When God Says No! Series

When God Says "No!”

Reading: 2 Samuel chapter 7:

Ill:

• All of us are familiar with the ‘Taj Mahal’ in India.

• It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

• But not everyone knows the story behind it.

• In 1631, a great emperor named Shah Jahan;

• Built this beautiful structure

• In memory of his wife of 19 years who died while bearing their 14th child.

• When she died,

• Shah Jahan left his wife’s deathbed and went straight to his palace quarters,

• And he locked the doors behind him.

• For 3 days he remained locked in is room, taking no food or drink.

• When he reappeared 9 days later,

• His raven black hair had turned completely white.

• When he returned to his palace,

• The emperor began construction of his wife’s tomb;

• To build it would not be easy;

• It would take 22,000 men and women & 1,000 elephants;

• Working around the clock, 24 hours a day for 22 years to complete the project.

• Today the Taj Mahal contains the tomb of his wife;

• And is one of the Seven Wonders of the modern World

TRANSITION:

• It is NOT uncommon for someone;

• To create or build something beautiful for the one they love.

• That’s what David (a man after God’s own heart) wanted to do.

• He wanted to build a beautiful structure for his God.

• In the ancient world, when kings had no wars to fight;

• They often took on projects.

• David Israel’s greatest king was enjoying a period of rest

• Verse 1 tells us “the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him”

Things for David were as good as they might ever be:

• He was king over the entire nation

• He had established a new capital,

• He had a new close spiritual advisor, the prophet Nathan

• Verse 2: As he enjoys the luxury of living in a palace;

• He sends for Nathan the prophet and says:

• “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

Ill:

• The ark of God has several names in the Old Testament;

• It is also known as the ark of the covenant,

• The ark of the LORD, and the ark of the testimony.

• The Ark of the Covenant was a kind of chest,

• Inside this chest were a number of sacred items such as;

• The stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, scrolls of the Law,

• Manna, and the rod of Aaron.

• The ark is a symbol of God’s permanent covenant(s) with the Jewish people;

• And a symbol of his presence among them.

• It was housed in the tabernacle.

• Which was a large super-tent/marquee type of structure.

• As David thinks of this special sacred chest sitting in a tent.

• He hazes around his palace and thinks - that does not make sense!

• And so we pick up the story with David wanting to do something about it!

As I have studies the passage this week:

• The thing that has stood out to me is David’s heart;

• And in this passage we will see three characteristics of that heart:

(1). A zealous heart (vs 1-2).

“After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

Ill:

• When he Pastored the Methodist church in Scarborough,

• The great preacher William Sangster had an eccentric member in his congregation.

• This man was a zealous Christian.

• But unfortunately, the man was also mentally deficient and usually did the wrong thing.

• While working as a barber the man lathered up a customer for a shave,

• Came at him with the poised razor, and asked,

• “Are you prepared to meet your God?”

• The frightened man fled out of the shop and down the road;

• With the shaving lather still on his face!

The heart of David was a zealous heart.

• Quote: Dictionary describes ‘zealous’ as "eagerness in the pursuit of something."

• The idea being to "pursue" something with strong feelings;

• Until that ‘something’ is found or completed.

The heart of David was a zealous heart.

• As David sat resting from his hard work;

• Sitting in his luxurious palace made out of the best cedar wood;

• We would say it was constructed out of the best materials that money could buy!