2 Samuel 7 (Part 1) Bible Study (The Lord's Covenant with David) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

You and I should be particularly glad to be a bible study tonight because as we open our bibles to second Samuel chapter seven, we are tuning into a portion of scripture that is one of the most significant chapters in the Old Testament. And so that should thrill us because we are going to explore in detail why that is the case. Why is this one of the most important, monumental, history shaping text that god has provided us in the revelation of his word? And so you're there? Second Samuel chapter seven.

I'm not gonna read the entire chapter, and we're not going to cover this entire chapter tonight. I'm actually going to read the first three verses before I ask you what you see because the rest of the verses, the the remaining of the chapter is pretty straightforward. And, and I want us to be able to take our time with this. So we're not going to just cover the first three verses. I'm gonna read the three verses, and then from there, we will take it verse by verse together.

And so our brother just prayed, but I want us to just pray one more time. I I don't wanna rush into this. I really want us to take our time in the presence of god. Lord, we thank you for this text. We thank you that it has something to say to us, that it has something to say about the gospel that we love and cherish and have been saved by.

And, Lord, in this session, we pray that the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is promised to us in first John would be an operation, that we would be taught by the spirit of God, and that we would be able to discern what is the will of God, and that we would reject anything that we've believed beforehand that is not in alignment to the truth. And, Lord, may these truths warm our affections. May they elevate our thoughts of Jesus. May they rescue us from sin and difference, lukewarmness, and may they put us exactly where you want us to be, and that is in your perfect will. Lord, we love you, and we honor you tonight.

In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. It's no exaggeration for us to say that this text paints for us the dawn of a new era. It is so crucial to understand because from this point forward, from second Samuel chapter seven moving forward, many of the prophecies of the prophets will rely on this revelation and build on that revelation. We'll find it in the songs.

We'll find it in the minor prophets, the major prophets. This is huge. This is absolutely massive. And more than that, it is absolutely necessary to understand what is about to take place as a Christian. As a Christian, what you and I are going to see is what is often referenced as the Davidic covenant, a covenant that God himself makes with David and his lineage and his his future descendants, which which is so crucial in connection to so many facets of our faith, namely understanding the personal work of Jesus Christ, but not limited to that.

It's important to understand a level of of who the church is, what the church does. It's important to understand eschatology, a fancy way of saying the the doctrine of the last days. What is here before us touches so many nerves of what you and I hold to dear in our hearts as new covenant followers of Jesus Christ who is our Messiah. And so this isn't, just a history lesson. This is this is deep.

This is something that is has been fulfilled, is in a way being fulfilled, and one day will know complete fulfillment. And so, again, we're not looking into the past only. We're looking at how this applies to today and what we are looking forward to tomorrow. This is incredible. You and I are are actually looking at a text that very much applies to us today and for the church of tomorrow.

I actually believe that if you don't understand the Davidic covenant, you can't really understand the New Testament. You can't. Many of those things won't make sense. You won't you won't understand Matthew chapter 21. You won't understand people saying, son of David, have mercy on me.

It won't make it just it just go over your head. But when you understand this foundation as a reference point, it all makes sense. It all comes together, and and you understand what the immediate audience would have felt and realized when Jesus Christ stepped into into the world in our world. So we're gonna realize how important this is. We're gonna realize to some degree, not exhaustively, of why this is so crucial to understanding our faith in Christ, but we're gonna be patient with the process and and just go along with the thought process here of the Holy Spirit's leading.

In verse one, now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, The king said to Nathan the prophet, see now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent. And Nathan said to the king, go do all that is in your heart, for the lord is with you. We almost wanna say, okay. Thank you for that introduction, but let's get to the meat. There's meat in here.

There's something to chew on. There's something to digest. Revisit those verses again. We've been doing this in the past few weeks. Look at those verses again.

Is there anything that stands out to you, anything that you think is worth meditating on or at least considering? Okay. So is this the right time for this massive project to take place, for a permanent home to be constructed for the ark of God, for the presence of God dwelling on earth? We'll find out what God says to it. Anything else?

God is dwelling in a tent. And where is David dwelling? In a palace? What does that reveal about David's heart? That that's important to consider.

Anything else? Yes? Okay. So Nathan is mentioned, and he's introduced to us for the first time in the scriptures. So that is a worthy observation.

Yes. The Lord, verse one, had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies. Amen. Yes. Very good observation.

What else? It it doesn't seem like we're working with much, but put some pieces together. And we're gonna do that in a moment, but let's just let's just wait to see if anybody else has any other observations. Okay. So there's a are you saying there's a relationship between god being in their midst and then being able to do more because he's there?

