Eternal Kingdom

Big Idea: David wanted to give God a temple but God has gave him and us an eternal king and an eternal kingdom through Jesus which we will one day be a part of if we give our lives to Him.

Scripture reading - Isaiah 11

Intro

David Wanted to Build a House… God Was Building a Forever Home”

In the early 1990s, Francis Lee Smith in rural Wyoming hand-built his dream home on a secluded plot of land he loved. He poured years of effort, savings, and sweat into every detail—crafting the structure himself, framing beams, laying floors, installing custom features, all while living modestly to fund the project. It was his ultimate vision: a sturdy, personal sanctuary away from the world, meant to be his lifelong haven.

Tragically, during the final stages of construction in 1992, he fell from the roof (or scaffolding, accounts vary slightly) and died from his injuries. The house was never fully completed or occupied as he intended. Left unfinished and without heirs who maintained it (or perhaps none at all who claimed it promptly), it sat abandoned on the property. Over the decades, nature took over: windows shattered, roof caved in sections, walls weathered, and vegetation encroached. What was built as a monument to his dream slowly deteriorated into a forgotten shell, occasionally stumbled upon by explorers who document its sad decline. The land and remnants eventually passed to others—perhaps distant relatives, the state, or buyers—who had no emotional tie to the original vision.

Stories like this echo the biblical wisdom in Ecclesiastes (often attributed to Solomon), where the "Preacher" reflects on the futility of toiling endlessly for earthly things: "I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil... This too is meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 2:18-19). The man's labor, skill, and investment—everything he "put into" his dream—ultimately benefited strangers, while the home itself returned to dust.

David had a similar kind of desire—but for God.

David looks around and says: “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent.” In other words: “I want to build God a house.”

David had a vision—something solid, lasting, impressive. Something he could point to and say, “This is for God.” But then comes the surprising response from God:

“You will not build Me a house…” Instead: “I will build you a house.” But God doesn’t mean a structure—He means a dynasty, a kingdom, something that lasts forever.

God promises a son, a throne, an eternal kingdom.

When you get to Revelation 21, something surprising happens. There is no temple in the city No unfinished structure No project left incomplete Because:

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man…” God doesn’t just live in a house anymore— He brings His people into an eternal dwelling.

The Smith Mansion stands as a reminder of a house that was never finished. But God’s promise to David points to a kingdom that will never end. David wanted to build something for God… But God was building something far greater— an eternal King, and an eternal home for His people.

Key chapter

Chapter 7 is one of the key chapters in the books of Samuel and the rest of scripture as well. It explains a few key tennants in the gospel and what awaits us as followers of Jesus In glory. We are going to split this chapter into two sermons, verses 1-16 and then 17 to the end.

Verses 1–3 - Human plan → build God a house

In chapter 5 we read that David had become king over all Israel and that a palace was built for him with the help of the king of Tyre. So Chapter 7 we can see takes place later on in the life of david, after the palace was built, He had peace from His enemies, He is established as king. So in this setting we see David at peace for the first time ina long time, he is in a position of wealth and safety and then this is where we begin chapter 7.

2 Samuel 7:1–3 ESV

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

One of the keywords of this chapter is the word House. David’s House, the Lord’s House, an eternal House, an etrnal king. This concept travels through the rest of the chapter.

we are also introduced to a new prophet, Nathan. No background is given but he is going to play an important role later on. Nathan was most likely someone who took the role of counselor to the king, someone who did follow God and heard from God.

we see though that David came to the realization that he dwelt in a palace lined with Cedar and the ark of God still dwelt in a tent, that was not right he thought.

At first David said that he wanted to build a temple for the Lord God to dwell in and the prophet said that He should do whatever he thought was right.

later on Nathan changes what He says but this is normal. He had not really heard from god yet, so to not contradict the king unless he did hear from god this was the proper thing to do.

This kind of sets the stage for what the Lord is going to reveal to David in a bit.

David had a plan, it was to build God a house. This was a noble plan. But God had other ideas. We sometimes think we are doing good doing things for the Lord but as we have been learning we always need to be open to the leading of God.

Verses 4–11 - God redirects → builds a dynasty

As i mentioned earlier, in this chapter we see God’s promise for a future eternal King, an eternal kingdom and the fulfillment of the promsie made to abraham of the nations being blessed through Him. This is what we are going to get into next.

2 Samuel 7:4–7 ESV

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

In the beginning of the promise to David God reminded Him through the prophet Nathan that in all the years they travelled since leaving Egypt He lived in a tent and not once did he tell people to build Him a atemple.

Later a temple would be built but first we go back to the lesson of God opposing the proud and giving grace to the humble. Could we consider it pride thinking look at all the great things that I have done for the name of the Lord! look at this wonderful building I have built to worship the Lord in, as If God needed a building made by human hands?

The Lord has no need for buildings made by human hands, and as we learned last week the Lord requires obedience. but that is not the main point of this passage. but it does start out with humility.

