An Everlasting Dynasty

Text: 2 Samuel 7:1-29

Theme: God promised to establish a descendant of David as leader of His people. His name is Jesus.

Date: 08/22/2021 File name: King_David_10 ID Number: OT10-07

To paraphrase a famous quotation, people’s best laid plans often turn out different than anticipated. Sometimes the changes proved to be better, released more consequential. Take, for example, the voyages of Christopher Columbus to find a shorter route from Europe to the spice riches shores of the Indies, the collective name in that day for places such as India, China, and Indonesia. He was certain that his plan had succeeded when his three ships finally sailed into view of some islands on the western horizon. We know today, of course, that Columbus had reached the islands of the Caribbean, not the Indies. His plan turned out different than anticipated, but he had not failed. Columbus’s unplanned discovery changed human history and profoundly impacted our understanding of the world.

Tonight’s text focuses on King David’s plan to build a temple for the Lord in Jerusalem. The plan seemed right to many Israelites, and David’s motives seem pure and humble. However, the Lord intervened. David’s great plan took an unprecedented yet consequential turn. The result exceeded anything David could have imagined. It impact continues to this day and will continue forever.

Two major points ...

David desires to build God a house but doesn’t

God desires to build David a house and does.

I. DAVID’S DESIRE TO BUILD THE LORD A TEMPLE

“Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 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.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”” (2 Samuel 7:1–3, ESV)

1. David continues to establish Jerusalem as his capitol and the cultural center of the unified Israel

a. in a relatively short period of time David built a palace for himself, ended the Philistines’ control of the Judean highlands, and moved the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem with great pomp and circumstance

b. after all these events God gave David and Israel a a time of peace from all their surrounding enemies

2. during the time of peace David begins to think about the disparity between the splendor of his own palace and the austerity of the tent where the Ark of the Covenant was kept

a. the Ark represented God’s visible throne on earth — surely it deserves more than a tent

3. David concludes that the Ark needed a grand residence of its own

a. David displayed true wisdom in seeking the Prophet Nathan’s advise

1) Nathan will become one of David’s most trusted advisors

b. Nathan’s immediate response is to endorse David’s plan ... And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you

A. GOD DECLINES DAVID’S OFFER

“But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 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. 7 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?” ’” (2 Samuel 7:4–7, ESV)

1. the very evening that Nathan approves David’s plan to build God a suitable temple God intervenes and puts the project on hold

a. God seemed honored and “surprised” that David offered to build Him a house

1) it was as if God said to David, “You want to build Me a house? No one ever offered to do that before, and I never commanded anyone to do it.”

2) David wanted to do more than God commanded

a) this is a wonderful place to be in our relationship with God

b) so many believers are so stuck in the thinking, “How little can I do and still please the Lord?” that we never really want to go above what God commands

b. but God has greater plans for David that did not include a new grand residence for the Ark of the Covenant

c. eventually the Lord’s Temple will be built, but God will determine when and where and who

2. David should not be disappointed, however, because God’s covenant with David will establish something far greater than a temple

a. temples can be build, but temples can be destroyed

b. but the covenant that God is going to establish with David will last forever

B. GOD PROMISES DAVID A HOME FOR ISRAEL

1. God promises to make David’s name great and to protect His people, Israel

a. God begins by reminding David from whence he came

“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.” (2 Samuel 7:8, ESV)

1) now that’s as good as a rags-to-riches story as you’ll find anywhere in world literature

b. more importantly He reminds David of His presence

“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.” (2 Samuel 7:9, ESV)

2. more importantly the Hebrews will have a more permanent, and a more secure homeland than they ever had before under David and then his son Solomon

a. it really would be a golden era for Israel

b. throughout their history the Jewish people will look back at this period in their history with pride, and anticipation that God will one day do it again

“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, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. ... .” (2 Samuel 7:10–11, ESV)

1) some Biblical scholars believe that this divine promise points to a future fulfillment in the end times, since the wicked have not yet been banished from among God’s people

c. I think there is probably some truth to that since, between AD 70 and 1948, Israel ceased to be a nation

1) and even after becoming a nation, they have been continually disturbed by their enemies

3. but this promise certainly had immediate effects in David’s day, and the people of God dwelt in the land more securely than they ever had

II. GOD’S DESIRE TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR DAVID vs. 11b-17

“ ... Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.” (2 Samuel 7:11, ESV)

1. the last half of vs. 11 brings us to the heart of the passage and the heart of God’s covenant with David

2. God had rejected David’s plan to build a house for the Lord, but the Lord here promises to build a build a house for David

a. God says, I will make you a house

b. in Hebrews, the term translated make a house can refer both to erecting a physical structure, and figuratively to establishing a family line — a dynasty

ILLUS. When it comes to Old Testament history, generations of Biblical historians and archaeologists have seriously doubted that King David ever existed. They saw him as Israel’s version of the King Arthur legends — a whole lot more legend than reality. Why their doubt? No archaeological evidence had ever turned up regarding David and this period of Hebrew history. That is until 1993 and the discovery of the Tel Dan Stele. The word Tel literally means mound, and is an old English term for a habitable site. As settlements grow inhabitants often build on top of older layers of the city creating a cake-like mound with layer after layer of habitation. Archaeologists can often date these layers by the pottery and artifacts found in each layer.

The Tel Dan Stele is a fragmentary stone marker containing a Canaanite inscription, discovered in 1993 and dates back to the 9th century BC — that is 900 years before Christ – the time just after King David. A section of the stele refers to the death of Jehoram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel and the king of the house of David.

c. it’s the first piece of historical evidence for King David of the Bible

1) for skeptics it’s still not enough evidence

2) for us, the archaeological evidence doesn’t matter because we simply believe the bible

3. in this passage God promises to rise up a descendant of David who would continue his dynasty and who would build a house for my name

“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. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12–13, ESV)

“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”” (2 Samuel 7:16, ESV)

a. God has given David the crown ... God has given David a capital ... God has given David victory over his enemies ... and now God has given David an eternal covenant

A. GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID

ILLUS. John Piper says that God’s covenants are his self-written job description.

1. in almost every case He comes to the covenant partner, lays his job description out and say, “This is how I will work for you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength if you will love me as I am, cleave to me, and trust me to keep my word.”

a. God’s covenant is David will have a dynasty, a son who will build God’s temple, and an everlasting kingdom

1) not a bad set of promises

b. the conditionality of this covenant is repeated again and again in Kings and Chronicles

“that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 2:4, ESV)

c. this means that as long as David’s descendants are disobedient the kingdom cannot be made secure forever

d. they were disobedient and because they were the nation would repeatedly be attacked and ruled by other nations

2. if God were true to his word, if he stuck by his job description in 2 Samuel 7, he would have to raise up a righteous, obedient son of David to take the throne

a. God would and he did

“I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. 37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah” (Psalm 89:29–37, ESV)

B. GOD’S COVENANT FULFILLED

1. jump ahead in history 900 years and the visitation of the angel Gabriel to a young woman named Mary

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”” (Luke 1:31–33, ESV)

2. beyond any shadow of a doubt the Bible teaches that the promise to David that his descendant would rule forever is fulfilled in Jesus Christ

a. Jesus now reigns as king in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:25) over the true house of Israel

““I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”” (Revelation 22:16, ESV)

III. LESSONS

1. The Righteous King of Israel is the Savior of the World

a. it’s a message for the Jew and for the Gentile

1) Peter learned in his conversation with Cornelius that God is no respecter of persons

2) it’s a lesson we need to affirm again and again and again

b. the mission of the church today is to submit ourselves to the Son of David who right now rules from heaven until he puts every enemy under his feet

c. our mission is to announce the good news to people in every neighborhood and every nation that they can be happy subjects of Christ’s kingdom forever if they transfer their allegiance from the kingdom of this world to the kingdom of Christ

2. Our Best Laid Plans Often Turn out Different than Anticipated

a. when our plans go awry it means that God almost always has something better in store for us