Okay. Yeah. I think there's something there. Anything else? Well, let's look at verse one, shall we?

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, Verse two, we gotta connect these two verses. The king said to Nathan the prophet, see now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent. It is not a small detail that we are being informed how David is now enjoying a period of rest from his enemies. God has increased his status. God has increased his success to the point where it is for a a brief moment of time silenced his enemies.

And so he is now in a place of great prosperity, great power, and it is in that context where we are given a revelation of the deepest yearnings and longings of his heart. In that place where he has been so exalted, in a place where he is receiving recognition even from surrounding nations, that there is a supernatural grace behind his rule, his reign, it is in that kind of a world where his thoughts are not even consumed with that at all. He is considering he is contemplating where he is in comparison to where God's symbolic presence is. Now that is significant, but because it reveals something about this man David. Early on, we are seeing that he is a different kind of man.

And how is he different? Because when a person is promoted, when a person enjoys a level of authority, honor, success has a reputation of expelling our thoughts of God, not exalting them. It's it's it's more common for the average person to be swept away into the ocean of selfishness by the tides of affluence and ascendancy. Right? But David was not that kind of a person.

I mean, you stick him in a field as a teenager to be the manager of his father's sheep, and he has a worshipful heart. Put him in a palace surrounded with pillars of stone, and he he's still a worshiper of God. He was never polluted. At least up to this point, he was not deterred. He was not directed into a place of the flesh.

His he was so grounded in this conviction that I want to abound more and more in loving God. And in no matter what period of his young life you find him, yes, he struggled. Yes, he tempted. But deep down inside, he really hungered after God. He really longed after God.

And that should that should ask us that should cause us to reflect In this house, as members of God's house, do I do I reflect that? Someone cleverly said it's it's not just suffering that reveals what's in us. It's it's also success. Success has the ability to really show us who we are. And, really, unfortunately, in my own life, I've observed that it doesn't take much for Christians to be deterred in their devotion for God.

I mean, all it takes is a little acquisition of property. All it takes is to meet a potential romantic partner, and and their focus on God, their zeal for God waivers. So I wanna challenge you that as you advance in life, let that only advance you to be more committed and prayerful about how you can honor God in this new context. And just let these the things of this life bounce off and you can rejoice in it. You can thank God for it, but never let it dampen what God wants to ultimately see in you.

What you see here is this man who has this primary passion for God. And it wasn't just like he thought about God and he gave God the bare minimum. I mean, he had this desire that God would be above everything else, even even above his luxury and his comforts. He he could not sit comfortably with the realization that he as a mere mortal, as a creature is in this palace and where God is is is behind a few curtains that disturbed him that disturbed him. Because in his mind it wasn't about my little empire and then just dishing some crumbs to the Lord.

It was everything orbits around the Lord. And so that's how he was so anchored. Everything, no matter where he went, it always came back to that. The the gravitational pull of his love for God always kept him centered on that. And that is something to admire.

That is something to rejoice, and that is something to say, lord, I need that to be done in me. And, you know, David could have soothed his own soul to advance in greater personal projects by reminiscing on the past. You know, I was the one who thought about bringing the ark into the capital. Nobody else thought about that. Saul didn't do it.

I'm the one who did it. The the guy was never stagnant in his service to God. He didn't just rely on the past. He always looked forward to the future with joy, with delight, with desire. I, lord, now that I'm here, what else can I do for you?

What else can I do for you now in this place with these resources, with this level of grace that has been given to me? Now what? How many in god's house today can confidently say that their passions align with David's? It's very rare, and that's unfortunate because it is available to us by the help of the holy spirit, prioritizing the glory of god more than your own little paradise, More than that, David's, oh, he just I can just imagine him sitting at the edge of his throne with his hand on his chin. No.

This isn't right. And just the the dreams and the longings, and then you're always knowing and asking and seeking, oh, god. How can I glorify you more now? How can I glorify you more? So you see as this man is growing, as this man is graduating, so is his love for the Lord.

But why is it the opposite for so many Christians? Why is it a descending thing for so many believers? Why is it the a common thing again as people get families and as they get children and as they get promotions and as they move to their dream home, whatever the case may be, it's like as though the more God gives them in life, the less they give back to God. I'm not talking about money. I'm talking about your time, your affections, your love.

Why is that? I never understood that because the Bible presents a different trajectory. And if this man can have it in the old covenant, how much more if we are infused with the spirit of God in a greater covenant than the old? Don't settle for less. Look at this man.

