allows God’s revelation to change his own desires and aims them at what God has already told him is his will.

David responds in faith by asking for a blessing that God has promised, and in doing this showing that he trusts God to exactly what he has promised and he gains an assurance, knowing that his prayer will be answered “Yes!”

2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

David’s prayer of thanks is focused on the glory of God. David is under no false presumption that these blessings are an end in and of themselves, but are a means to God’s plan to glorify his name in the redemption and sanctification of his people.

Conclusion: God’s “Yes” to his every promise

1 Chronicles 17:25 ESV

For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.