Standing On The Promises Series

When God makes you a promise you can stand on that promise

The Hymn says it well:

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God, I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

That hymn has brought great comfort to many by reminding them of the sure promises of God. The only caution is to be sure to know how to determine when God is making a promise to you.

There was a lady who felt God would return something to her she lost. She used some obscure passage of scripture that had nothing to do with her and her situation. We don’t need to read our own desires into scripture and then claim that as a promise.

In 2 Samuel 5-7 David stands on God’s promise to him. It is God’s covenant to David. The promise is that his decedents will reign on the throne of Israel forever. This is a promise to David. I cannot stand on that promise for my descendants, and you cannot, but David can. Yet this promise goes beyond David and his family and the King of Israel. It is the promise of the coming Messiah.

Now this is a promise I can stand on. That Jesus Christ my Savior, my Lord, my King will reign forever. Here is a promise that cannot fail.

A lot has happened in the life of David since he brought down Goliath, the feared and dreadful giant. There was Saul’s jealousy that made him pursue David. Then Saul dies in battle and David is anointed King of Judah at Hebron. Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul is king over Israel. Later Ish-Bosheth was murdered and David was anointed king over all Israel.

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” (2 Samuel 5:1-2).

David conquers Jebusites in Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem is called the city of David. The Lord is with David. And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him. (2 Samuel 5:10). Hiram the King of Tyre sent building materials for David to have a beautiful palace in Jerusalem.

In Chapter 7 David is settled in his palace. After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, (2 Samuel 7:1).

This brings us to our focus. The Ark of God dwelled in a tent (the Tabernacle) as ornate as it was it was made of skins and was moved from place to place. David tells Nathan, “Here I am in my palace and God is dwelling in a tent.” He wants to build a temple.

That sounds good. But just because something sounds good doesn’t mean you are to do it. The first question to ask is does God want David to build a house for him? If not, the energies are wasted, and the efforts are empty. To build God’s house it must be in God’s will.

When you launch a venture like this you must see evidence of God in it. But for David the situation was different. God didn’t have it planned for David to build a house for Him. This Scripture is a pivotal Old Testament passage even more so than David and Goliath. It is God’s covenant with David.

God’s Covenant with David:

“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” 17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. (2 Samuel 7:12-16)

It is a covenant relationship that includes obligation and commitment. God made a covenant with Noah (Genesis 6). God made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15). The covenant was re-affirmed with Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. At Sinai God made a covenant with Moses. And now God makes a covenant with David.