In a time where he's been given rest from the Lord, his heart was in a holy way restless. Oh, Lord. I wanna worship you. I want people to I want your to be magnified, your name to be blessed. What can I do?

I love this man. And we look here that David in verse two does not keep these things private. The king said to Nathan the prophet, see now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent. What does that reveal to you? Let let me give you a little hint, a little interpretational hint.

Oftentimes, whenever the Bible introduces to us someone for the first time, the things connected to that introduction tend to reveal foundational aspects of that individual's character. So when somebody comes up with their first for the first time with their name and oftentimes you see an action or recorded words, that introduction of the individual and what is revealed about them says something about their innate personality or attitude or character. And so for the first time in the scriptures, the prophet Nathan appears on the scene. And what I see here before we get to Nathan is is how David felt comfortable enough to expose his heavenward desires with this man. He was able to to share his enthusiasm with this person named Nathan.

And you can tell that even the way he says it, he's in contemplation mode. He's almost like speaking his mind in the presence of Nathan. Oh, see now, like, this isn't right, Nathan. I don't get it. I'm here.

Look how beautiful this place. Look how majestic it is. And I look out the window. Look look where God is. Look at that.

I mean, the tents can can blow over. The the the curtains are just doesn't he deserve something more? This is how he's talking to this man, Nathan. And I believe that says something about Nathan, because look how Nathan answers in verse three. Nathan said to the king, go, do all that is in your heart for the Lord is with you.

What does that tell you about Nathan? Just from that one sentence. What do you think that says something about the man? Any idea? He is an encourager.

The main takeaway I have from Nathan in this moment is that he was able, one, to not just be in the presence of David, a very spiritual man, but he he clearly was able to share in his joy. David was a discerning man. David was a godly man. David knew who was godly. David knew who wasn't godly.

And I believe for David to be able to communicate this to this individual shows that David knew that they were they were on the same level here. They were equally yoked. And then Nathan was not just a person who understood those stirrings of the heart himself, but he was he was able and, oh, more than willing to encourage David to walk in them himself. Go for it, man. Is that on your heart?

Go for it. I champion that. I'm I'm supportive of that. And when I look at Nathan's life here, I think of a principle that I've used before. I've said it many times, and I'll say it again today because we're creatures of repetition.

Listen to this. You and I in this life have friends. You can categorize those friends in many ways. I categorize them in my own life according to the Bible in two different ways. The first is that you have friends who will either help you fight your temptation, or you will have friends who will help you fuel your temptation.

That's it. They will either fight help you fight the temptation, or they will be friends who fuel your temptation. Let me put it in another way. You and I in this life will have friends who will either direct our godly aspirations or they will dampen them. They will either direct them or they will dampen them with their worldliness and their indifference.

And you have to ask yourself, the people in my network, where do they fall into that category? It's it's one or the other. Because in the same way, there's no neutral in your walk with the Lord. You're either going forward or you're going backward. And when you think you're not moving anywhere, you're actually moving backward.

Just remember that. You're either moving forward or you're moving backward. And the moments where you think that you're just, like, stagnant, you're actually numb and you're slipping backward and you're not realizing it. In the same way, the people in my life, they're either going to help me grow my godly aspirations or they will actually weaken them. And in this case, Nathan was a man who knew how to stir and spur on the faith of this friend of his who showed a spark.

He showed a spark of this godly aspiration. I wanna do more for God, And he breathed life into it. Listen. What a blessing it is to have people in our lives who excite our faithfulness for God. And what a curse it is to be comfortable in the crowd of people who do not have a zest for spiritual things, who do not have a zest for spiritual things.

So understand what I'm trying to say here. I'm gonna say it again. The people in your life, do they stir you on to godliness, or do they they try to remove that wick that wants to burn out for god. And if you don't think that's a serious thing, oh, I'm telling you, it is a serious thing. It it it has really brought so many potential men and women of god down, and I don't want that to happen to you.

You look at this man and you see that he had a fellowship with someone who was who was in tune with God. And if you have a person in your life listen. Even if it's one person, because I know they're rare to find. If you even have one person in your life where you can you know that you can call up and open your heart up about your dreams or your discoveries about God, and and you know that you can open up to them because they have that same delight, you're a very rich man. You are a very, very rich woman.

And if you feel like you lack that quality of friendship, believe that God can provide such a person. He can provide that kind of person. He could providentially lead your steps to that individual. Hey. Wake up.

Listen to this. Don't settle for cheap fellowship with Christians, listen, who get who come to life when you bring up anything in this world, but are awkward when you bring up deep spiritual things in God. Do you know those people? I've been in many of those situations. They're church people, you're in the group setting, you bring up the things of God and they look at you like deer staring into the headlights.

You can bring up any other topic and they're skilled in it and they're excited about it. Bring up the deep things of God and it looks like you said something about their their mother or something, like you insulted them. They're like offended by the fact that you a Christian would dare to bring up spiritual things that you've discovered in the word in your personal walk with the Lord. It's really sad, but don't settle for that. David had a standard for his his companionship.

He did. In Psalm one nineteen verse 63, he says, I am a companion. Can anybody finish a verse? I am a companion of what? I am a companion of what?

Of those who fear you and who keep your precepts. I am a companion of those who fear you and who keep your precepts. You know what David's standard of friendship was? Do you fear God? No?

I'll say hi to you. You're a nice person. I ask you how you're doing at work. But my my who I unite myself with are people who walk in a perpetual sense of God's omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience. I'm fully aware of who God is, and I walk in the fear.

We can be friends. We can be friends. Nathan was not concerned here as he's about to share his heart back with David. He was not concerned about anything else about God himself. He was he was he was a prophet.

Yes. But he was a righteous prophet. Just because you're a prophet doesn't mean much. Now see what happens in verse four. But that same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan.

Go and tell my servant David, thus says the Lord, would you build me a house to dwell in? So what's happening here? So Nathan has this meeting with with David. He goes back home, and that very same night, the Lord speaks to the prophet. And he says, go back to David and tell David that he's not gonna build my house.

And so here's what's amazing here, that the quality of David's friendships was not just because he had mutually shared divine delights. The quality of his friendship includes the safety that he experienced from those who love God's word enough to speak it into your life, especially when you need it to be corrected. And that's exactly what's happening with Nathan. Nathan shares his, I believe, his personal opinion at this moment. He didn't inquire of God.

Maybe he didn't feel like he needed to. Maybe he thought that this was so good. Why would you even need to ask God? So he just says, go for it. You have my support.

God says, Nathan, go back and tell him that he can't do it. And Nathan is gonna turn back. He does. He doesn't wait. He's immediate with his obedience.

And he was not concerned of whether or not what he said beforehand was right or wrong. He learned the will of God, and upon that fresh revelation, he goes before David again, and he wasn't worried whether or not he was gonna disappoint David or anger David. Hey, David. I love you. I love what God is doing in you, but God told me to tell you, you ain't the guy.

You're not gonna be the person. And when I thought about Nathan's life, at that point, I stopped and I leaned back and I said, Nathan, if you think about every instance where Nathan and David shared a moment together, there's a consistent theme. There's a consistent theme with their interaction. There's a total of three times where you see David and Nathan together. And if you actually think about it, each time shows something about Nathan and the kind of person he was in terms of relationship with a brother.

When's the next time David and Nathan are gonna bump into each other? Bathsheba, second Samuel chapter 12. What does Nathan do? You're the man. You're the man.

And he exposes the sin that David tried to hide in his adultery and in his murder. When's the next time you see David and Nathan together? There's another time. That's a different prophet, but good guess. When's the next time?

First Kings where? At his deathbed. Good. And what's happening at his deathbed? Very good.

Who is going to succeed David as king? And somebody one of his sons are already plotting something. What's his name? Do you remember? No.

Not Absalom. Another one with the name of a letter a. Adonijah. Adonijah is already plotting to usurp the the next king who is supposed to be Solomon. So the prophet comes, and he he initiates a quick move for Solomon to be rightly ordained and anointed before Adonijah creates a mess.

So he was the one that stirred up David to consider what has happened. He got Bathsheba involved, and they made this whole plan to get Solomon on that throne. So the three times where you see Nathan with David, what do you see? He he corrects him here. He rebukes him in the next scene.

And then the last one, he tries to direct him to make the right decision. In every single instance, Nathan is holding David accountable every single time. Get a friend like that. Yeah? Get a friend who loves God's word and God's honor so much that they're willing to speak into your life in order you walk in honor of God in all things.

That's the kind of prophet Nathan was. He didn't shy. He wasn't like, you know, I don't wanna make this awkward. Maybe it's not a big deal. When he saw something concerning, he spoke up.

When the Lord revealed something, and we have it according to his word, and it didn't line up with his friend's way of life, he said something. He said something. These days we wanna be liked by everybody, and we don't wanna be seen as self righteous. Well, don't do it in a self righteous way. But if you really love somebody, you will say something as hard as it is.

And Nathan was such a man. I don't think it was just because he was a prophet, but because he was a a friend to David. You look at prophets in the in the the prophetic books, many of them didn't correct their kings. Many of them didn't correct the people of God because they wanted their affection. They wanted their admiration.

Forget it. This man looked at his friend and he says, hey. Look. God told me to tell you this. Hey.

Look. You can't be holding on to your sin. Hey. Look. David, you're becoming too relaxed.

You're you're not discerning the situation. Solomon needs to be king. Adonijah's trying to take over. That is the kind of friend this man was. And I I believe that it made such an impression on David that he made this subtle decision in honor of him.

Do you wanna see what he did? I believe. You might disagree, but I think it's a nice thought. It's in first Chronicles chapter three. And I want you to see this because I think this is the timing of it is quite amazing.

In first Chronicles three, we read about David's children. And when you come to verse five, you read the children that he had with Bathsheba. First Chronicles three five. These were born to him in Jerusalem, David, Shemaiah, Shobab, who? Nathan.

Nathan. And Solomon, four by Bathsheba, the daughter of Amiel. It makes you wonder if if after having children with Bathsheba that David held such Nathan to a high regard be because of his integrity that he names one of his own Nathan. Oh, I hope that my son would be like my friend, the prophet Nathan, who loves God's word more than anything else, who's willing to speak up no matter who stands before him. That's the kind of man I want my son to be.

It's an interesting thought. Let's come back to our main text. Look at verse five. Go and tell my servant David, thus says the Lord, would you build me a house to dwell in? And if you look earlier, when did this happen?

Next week? Or did it happen the same night? Happened the same night. You know what I love about the Lord? The Lord, when he sees someone who truly has a heart after God, who truly wants to honor God, is very protective of where you move in life.

Do you see what I'm saying? Here's one of the blessings that you have. I'm sorry. It's not for you if you're worldly and you wanna live lukewarm and wanna be just a nominal Christian. But for the person who lives for the glory of God, this is one of the inheritance you have, I believe.

The Lord was so quick to make sure that David didn't make an error, and he was he was willing to guide him. Yes. Through a prophet, but I believe that is a promise in providence. God will guide your steps. You know, if you're truly a lover of God, you don't have to fear about being led into the wrong direction in life.

You don't have to fear. You can trust the Lord that he will find a way to communicate to you exactly where you need to be and what you need to do. As long as your heart is set on glorifying him, that is your inheritance for this life. Verse five, he says, would you build me a house to dwell in? That's a rhetorical question.

And in that question is actually a statement. And if you if you doubt what I'm about to say, all you have to do is go to the paralleling account of first Chronicles 17, and he says it plainly. What the lord is saying here, David, you are not going to build for me a house. You're not going to build for me a house. And when you look at that, you would think maybe that this would disappoint the man of God, that this would hurt the man of God, especially because the the the prophet Nathan doesn't give him any reason for it.

He doesn't tell him necessarily why you won't be able to do it. That comes later on. David will discover it much, much later to why it is that his hands would not be the direct contribution to this marvelous idea. But for now, the answer comes, and the answer is it's not gonna happen from you. It's not gonna happen in your lifetime.

I believe in that is one of the most important lessons for the eager servant of God. Because if you understand what I'm about to say, it will save you from a lot of confusion and frustration in life. Was David's desire here, selfish or was it God glorifying? God glorifying. Was there anything in it for him?

No. In fact, God is gonna actually if you think that he had mixed motives, later on in first Kings, we are told that he had a noble desire. He actually says to David in in chapter eight, he says, what was in your heart, you did well for having it in your heart. So this this isn't because David had an ulterior motive here and he wanted to do something for his self. No.

No. This was completely honorable unto God, completely pure. And yet just because it's righteous, just because it's commendable, just because it's praiseworthy, just because it is God glorifying does not mean that God is obliged to give us what we're requesting. I know that might be shocking. I know that might not be the most comfortable truth for the flesh, but it is important to know nonetheless.

The Lord does not operate by automatically giving us the green light on things that we are asking for just because it is something that is good And just because it is something that is holy, and and as much as we wanna do it for his name's sake, because the Lord and his wisdom is more much more much, much more more aware of the intricacies that are involved that if something were to go through that we are completely unaware of. And the Lord, in this case, knows that this is not for David. This is for somebody else. Was the desire good? Absolutely.

Was it righteous? You bet. Was it God's will? No. So we we've we've made our relationship with God in in our prayer life too simplistic to our own harm, I believe.

Because we think if we if we if it's good and if it's right and if we can pull out a few verses to justify it, that means that God has to grant it, not necessarily. And just like David, God often doesn't give us the reasons for it either, at least in the moment. He doesn't he doesn't explain why doors shut, why things don't happen, why why our dreams don't come to pass, so to speak, as much as they are laced with desire for god to be blessed by. God knows. God understands.

God sees what you don't see. And here's the thing. Again, that might make your your flesh tense up, but be pliable like David was. Because when you when we're gonna look at this next week, we're not gonna have time to do it. When you look at David's response, he was worshipful.

He surrendered to the sovereign will of God. He didn't protest. He didn't become bitter. He didn't raise his fist. He didn't pout and pace back and forth.

Well, I wanted to do it. Why didn't you let me do it? I wanted this. So by god, it was for your glory. I've been a righteous man.

I've been serving you all these years. Nothing. Nothing of the sort. And so you need to embrace that truth for your life, or else you ope you're gonna open yourself up to this version of God where he is a utilitarian God, where he just gives if you press the right buttons. And he is much more wise and loving than that.

Now we're going to see something in verse six. Look at verse six. God says, I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel saying, why have you not build me a house of cedar? You know what he's saying through Nathan?

Hey, David. There wasn't a time up to this point where I ever asked any of the former leaders to build me a permanent house. Not once. There was not one moment where I said, why are you not considering that I'm living in a tent and not in a house of cedar? He's and he wants David to know that.

Here's the question. Why does that matter for David? Why does David need to hear that there was not a time before this where the Lord brought the idea even of a permanent, glorious, opulent dwelling place to be constructed in his name? Any idea? So if he wanted it, he would have really asked for it.

So there's something perhaps there. Does God really, really have a concern about a temple being built for him? Some would say yes, maybe some would say no. There is a plan. So we can marry those two thoughts together.

Perhaps it was because the timing wasn't right. The Lord didn't express it because it wasn't a time to express it. I believe that's a strong point. But why does David need to hear this personally? So I believe the two thoughts that you you you brought are the main points.

Number one, to tell David, David, this is not the time. But two, to also comfort David. To let David know, hey. It's okay. You don't have to live with any guilt that because you have this authority and ability to construct something as spectacular as a temple would be because, I never asked for it.

It's not something that I demanded. You're not breaking any law. And so just in case there might be even a hint of guilt in David's heart, the Lord puts him at ease by letting him know, I I did not ask this. I did not make this a burden, so be at ease. Be comforted with this truth.

And, you know, I looked at that and I thought to myself, I wonder if what the Lord is saying here to David can be helpful to those who might feel that what they have as a gift or what they've been assigned to in the church or in life is not enough for God. You have people who live like that. There is a very, very fine line between desiring to abound in the love of God more and more and feeling a a crippling sense of shame or disappointment for not achieving something that you believe will be pleasing to God. So there are some people who are haunted because unless they feel like they're doing something, it's not really going to bring God pleasure. And so they just feel like they're they're they're not fruitful, and it's not effective, and it's not achieving much, and it's not touching people's lives.

And so surely I'm not doing what God would require me to be happy with me. And I see something here with this this this conversation between the Lord and David at this point. David, it's okay. It's okay. I didn't call you to be an architect.

If if I wanted a house to be built, I would make a known. Just ask my servant, Moses. So so just relax and be be at ease. And I think a lot of a lot of people need to hear that, and it's it's for those who who are, uncomfortable Because unless they do something grand, unless it receives national recognition, unless it it changes people on a consistent basis, then it's not good enough for the Lord. And the Lord would say, as long as you do what I tell you to do.

That's all I ask. Your reward, my brother, my sister, in this life as a Christian should be his pleasure. Whether he sticks you in a stinking prison or he puts you in a palace, as long as you know that you're doing what God has called you to do, let that bring you joy and delight. And fight off those condemning thoughts that say, you're no one. You're not doing anything of value.

Just trust that the Lord and his providence hears your cries and will set you exactly where you need to be in order to bring delight to him, and he will do that. So David was comforted right away. The Lord wanted to and this this is a gracious this is a gracious word from the Lord. And now what's about to happen in the remaining verses is that we will see the inception of the establishment of David's covenant with God. This is huge.

This is important. As Christians, you and I have to grasp and realize how foundational what is about to take place is to our understanding of Jesus Christ. Does the word covenant appear in this chapter? It doesn't. I can read the whole chapter and you will not find the word covenant.

