2 Samuel 7-10

Introduction

I said last week in 2 Sam 5:6 to 2 Sam 10:19 we see the high water mark of David’s reign: conquering Jerusalem and setting it up as capital, putting down the Philistines, and bringing the Ark back and setting it up in Jerusalem

This week we finish that section, and we need to enjoy it, next week we learn it’ll be pretty much downhill for David from that point on

2 Samuel 7

The Ark of God Inhabits a Tent

2 Samuel 7:1–3 KJV

1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

2 Samuel 5:11 “11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.”

So David’s sitting at home on his deck and thinks, “I got this house, Yahweh needs one!”

When Nathan hears it, he tells David “that sounds right, go for it!”; the problem was Nathan told David what he thought before he asked God!

2 Samuel 7:4–7 KJV

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 an 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 an house of cedar?

So Yahweh corrects him

“my servant David”, “David, you serve me and you think I need a house?”; “I haven’t needed a house at all but especially since I brought all y’all out of Egypt”;

In fact, Yahweh had walked with Israel and lived in a tent just like they had.

If you squint, you can see Jesus here: John 1:14 “14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

dwelt is tabernacled or “pitched a tent”.

David’s House Will Be Established Forever (Davidic Covenant)

2 Samuel 7:8–17 KJV

8 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: 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 an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 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 for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

We see Hesed come to life:

The Hebrew word Hesed is a powerful term in the Old Testament, commonly translated as "steadfast love," "mercy," or "loving-kindness," but it means even more than those words combined.

It perfectly describes God's loyal and faithful love for His people, a love that drives Him to act with mercy and compassion, especially within His covenant promises.

More than just a feeling, Hesed is an active commitment that also guides how people should treat each other, encouraging support and forgiveness.

This is the Davidic Covenant. You could teach weeks on it but in this passage the Bible does a good job of summing it up:

God promised King David an eternal dynasty, ensuring that his family line would always have a ruler on the throne and an everlasting kingdom. Even if David's descendants sinned, God committed to discipline them but would never remove His steadfast love or end the covenant itself.

We’re just brushing over it, but I can’t overemphasize how important God’s words here were to them!

The hopes that were raised by Yahweh’s words—that He would place a seed of David on an eternal throne and establish a kingdom that would never perish—were ones that no king of Israel or Judah satisfied, or even could have satisfied. But they were ones that the first-century Christians understood Jesus to fulfill.

Yahweh’s words recorded here arguably play the single most important part of any Scripture found in the Old Testament in shaping the Christian understanding of Jesus.

that he is (1) the son of David (cf. Matt 1:1; Acts 13:22–23; Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16, etc.);

(2) one who would rise from the dead (cf. Acts 2:30; 13:23);

(3) the builder of the house for God (cf. John 2:19–22; Heb 3:3–4, etc.);

(4) the possessor of a throne (cf. Heb 1:8; Rev 3:21, etc.);

(5) the possessor of an eternal kingdom (cf. 1 Cor 15:24–25; Eph 5:5; Heb 1:8; 2 Pet 1:11, etc.);

(6) the son of God (cf. Mark 1:1; John 20:31; Acts 9:20; Heb 4:14; Rev 2:18, etc.); and

(7) the product of an immaculate conception (virgin birth) since he had God as his father (cf. Luke 1:32–35).

David Magnifies Yahweh’s Name

2 Samuel 7:18–22 KJV

18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant. 21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

David is humbled and moved to worship. David got a Word from Yahweh through Nathan telling David what God had done for him and the promises God gave to him and he was moved to worship. Every time we hear from God (Scripture!) through his messenger (the Pastor or preacher!) what God has done for us and the promises He has given us, we ought to have the same response; we ought to be moved to worship!

2 Samuel 7:23–27 KJV

23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

David continues to worship Yahweh for all He has done for Israel and the promises Yahweh has for them

2 Samuel 7:28–29 KJV

28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

When you say AMEN, do you really know what you’re saying?

ʾāmēn: An adverb meaning verily or truly. The word is used more often as the declaration may it be so. It comes from a root meaning to confirm; to support; to be faithful. The major idea behind this word is constancy and reliability.

The English word amen comes from this word and means, “I agree; may it be so.”

This is David’s AMEN! and ought to be ours as well!

2 Samuel 8:1-14

King David continued to expand Israel's borders, defeats the Philistines, Moabites, and the Arameans of Zobah.

These victories bring all kinds of plunder, including gold, bronze, and silver, 2 Samuel 8:11 “11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;”.

As a result, David established strong garrisons and his kingdom stretched widely, and the Yahweh gave him victory wherever he went.

2 Samuel 8:15-18

2 Samuel 8:15–18 “15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; 18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.”

2 Samuel 9

King David made a promise to Jonathan once they both knew Saul was trying to kill David and David had to go.

1 Samuel 20:14–15 “14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: 15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.”

Chapter 9 he learns about Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled from Ziba, a servant of Saul's household.

David brings Mephibosheth to Jerusalem and, gives him all of Saul's land back and has Ziba farm it, providing for he and Mephibosheth.

He also makes sure Mephibosheth always has a place at his own dinner table, treating him like one of his own sons.

2 Samuel 10

In Chapter 10, King David seeks to honor Hanun, the new king of the Ammonites, following the death of his father, Nahash. 2 Samuel 10:2 “2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.”

Bible doesn’t give us the precise act but maybe when David was on the run in the wilderness or some political deal Nahash had done with David. Whatever the cause, David want’s to repay the kindness.

However, Hanun's princes misinterpret David's act of kindness as a spy mission, So Hanun humiliates David's servants by shaving their beards and cutting their robes.

When David hears, he comforts his men and prepares for war.

The Ammonites, realizing they made David mad, hire Aramean forces for battle and Joab, leading David's army, strategically divides his troops to fight both the Arameans and the Ammonites.

The Arameans run, and the Ammonites retreat into their city and David later defeats them at Helam killing many and leading to peace between Israel and the surrounding kingdoms, who no longer support the Ammonites.

Conclusion

God chose to walk and live WITH His children as they came out of Egypt

Just as God came down and walked with them; even more so He did for us:

Philippians 2:5–11 “5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

David wanted to build God a house, God showed him grace upon grace and built David a dynasty. He showed us even more grace and through Jesus Christ built us eternity and that should move us to worship

Romans 15:8–12 “8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.”