GRAND DESIGN
Opening Prayer
As I pray today, Father, help me to tune my heart to yours, to earnestly seek you for what you would have me see and then do; help me to commit my will to yours.
Read 2 SAMUEL 7:1-17
God’s Promise to David
7 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.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘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[b]; your throne will be established forever.’”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
- 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘What is man that you are mindful of him … the son of man that you care for him?’ (Psalm 8:4, ESV).When we first read this passage, we may think, ‘Good for you, David! You’re seeking to serve the Lord rather than enjoy your own comfort.’ But the Lord doesn’t quite see it that way…
God asks David a rhetorical question: ‘Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?’ (v 5). In response, God answers his own question, ‘I will make you a house’ (see v 11, ESV). David had the resources to build a temporary temple. God promised to make David a wonderful everlasting ‘house’ that wouldn’t perish or crumble (v 16). God had taken David from pasture to palace (v 8), had ‘cut off’ all his enemies, and now promised to make David’s name uniquely great (v 9). God also spoke of a time when he would bless David’s heir who would build a temple (vs 13,14), and though he would discipline him for sin, he would not remove his love from him (vs 14,15). In time, the King of kings, Jesus, would be born through this bloodline.
God doesn’t need anything from us. He is three-in-one, perfect, not lacking in any way. The fact that humans can serve him is because he chooses graciously to involve us and work in and through us, for his glory and our good.
Apply
How do you serve God? Have you slipped from joyful gratitude into somehow thinking that you’re doing God a favor?
Closing prayer
Lord God, everything I have has come from you. Help me to use all that I am, all that is mine to bring you glory.
Book and Author Intros
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