But that's how David understood it. Fast forward to chapter 23 of your book of second Samuel. Look at verse five. Second Samuel 23 verse five. David says, for does not my house stand so with God?

For he has made with me an everlasting covenant. It's right there. God made an everlasting covenant with me back in chapter seven. Order in all things and secure, for will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? So this is a covenant.

This is a promise that God is making with this man, and it's an agreement, but it is an agreement that is unconditional. It's unconditional, meaning there are no conditions that David has to observe that will keep this covenant alive. Everything that God says in this concerning the promises that he will fulfill is dependent upon his own faithfulness. Now what that doesn't mean is that David and his sons can do whatever they want without any consequences. They will know severe consequences if they step outside of the will of God even if they have this special covenant with God.

Would Would you like to know what that what that is? We read it. Pastor Daniel Bender read it. You don't have to turn it because we already read it, but let me rehearse it in your ear. In Psalm 89 verse 30, the Lord says, if his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.

I'm gonna discipline them. I'm gonna discipline Solomon. I'm gonna discipline Rehoboam. I will discipline every single one if I need to who steps outside of obedience to me. But notice what he says in verse 33, but I will not remove my steadfast love from him or be false to my faithfulness.

In other words, they can't do anything to cut this covenant off. They can't nullify it. Why? Because it's not dependent upon their faithfulness. It's all mine.

This promise that God is making with David is to showcase to the world that when God says something, he means it. And when God promises it will come to pass. So it's a special promise that God wants to make so that people can realize as as a witness to generations, the Lord keeps his word. And God is still keeping that promise. And God will fulfill this promise to show the world that he, even if he promised it thousands of years ago, did not forget.

What's the essence of the covenant? Somebody comes up to you and says, what's the Davidic covenant? You're a Christian. What would you answer? Very good.

Wonderful summary, is it not? Did you hear it? Okay. Maybe you didn't. So I'll read it from the verse here, verse 16.

Look at second Samuel seven sixteen. This is the summary of the covenant. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. Here is the the core meaning of this covenant.

I am going to establish your dynasty, David, and from your seed, I will preserve your kingdom from generation to generation, enduring forever and ever. That's my promise for you. And you know what's amazing? David wanted to build God a house, and God turned it around, and he gave him a counter proposal. I'm gonna build you a house.

That's what I'm gonna do. You wanna build me a house? How about this? I'm gonna build you a house. And so he promises him.

He promises him that I am going to watch over your seed, and I'm going to make sure not that just your name survives, but that your throne will survive and that you will have a kingdom forever and ever. And in the natural sense, that would have excited David so much because every king knew the jeopardy and the danger that awaited his descendants. That there would be usurpers and rivals that would rise up to try to eliminate and extinct any royal lines so that they can take over. And he was assured it's it's not gonna happen to yours. But David wasn't carnal like that.

He wasn't just about his name and his his reputation. David knew that there was a direct correlation between his kingdom being preserved and God's glory being praised. And so he was like, yes. This is amazing. This is wonderful.

And no wonder the way he responds next week we'll find out. But here's the thing. That's a summary of the covenant. Let's look at the details. So now we come to our text.

Right? In verse eight, now therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. Verse 10. Here's our first one.

Ready? The first detail. First facet of this covenant. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more, and violent men shall afflict them no more as formally. Number one, the Davidic covenant includes a permanent occupation of a certain land.

Controversial? No. Biblical. The Davidic covenant is linked to the Abrahamic one. And what was what was the Abrahamic covenant all about really?

Mainly land. I'm going to set apart a piece of real estate from all the earth that will host my people, the people of Israel. And I wanna tell you emphatically and clearly, there is nowhere in the Bible that indicates that God changed his promise about that. If anything, the New Testament affirms and confirms it. You don't believe me?

Read Romans nine, ten, and 11. And if you're not convinced there, go to the book of Revelation. And then you will see that God really, really meant what he said to Abraham, and he is just reaffirming that promise to his servant David. There's gonna be a place, and that place will be kept. I will make sure that you will occupy that place.

And I know that there is much drama around that place, and that drama will continue to rage on. But I assure you, if God is true, that no one, even if all the nations come together, will be able to thwart God's promise for the ethnic people who are known as Jews. This is not gonna happen. And, it's not because because I can hear the thoughts. It's not because God shows favoritism over one people group in comparison to others.

It's because God made a promise to a certain people group so that through the fulfillment of that promise, all the nations would say that that God keeps his promises. That's the point. He comes with the partnership with one people group so that the whole world for generations will be able to say, this is the God that keeps his promise. So it's not really controversial. It's biblical, and it has everything to do with the character of God.

