Bold Prayer: When To Yeild And When To Insist - 2 Samuel 7:21-29 Series

Introduction

When Tracy and I went to Mexico we rode a shuttle bus to where we were going, and after a couple minutes we recognized the song that was playing on the radio. The lyrics were in Spanish, but we knew the tune. It was one of my favorite worship choruses. I tried to talk to the bus driver about it but he did not seem to know any English. But it made me so happy to be that far from home, in a foreign country, and to get on a random bus and hear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ being praised in another language. I loved that. Deep in the heart of everyone who loves God is a desire to see His name widely known and honored. One of the surest ways to get an “amen” in a room full of believers is to read Philippians .2:9-11.

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If that isn’t the greatest passage in the entire Bible then surely Revelation 5:13 is.

Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

An occasional Mexican bus driver is wonderful. But every created being in every place – every human being, every angel, all the countless different spiritual beings – seraphs, cherubs, rulers, powers, authorities – every single creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea all singing exuberant and heartfelt praises to the Lord Jesus Christ – that will be the happiest day of our lives because of our desire for the honor of His name. There is no greater desire. That is why when Jesus taught us to pray, the very first thing He said was “Hallowed be Thy name.” In other words, “May the knowledge of God be reverenced and honored by all.” Jesus commanded us to pray for that, and He obeyed His own command.

John 12:28 Father, glorify your name!

That is our greatest desire and our first prayer. And it is also the unifying principle that binds all of God’s holy Word and all of the covenants together.

We have been studying through 2 Samuel 7, the chapter where God made promises to David in the Davidic Covenant, and then David responded with an extended prayer. Last week we studied the first half of the prayer, which was astonished thanksgiving, which climaxed in verse 21. Verse 21 is the center and high point and controlling idea of this whole prayer.

At first glance this prayer seems scattered. First David talks about His unworthiness, then God’s uniqueness, then redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt, then he asks God to fulfill the promises He just made about establishing David’s kingdom forever. But that is not just a bunch of scattered thoughts. They are all tied together by the principle of verse .21.

David has a profound sense of his own unworthiness and so he says, “Who am I that You would make promises like this to me? I am not worthy of any of this God, so why are You doing it?” And the answer to that is verse 21.

21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your slave.

Why the blessing if David is not worthy? Because it was for God’s own sake. God is going to do these great things for His own sake – because He wants to.

Then in verses 22-24 he starts talking about God’s redemption of His people from Egypt. And the first word in verse 22 in the Hebrew is “therefore.” It is not an unrelated idea. David is not changing subjects. And you can see that when you get to verse 23.

23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself

See the connection?

Verse 21 – Why did you do it God? For Your own sake.

Verse 23 – You redeemed Israel to make a name for Yourself.

Now look at the end of verse 25.

25 …Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever.

Those three statements in verses 21, 23 and 25 tie everything together. It is not a scattered prayer. It is a prayer about one grand topic – God doing great things for the sake of His name.