The Life of David: 2 Samuel 7
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 10 viewsNotes
Transcript
From a young age, there is a word we learned early. The word is no. It is nearly universal, almost the same most languages. However, it extends beyond the word. Body language and facial expressions can tell when someone wants to say no.
How do you feel when you hear the word NO?
How do you feel when you hear the word NO?
When someone is saved, a deep desire to serve and place God should follow. Times will arise when we want to do something for God. However, if we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, many times God will say yes. Then there are times God says no.
Why would God tell us no when we want to do something good for Him?
In today’s story, we will read of a time when God told David no.
Background
Background
After years of living on the run from the crazed King Saul, everything is looking up for David. He has established his role as king. He has helped Israel militarily, but most important, spiritually.
He determined Israel needed the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem if they were to thrive. Though he made a mistake in moving in the first time, the Ark now rested safely under the tent, known as the Tabernacle of David.
Because of God’s protection, some of the neighboring nations sought to have peace with Israel. One of these kings was named Hiram ().
He sent David timber and stone masons to build David a nice home. No longer was he on the run. He was firmly established in a life of comfort in Israel.
David surveyed the blessings of God on his life and leadership. Spiritually, Israel thrived. They dwelled safely in the land God promised him. And he experienced relative peace. For David, now was the perfect time to show His appreciation to God in a tangible way.
For David, now was the perfect time to show His appreciation to God in a tangible way.
Story
Story
One day sitting in the comfort of his nice house, David looks around at God’s blessings. He is thrilled with his home, but something seems amiss. Is it right he lives in luxury while the Ark dwelt under a tent?
David speaks to his friend, the Prophet Nathan, and informs him of his plan. “Nathan, I have a nice home, it is only fitting for God to have a nice home. I decided I will build God a temple.”
Nathan, being a good friend, encourages David. He tells him, “it sounds wonderful to me. Let’s get it together and build God the house He deserves.”
Is David pure in his motives?
How would you have felt if a prophet confirmed you had the right idea?
4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.
Nathan likely felt good with his statement. He encouraged the king to do something admirable for God and the kingdom. The only problem was he never consulted with God. As a prophet he spoke for God, but in this instance he allowed his emotions to speak instead of God’s will.
Now Nathan had to return to David and tell him the news. He had to explain, you are not going to build God a house. Your decision was nice, but it is not part of God’s will.
It had to be difficult for Nathan to do say this to David. As king, David could have let his anger and fury get the better of him. But Nathan had to be obedient and follow God’s instructions.
Even though David’s decision was pure and upright, God never asked David to build Him a house. In all the years He led Israel, did He once ask for a house? No, David’s kind gesture was not a part of God’s perfect will.
How do you think Nathan felt?
Why might David feel like he was in trouble because God said no?
Let’s look at the a possible negative reason for God’s emphatic no.
7 And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; 8 but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.
7 His going to Joram was God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s downfall; for when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who served Ahaziah, that he killed them.
Later in life David provides insight for one of the reason’s God told him no. David was a man of war. He shed too much blood to be the one who build God a house.
Most of David’s battles were justified. Was there a battle/s David fought that were unjust?
It could be that God remembered when David acted as a mercenary for King Achish of the Philistines. While that could be part of the problem, David was sincere in his desire for God to have a permanent place of honor in Jerusalem.
Something God wanted to teach David was a no from heaven is not always a sign of God’s displeasure. There are many times God’s no leads to a better yes.
Though Nathan presented bad news, he quickly followed it with good news. David was not the man to build God a house. However, God promised to give David a son who would build the temple.
This promise encouraged David, but God had more in mind than simply allowing Solomon to build a temple. God promised David’s throne would last forever.
When David heard this, he likely thought of his immediate family. In ancient times, a king wanted to have a royal dynasty. However, many families were overthrown by opposing factions.
If we were to read through 2 Samuel-2 Kings, we would notice David’s descendants eventually lost the throne to the Babylonian Empire. In fact, the downward spiral began not long after David died.
Solomon proved to be an immoral king and Israel split in two when he died. From there, very few kings did right by God, and none ever lived up to David’s reputation.
What do you think God meant when He promised David’s throne would last forever?
When we get to the New Testament, both Matthew and Luke took great care to outline Jesus’ genealogy.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Twenty-eight generations AFTER God promised David that his throne would last forever, Jesus was born, who was a direct descendant of David.
Romans 1:
3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Jesus is the seed of David and He sits on a throne that will last forever. Furthermore, He does dwell in a temple, but He lives in our hearts.
48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
When God told David no, he chose to trust that God knew what He was doing. David was incapable to understand it at the time. However, God’s NO to him was a YES for all of humanity.
Was it good God told David no?
How did David’s no benefit us?
When David heard God’s plan, he was not upset God said no. Instead, he responded with praise.
22 Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Application
Application
There are will be times we might want to do something for God or to honor God through something we do. However, we must trust God knows what He is doing.
Furthermore, we must pray about every decision we make. If we do not have the go ahead from God, we should not move forward. For there will be times when we might want to do something for God and He will tell us no.
Has God every told you no?
How did it feel?
How should we respond when God tells us no?
If God tells us no, does He have something better planned?
Though we do not like the word no, we should rejoice whenever He cautions us. For we can trust He has something better planned for us, even if we cannot see it at the time.
Challenge
Challenge
Look back to a time God said no.
Ask, did it work out better for me?
Pray that God will direct us in every decision we make.
Read