Everlasting Love

2 Samuel 7:1–16 NLT

When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?” ’ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. “ ‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’ ”

Introduction: God Has Loved Us., God’s Love is Everlasting, We can recieve His Love.

18 - God Has Loved Us.

David is at peace - Unified Kingdom, Enemies are not attacking him any more - All is well in Israel’s world.

David knows this is from God

But realizes that he lives in an amazing house, but it feels like they are treating God like dirt - Ark of the Covenant in a Tent.

God rejects his desire to build him a house. - As we go through the text, I think it will become apparent why? God does not want a building, he wants something more important than that, something deeper.

Have you ever been honored by someone who wants to elevate you, but you don’t feel like you need elevating. What do you do? You express your love and respect for them, and then say no.

- God is doing that with David, he begins by telling David, not just, “I love you,” but Here is how I have loved you.

I took you from the pasture of being a shepherd to lead my people

S - and I have been with you everywhere.

S - and I have cut off all of your enemies before you

S - and I will make a great name for you

S - and I will make a place for my people Israel

S - and I will plant them so they can live in their own place

Pur - so that they will not tremble any longer

S - and the children of wickedness will not afflict them again as in former days.

We need to hear that - God Has loved you?

Application Point - Ask yourself, what are the ways God has loved you in your life? How has he been with you? how has he gotten you to where you are now? How has he Blessed you?

But what kind of love is this from God.

19 - God’s Love in Jesus is Everlasting.

vs 15 The text says, Favor - Hesed, Loyal Love.

God’s Loyal Love is based on a Covenant - this is what we have here.

Unconditional Election - People in the Covenant are Unconditionally loved.

- What might be the difference. People you date are conditionally loved. You have not chosen them for a covenant relationship. This is like Saul. People you covenant with, Marriage is an unconditional love. - Dating is a conditional love.

Unconditional Love - God has loved David’s descendents unconditionally - What does that mean?

- He chose to love them, because He chose David a man after his own heart and as the one through whom His Son would come.- This is a covenant - He chose him.

- Saul, was not his chosen person, it was the people’s choice. He entered into no covenant with him. His love was conditional

Here is another picture of Unconditional love.

Hosea - Unconditionally loved Gomer - She played the prostitute, but as His wife he allowed her to experience the consequences of her actions, but also in the end pursued her to restore their relationship.

God’s Promise here is not the building of buildings - but of the building of a Family for himself.

Play on words of David's desire to Build a House for the Lord vs., God's meaning behind building a House for His Name and Building a House for David. What other word in English works similarly?

They got engaged on March 7th.

The students were very engaged in the presentation.

- 20 - Root word Bayit - Means a dwelling in which you live, points to a household ie everyone who lives in that dwelling

- root for son and so points to ones lineage - Barmitzva/Batmitzva - Bar comes from this root meaning son, Bat daughter.

NLT translates - vs 11 - he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!

vs. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name.

- So Yes a temple is going to be built, but the primary aim is a family, a Kingdom family for the Lord.

It is this Family that God will Love Unconditionally forever.

- 21 - The Tel Dan Stele, discovered in 1993, is the earliest known archaeological reference to the "House of David" The stele is a fragmentary basalt slab with an Aramaic inscription that dates to the 9th century BCE. It commemorates an Aramean king's victory over the "king of Israel" and the "king of the House of David".

most scholars believe the stela recounts a campaign of Hazael of Damascus in which he defeated both Jehoram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah. - https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/the-tel-dan-inscription-the-first-historical-evidence-of-the-king-david-bible-story/

Ahaziah of Judah - 6th King of Judah in the lineage of David.

But this Brings us to Jesus....

Quote My lines from the Live Nativity: "You will name him Jesus and he will be very great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord will give him the throne of his Ancestor David, and he will reign forever. His Kingdom will never end."

verse 14a: 4QFlor (1-2, i.11) associates this passage with the Messiah, "the shoot of David"; so also Hebrews 1:5 - A.A. Anderson

The "4QFlorilegium," a text found among the Dead Sea Scrolls from Cave 4 at Qumran, is generally dated to the late 2nd century BCE to the early 1st century BCE based on paleographic analysis of the script style used in the manuscript.

Hebrews 1:5 NIV

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?

Jesus is the Ultimate Fulfillment of this Promise to David.

David’s Descendents continued the Kingdom of God’s family, but they sinned, and God disciplined them like a Father, and Loved them no matter what even to the point Jesus came.

Jesus was sinless and fulfilled this promise of God, and all who believe in him are a part of God’s House, his family.

He was born into David’s Lineage.

But he took the punishment that the disobedient sons and daughters. should have received. He died for you.

But he lives, he was raised, so that our sins will be paid for, and we can be gathered into God’s Household.

To be apart of this Covenant of Love that is never ending.

Will you accept his Love.

22 - We Can Be in God’s Family Through Jesus.

Had a friend whose father disowned one of his daughters. Years and years had gone by, and they never reconciled. they would not attend family Christmas dinners or Thanksgiving Dinners if the other was there. When my friend asked the Father or the Daughter what caused this rift, neither one of them could remember the issue.

It is so important for Parents to communicate with their kids. We will always love you. We may not see eye to eye. We may have to discipline you when you do something wrong. We may have to let you experience the consequences of your actions, but we will always love you and will always be ready to repair the relationship, we are always there for you when you want to come back.

Consider a parent who never abandons their child, even in the most difficult times. This unconditional love exemplifies God's loyalty. Just as God’s covenant love for David led to a line culminating in Jesus, so too does God's loyal love pursue us, reminding us that we are never out of His reach. We may stray, but His arms are always open, waiting to welcome us home.

The fourth candle of Advent reminds us of God’s love by inviting us to recall his promises to us throughout history and the ways that he has fulfilled them. The greatest promise of all was fulfilled through the birth of Christ and the life of Christ, which invite us into a life-changing and loving relationship with the Creator of life. The fourth candle also invites us to look forward with anticipation to the promises that God has yet to fulfill and the kingdom he will establish that will bring peace, security, and rest to all who place their trust in him (Romans 16:25–27).

Conclusion: