Wanted: A Better David
2 Samuel 7:1-17
The meteoric rise to power of King David is the stuff of a Hollywood movie, an old Hollywood movie, anyway. It is a story of a humble shepherd boy who rose to be King of Israel. At was a life full of adventure, danger, and intrigue. David as a youth slays the giant, Goliath. He has to flee from the presence of his father-in-law, King Saul, to other lands or the back side of the desert. When the walls seemed to be closing in on him, he escapes. After the death of Saul, David would be crowned king by his home tribe of Judah. And after a seven year civil war with his brother-in-law Ish-Boseth, David was crowned king over all Israel. As king, he brought a small nation which struggled for its very existence with neighboring nations such as the Philistines to temporary greatness. David was a man of great passion who wrote beautiful poetry as well as being a courageous warrior. He was a very complex man. He had many exploits, but there was also Bathsheba. David and Bathsheba is unfortunately, the trade of Hollywood. Yes, David would make a good movie, the ancient Braveheart. But there is more to the story, the part which Hollywood would cut. He was a man after God’s own heart.
When we read the text from 2 Samuel 7 this morning, we find David at the zenith of his power. His enemies had been subdued and the LORD had given him and the nation of Israel rest from war. He was probably in his late forties. His slow decline in physical power was balanced by wisdom. The trouble with getting to the top of the hill is that everything else is downhill. By Chapter 8, the wars had returned. Then by chapter 11, David is too old to go out to war and stays home. This became a snare to him as he was on the roof of his house when he saw Bathsheba, his neighbor’s wife, bathing. This led to adultery and then murder of her husband who was a loyal soldier to David. As a result of his sin, Nathan the Prophet told him from the LORD that not only would David have external wars, but that he would suffer from war and violence within his own family.
But all is still well in this morning’s text. He was sitting in his royal palace made of fine cedar with this same Nathan the Prophet. He was surrounded by royal splendor. Then His mind wandered to thinking that the Ark of the Covenant resided in a simple tent. This did not seem right to David as his exploits and rise to being King over Israel would never had happened if Yahweh had not made it possible. The gods of the other nations around David had spectacular temples of gold and silver. Should not a house be made for the LORD as well?
Nathan thought it a good idea and told David to go ahead with his plans. Nathan was obviously a man of ability, and the idea seemed reasonable to him. He left of seeking the LORD whether the LORD wanted such a house. We, too, are prone to trust our own devices and execute plans for ministry because the plan seemed good to human wisdom. However, as Nathan found out, The LORD had other ideas. He appears to David at night with a message to tell David: “Shall you indeed make ME a house?” The framing of that question expects an emphatic “NO” in response. “You certainly are not going to build me a house!”
The LORD goes on to tell David through Nathan what was wrong with David’s thinking. He reminds David of the history of the Ark of the Covenant. The Israelites did not dwell in houses at that time either. They were walking through the wilderness. Yahweh joined them in this journey. One must not overlook the words that Yahweh had walked with the Children of Israel from that day even until David’s day. Even though Yahweh, the creator of heaven and earth is greater than any temple that could be build for him, who is everywhere present, there was a special place given to Israel. The Ark of the Covenant was a portable throne for Yahweh. There, the special presence of Yahweh resided between the two cherubim on a golden seat. But that throne did not walk of itself. It was to be carried form place to place upon the shoulders of the Levites. But Yahweh walked with them on their journey.
Yahweh was good with the arrangement He had made. He never asked for more than He directed in the creation of the Tabernacle. He never asked anyone before in Israel to make Him a temple just like the other nations. Yahweh wasn’t simply a tribal or national deity. The holiness of Yahweh made Him separate from the gods that other nations had set up. He had no desire to be compared to them in any way. After all, they were false gods. Israel was to recognize that this made them different from the other nations as well. Even though Israel was no match for great nations such as Egypt as far as earthly power and splendor are concerned, they were still the apple of His eye. It is when His people wander off into the error that they want to be just like everyone else.
It is Yahweh who truly is the King. We read wistfully at the end of the Book of Judges that in those days “There was no King in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” At first glance, one sees this as setting up the Book of 1 Samuel. The people thought that their problems were due to the fact that they did not have a strong earthly king to unify and strengthen them. They asked for a king “just like all the other nations.” The problem with the statement that “There was no King in Israel” is not the lack of an earthly king but rather in the rejection of Yahweh as their King. When people abandon the LORD as being King of all, immorality and decay set in and the nation dies a tragic death.
David was in his palace. Yahweh, who was David’s King lived in a tent. David, who wrote the wonderful 23rd Psalm “The LORD is my shepherd” was at one time a shepherd himself. He walked all over the wilderness areas to find water and pasture for the sheep. He had to defend them from predators. He was doing for his sheep what Yahweh was doing for Israel. He had no house of cedar then. All he had was a sheepcote. The LORD reminds David of this. The LORD also reminds David that He had specially called David to be king over Israel. It is the LORD who had protected him in his various flights from his enemies and had preserved his life. The LORD had appointed a place for Israel as well and gave them this land so that they would wander no more. It was the LORD who had made the name of David great among the nations.
David had made a palace for himself just like the other nations, Not only this, he had a large harem of wives and concubines. These things would become a snare to him and would plague the second half of his reign over Israel. Yahweh was giving David an opportunity to repent and reflect upon what God’s true king would be. This serves as a reminder to us as well.
David could not make Yahweh a house. He had shed too much blood. Then Yahweh gives David a promise. “I will build you a house.” This would not be a house of cedar but rather a dynasty. One of David’s descendants would arise after David slept with his ancestors. This one would build a house for Yahweh. When Solomon, David’s son took the throne after David’s death, he did indeed make the LORD a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, even greater than the temples to the gods of other nations. But this effort would eventually end in disappointment. Solomon , whose name means “peace” started well. He ruled well in the place of his father David. But he multiplied even more wealth, women, and horses for chariots, contrary to the book of Deuteronomy. By the end of his reign, Solomon looked more like King Saul than King David. His oppressive taxes would lead to revolt in his son’s day. This man who had a thousand wives and concubines would only have one worthless son. Rehoboam. God’s wrath fell harshly upon Solomon. Obviously, the LORD had a greater house in mind than the Temple which Solomon built.
God has a much broader perspective than we do. He saw and ordained a far greater descendant than Solomon and a better house. When prophecy is given in the OLD Testament, there is often a symbolic fulfillment which occurs in the near future which gives credibility to the prophet. Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet would indeed crown Solomon king, a man who had not yet been born when Nathan gives this prophecy to David. But the LORD saw a far greater descendant than Solomon. The Book of the Kings as well as the Chronicles talk about many kings who followed Solomon. Some were better than others, but none lived up to God’s expectations for the perfect king. But the LORD allowed the dynasty to continue because, one day, that perfect descendant of David would be born.
Let us not fast forward nearly 1,000 years which is a long time for man but only a day for the LORD. Now the greater prophecy of Nathan to which Solomon points was born in the City of David in a humble manger. The Son of God became flesh through the Virgin Mary and began his walk with us. He left His glory above and was happy to walk with us. Isaiah said there would be nothing special about his appearance. This Jesus of Nazareth “tabernacled” among us. Most translations choose to translate the Greek word “dwelt,” but “tabernacled” is the more precise translation. The perfect King had come and was pleased to be identified with us. He was not born in any palace or house of cedar. He was the Incarnate God. He was the promised House given to David. And He is also the great House of the LORD as well. It had always been God’s willingness to dwell in the midst of His people. We think of the great condescension and humility of Jesus in joining us in our wilderness. And we are the body of the Great Temple He has built of which the LORD Jesus is both Head and King.
What is important to note that we must receive Jesus as our King as well as our Savior. The great promises of this passage are only for those who have been born again. But faith also demands obedience as well. He alone is the way to eternal life and a better kingdom. He is not a king just like the other nations. And the Temple He has build is like no earthly temple either. We must follow His ways and not establish our own ways like the world does. He is the way to the better rest than that provided for earthly Israel. The rest which David and Israel had was very short-lived. In the very next chapter, the wars begin again. But when the Kingdom comes in its fullness, there shall be only peace and not war.
While we wait for the day of His appearing, we must follow the leadership of our Great Shepherd. We are not called to use carnal weapons in our warfare. We must not use the devices of this world but the mighty words of the gospel. We bless and do not curse. We don’t seek to avenge ourselves. We are to be meek and humble, for we shall inherit the earth in the end. We must exercise patience. King David endured much suffering on the way to the peak of his power. We must endure many dangers, toils, and snares as well. But we do not strive for a peak, after which it is downhill. Rather we ascend to a plateau. There is no downside. Let us encourage each other with there words of hope.
