2 Samuel 7 vs 1-29

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 1 – 3

·    A house of cedar would be unique and special to say the least. Almost all the architecture in that area would be stone or rock of clay of some sort due to the arid landscape. So, this means that David lived in an extravagant, beautiful, unique and very expensive home. He looks around and is a bit brokenhearted that the presence of the king is like this and the presence of the King of kings was essentially a tent…

·    The house of cedar is a long way from Adullam’s cave. I make that point to make this point. David is in this house of cedar as a result of him honoring the Lord. Doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord in terms of how he dealt with Saul. When he could have killed him, taken from him, overcome him, looked out for himself…, he didn’t… He chose the hard and narrow path…

·    And this is a glimpse of the multiplied hard-fought, hard-earned benefits of faithfulness in life. You don’t earn your salvation. Salvation and the forgiveness of all sin is a free gift simply to be received. But apart from salvation, the blessings of life can be left to chance and just maybe…, or you can choose to serve the Lord knowing that He is faithful to His Word…

·    Proverbs 28:20 says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (not blessing), for they shall be filled!” Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful (feeling or expressing contempt). But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper!”

·    Here’s the thing. Far too many, mostly all if I’m being brutally honest, spend their lives furnishing their caves with whatever they can get for themselves… When God wants to build each and everyone of us a house of cedar. So much so that we sit one day and our heart is to give it all back to Him. Just like David. No wonder so many don’t tithe, so many can’t see past what they don’t have to really be grateful for what they do have, so many treat others unlike how they want to be treated…, it’s because their cave they’ve built for themselves isn’t enough and somehow they know it…

·    It’s a sick play of the enemy. Encourages and influences you to perfect your cave and then when there’s no more that really can be done to make it any better, he turns his narrative to how its so much less than… And envy, regret, personal disappointment sets in…, and what does 100% of us do when that happens? We bury it so we can try to be happy for the day, and it morphs into hardness of heart towards others…

·    I get that the narrow and hard path is to submit to the Lord and to bow your will today to serve Him…, to choose the cave if that’s what today needs… But the difference is that those that choose the cave for a season escape it in life… And those that run from the cave for a season, get trapped in it… Not David. His house that God built him, that God has provided is magnificent…

·    And how do you know you’re there…? You begin to be mindful of the house of God! The presence of God and the ministry to God becomes your focus! This is when you actually get to enjoy the things you have instead of just living in want and the things you have have you!

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 4 – 7

·    Nathan is someone that will come up several times in the life of David. He was a prophet and a good man. Notice, the word of the Lord didn’t come to David but to Nathan. There are countless reasons to surround yourself with godly people, to associate and build close relationships with those that love the Lord, and hear Him…, and one of them is that you can hear from the Lord twice as much!!

·    Now I say can and not do because you still have to listen to your godly friend which some folks (including me and all of us at times) don’t do very well!

·    And here, God responds to the desire of David’s heart which was certainly good and God’s response is gentle and it is a no. It’s a no and at the same time you sense that God is well pleased.

·    David wasn’t asked to build a house unto the Lord. It was more than what he was asked to do. He wanted to do for the Lord more than what was asked of him. This is a sure place to be that pleases the Lord!

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 8 – 11

·    I love this principle being put on display. You can never out give God! Whatever I devote to God, (recall Psalm 1), God will take it and multiply back to me in how He blesses me! Some have taken this biblical truth and weaponized it for the satisfying of the flesh… That is a terrible error! Give unto God so that He will give unto you is sin. Give unto God because of what He has given you, because of His goodness, because you simply want to honor the King of kings…, and the storehouses of heaven open to you!

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 12 – 17

·    Here we know that God is not talking about the coming Messiah from the lineage of David. And we know that because Jesus would be without sin. God is speaking here of Solomon.

·    We get a further explanation of this in 1 Chronicles 22:6-13, “Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ Now, my son, may the Lord be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the Lord your God, as He has said to you. Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

·    This was an important and comforting and blessing filled promise of God to David because until now, there was no passing of the monarchy in a family. It was captured by deposition. Saul was gone and so was the strength of his line. God gives the blessing and promise to His servant David that it will be from him that comes the next king and the next unto forever as Jesus Himself would eventuate from the line of David.

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verse 18

·    David’s worshipful response to God! This is awesome! We are getting to read here the actual worship in spirit and truth of a man that truly honors the Lord in his heart. God just told him that He was going to elevate David. Set him on and in a place that no other man has ever been or ever will be… And instead of honoring himself in any way, he honors the Lord! What you do with what God has given you is a sure revelation of if you are a person of worship (and wisdom)!

·    Does it go to your head? Your good genes and beautiful appearance. Does it make you avoid or treat less than those that aren’t as beautiful as you? Your financial status. Your advantages afforded to you by your parents. Where you come from. Does it make you treat others less than you? Or, do you look at all that you are, all that you have achieved by the hand of God and been given by the grace of God, and does it soften you and make you a person of rest and refuge for others?

·    This is why God makes David king over His people. Saul used the kingdom and the people for himself. Why? Because he was exceedingly evil? No. Simply because he honored himself… That’s it. It all comes back to that. David uses the kingdom for the glory of God and uses himself to serve, protect and feed the people. Listen to His heart for God…

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 19 – 24

·    I’m not the king, You are. I’m not the leader of the people, You are. I’m not the provider or protector of my family. You are. David doesn’t just call himself the servant of the Lord, the Lord calls him that as well…

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verse 25

·    Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

·    Here is the mark of a man or a woman truly of God. David doesn’t get what he wants. Or does he? He wants to build a house for God… Does he get that? No. But does he get what he wants? Here is the man of God. He wants God’s will over his own. He gets what he wants.

·    Just as Jesus prayed on that last night (Luke 22:42), “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” We look at that as a concession. As submission. It wasn’t. It was a revelation of what Jesus desired. Which was the will of the Father over everything else…

2 Samuel Chapter 7 Verses 26 – 29

·    Look at this pattern that leads to the blessed life. You are God, Your word is truth, Your promises are sure and they are for my good. Then we read, bless, blessing, blessed… Why do some have such faith and yet are lowly blessed?

·    Not saying in the material things, not not saying it either… But I’m talking about people that aren’t joyful. Folks that don’t enjoy their lives. And that is shown in how they treat others. Surrounded by people and no one wants to be near to them?

·    If someone is joyful and fulfilled in their heart of hearts, they will quite naturally simply be loving, accommodating and pleasant to folks around them… Those that are not is a sure reflection of their heart of hearts being unsatisfied… In need. Not getting what they need from that person so they respond accordingly…

·    But someone no longer in need of anything because they are so richly blessed by God, they’re not asking for anything from anyone in their interactions. So, when they get nothing, or even when they get taken from by others…, accommodation, hospitable, humble and at peace…  

·    This is why some are one way and others are (sadly for them) another. You are God, Your word is my foundation, Your promises are sure and good… Bless, Blessing, Blessed….