2 Samuel 7:8 ESV

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.

God exalts the humble, those that realize they need to rely completley on Him and not on themselves or the things made by human hands. So David had peace on all sides and wanted to honor God by building a temple for Him to dwell in, honorable pursuit but God had other plans. Becasue of the humility of David and the promise made to him the Lord said He was going to do something great through Him.

2 Samuel 7:9–11 ESV

And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

Peace, a house a great name. This looks forwarfd to Jesus and looks forward to the end when he comes again to establissh His kingdom.

There are a few things that come out of this staetement. The first is eternal peace and the eternal temple

This goes to the gospels where Jesus promised that he would rebuild the temple in three days if they tore it down. He was reffering to Himself. We have an eternal dwelling place of God, a place to go to to worship God and the is through the messiah Jesus. because of this we need to give our lives to Jesus. We no longer need the temple, we do not need these buildings made by human hands we rather have the messiah who fulfiulled htis promise.

Secondly we have the promise of an eternal kingdom.

God has promised them a home, which was fulfilled partially in the promised land they took but it looks forward to something much greater. Eternal peace and security. This is how God was going to bless the nations that was promised through Abraham. a fulfillment of the promsie made to Him. All the bible is tied together and that goes back to Him.

Genesis 26:3–4 ESV

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

God promised Abraham his people would have a land to call their own, and now the Lord repeats that promise to David But notice the verb tense in v.10 is future tense, so clearly David’s achievements are not the fulfillment of God’s plan And the key distinction outlined here is living “in peace” and without being disturbed (meaning uprooted) again  The people of God would one day occupy the land God gave them in peace never to leave again

This was not a promise completley for the time of David, but for the generation that would come after Him.

Verses 12–16 God promises an eternal throne

2 Sam 7:12 Introduces eternal King + Messiah expectation

2 Samuel 7:12 ESV

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

the Lord tells David his days will come to completion before these things come to pass And then after David, the Lord will raise up a descendant Who will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. So David isn’t going to be king over the Kingdom, because that awaits a future King Who comes after David is gone.

We can see clearly the promsie looks forward to not just the children of David but to a future milenial kingfom. There is coming a day when Jesus will reign over us in the new heaven and the new earth. Until then the times are going to look pretty bleak, but like David even though the promise may not be for our lifetime we can look forward with Hope!

Isaiah 11 speaks of this as well, At this time the world will look to the root of Jesse (i.e., Jesus) who will rule from a glorious place in Israel  And at that time the Lord will recover or regather His people in the land, which implies He scattered them outside the land And finally, they will live without jealousy and hatred, so that all Israel will be at peace together in the land So in the Kingdom, Israel receives everything God promised to Abraham, including living in the land, permanently and in peace along with a king and a house.

2 Samuel 7:13–16 ESV

13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

It would appear that the promise switches from the eternal kingdom to the kingdom of the son of David Saul. Thereis an important distinction to make here.

The promise is eternal, the dynasty is eternal, the plan of salvation is eternal but our obedience is not, that is up to us.

the safety that is promised, the promise itself, though it be eternal it is conditional based on our obedience to the Law of God. God’s unfailing covenant love is eternal and will never fade but as humans we choose to follo God or not. The Lord disciplines us as His children when we fail and turn away but will not force us to follow Him. Even if David’s sons are like Saul and unworthy to sit on the throne of their father, the throne will not remain empty. A line of succession of David’s throne is here promised, until the real son, the messiah, eventually comes.

Verse 14 reminds us that we can be heirs, we can be adopted into the family of God. but we have a choice to make, we can be a part of this eternal kingdom, this eternal peace but we must choose obedience to God and His will.

So What?

David wanted to give God a temple but God has gave him and us an eternal king and an eternal kingdom through Jesus which we will one day be a part of if we give our lives to Him. This is the main idea we see here, I have tried to do justice to the message here in the short time that I have but we must commit it to our hearts. Usually I have 2-3 points to remember but today we can boil them all down to one main point.

We have the promise of an eternal king, an eternal kingdom a future of peace but first we must be obedient to God and give our lives to Him.

We’ve gained God’s approval by our faith alone, yet we will not receive what He has promised in this lifetime God has provided something better for us, something better than you can’t find in this world And we will all receive it when we are made perfect in the Kingdom after our resurrection Until then, we show our gratitude to God with acceptable service done in reverence and awe We are saved by our faith, but we serve Him because of His love for us That’s the kingdom God is talking to David about now But for the same reason, the Lord chose for His ark to dwell in tents also, to offer the same testimony to Israel The permanent home for God to dwell among His people had not yet arrived And it won’t arrive until the Kingdom comes.

Are you looking for peace? do you like this promise of eternal peace. Eternity is something we will all have to deal with but it will either happen in peace and with the king of kings, or with punishment for what he has done. So choose Jesus.

If you have choosen Jesus our task is clear, follow Him and share His love with those around us that do not know Him.