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Nathan's Message to David

2 Samuel 7.1-11,16

Good News Translation (GNT)

  1  King David was settled in his palace, and the
   Lord kept him safe from all his enemies.
  2  Then the king said to the prophet Nathan,
   "Here I am living in a house built of cedar,
   but God's Covenant Box is kept in a tent!"
  3  Nathan answered, "Do whatever you have in
   mind, because the Lord is with you."
  4  But that night the Lord said to Nathan,
  5  "Go and tell my servant David that I say to
   him, 'You are not the one to build a temple
   for me to live in.
  6  From the time I rescued ;the people of Israel
   from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a
   temple; I have travelled around living in a tent.
  7  In all my travelling with the people of Israel
   I never asked any of the leaders (a) that I
   appointed why they had not built me a temple
   made of cedar.'
  8  "So tell my servant David that I, the Lord
   Almighty, say to him, 'I took you from looking
   after sheep in the fields and made you the
   ruler of my people Israel.
  9  I have been with you wherever you have gone,
   and I have defeated all your enemies as you
   advanced. I will make you as famous as the
   greatest leaders in the world.
10, 11  I have chosen a place for my people Israel
   and have settled them there, where they will
   live without being oppressed any more.
   Ever since they entered this land, they have
   been attacked by violent people, but this will
   not happen again. I promise to keep you
   safe from all your enemies and to give you
   descendants.
16  You will always have descendants, and I will
   make your kingdom last forever. Your dynasty
   will never end.'

   Footnotes v7
   Probable text leaders;
   Hebrew - tribes.

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Taken from 'word-on-the-web' supplied by the
Scripture Union

Nathan's Message to David

The promise God makes to David comes as a prophecy of Nathan, David's counsellor, confidant and critic.

The words of God's promises to Abraham and Moses lie at the heart of this chapter, as David's desire to build God a physical 'house' (the Temple) is rebuffed and God promises David an everlasting 'house' (dynasty) dwelling in peace for ever.

What was in David's mind as he wanted to build the Temple?

Was it to give God the glory by honouring the Ark with a special palace-like building, similar to his own luxurious, cedar-panelled home?

Or was it, as was the custom in the ancient world, to boost his own prestige internationally by displaying his wealth and status in providing an appropriate place of worship for his God?

We are not told, but God clearly has other ideas.

He does not need a permanent home, and David, with blood on his hands from his many battles, is not the right person to build it.

As we overhear the long speech, we are given a ringside seat in hearing how God deals with our best intentions, transforming them into something far more worthwhile.

In Hebrew the word for 'house' (beit, as in Beth-lehem, 'house of bread') can mean home, family or dynasty.

This chapter provides the foundation for a major theme of the Old Testament, often called 'royal ideology' - that God will watch over the line of David, including his capital, land and people.

Such a promise is fulfilled and confirmed in Jesus, 'great David's greater son'

That David's offspring for all generations are included evidences the expansive promise of God, who is able to do 'immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine' (Ephesians 3:20).

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