So it includes a place. It includes an actual geographical location. But we read on and we see in verse 11. What does it say here? From the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel, and I will give you rest from all your enemies.

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. The Davidic covenant doesn't just include a place that will be occupied, it includes a peace from the enemies of Israel. A peace, a certain rest. And in this particular promise, there is a a near fulfillment and a future fulfillment. What's the near fulfillment?

At what point will Israel realize this rest that has been promised by God? It's not too far off from David. Solomon. Solomon's rule and reign was characterized by this rest. Right?

And God want to make sure that it was in that period of rest that the temple would be constructed because he didn't want the association of his house to be with war, which was David. David had too much blood on his hands, and he didn't want people to make the connection that that this house of worship was built by a man and during a time of war. He wanted to be done in a time of peace and worship to reflect the character and nature of God. Isn't that significant? But we see that after Solomon, it it quickly goes downhill and what happens?

War, civil war happens, a split with the nation the tribes in the nation. There's there's exile. All this crazy stuff happens. And so we have to ask ourselves, is it done? Was this a temporal thing?

Was this just just for a moment? No. There is something yet to be fulfilled in a permanent way. And the only way that this peace for this people group around this nation will come to pass is when the right king steps into the scene. Only until the right king steps into the scene will that peace be realized.

And that's what Isaiah talks about. Right? He speaks about Isaiah nine seven that with his government will come an unending peace. That's verse seven of chapter nine. And so we are yet to to see that fulfilled.

We're awaiting for the arrival of the son of David who would bring this true rest, not just to Israel, but to the whole globe. So that promise is still awaiting to be known and experienced. Thirdly, you can't have a kingdom without a king. You can't have a kingdom without a king, and so we read the last part of this promise in verse 12. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, well, that's strange, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men. But my steadfast love will not depart from him as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. I promise you, David, that you will have a king who will sit on that throne.

Who is that king who will build the house? We read it. Solomon. Will will God discipline him? He didn't say if he sins.

Right? He says when he commits iniquity. He is waiting for it. He's anticipating that Solomon is going to fail. But there there's a word that reappears three times in three verses and it's the word forever.

Forever, forever, forever. And the problem is, where's the kingdom now if it's supposed to be forever? Is that not a problem? And the reason why we're not seeing it currently as we might think it should be is because the kings disobeyed God. One after the other, many of them, if not majority of them disobeyed God, and that didn't nullify the covenant, but it did create a cycle of discipline, a cycle of of chastisement that you can say in some sense delayed it.

For example, come to first Kings eight twenty five, and this is my last reference, maybe. And I'm I'm referencing this so that you can you can have this in your notes, and I want you to see it for yourself. Now therefore, first Kings eight twenty five, now therefore, oh, Lord, God of Israel, keep your servant David, my father, what you have promised him, saying you shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel. What's the next part? If If only your sons pay close attention to their way.

So we just heard that this was an unconditional promise. Did we not? But the word if denotes condition. God, keep your promise, and I understand what's required on our part if only your sons pay close attention to the way. How do we make sense of this?

Well, again, what we heard earlier, this doesn't contradict, but the succeeding kings would not be able to know the fullness of what God promised David, but only know this discipline and this chastisement and this cycle of it. That's what you read in first Kings and second Kings that God wanted to ultimately fulfill, but couldn't because of their disobedient to some degree. And it's not that, it's not that God didn't see it coming. He saw it coming and he made a point by recording how one king after the other could not be the one that God was speaking about here. The fullness of these blessings would not be known in great part because of the failure for these kings, and from these kings to be able to maintain a righteousness that would be able to secure God's blessing.

So what's the solution? Of course, unless one of David's descendants would be able to come and end that cycle by offering a righteousness that would be able to open up an uninterrupted manifestation of God's blessing that he promised here. Do you see it now? Why isn't this known? Why was this delayed?

Why was this interrupted with exiles and wars? Because the sons of David could not keep up with the law of God. And so the only solution to this is that one of the sons of David has to be able to. And there is a clue how this would be made possible because the sons of David, they have a problem. Like you and I tonight, you know what that problem is?

They're sons of Adam. That's the issue. That's the whole point. When you read those series of kings, they can't. They are unable to.

And so the prophets who knew the Davidic covenant, God the Holy Spirit this is the beauty of knowing the Old Testament. God the Holy Spirit gives a little bit more light, a little bit more light. And then your job and mine as desiring to know the will of God, put the pieces together to see what would be a mystery is actually a plan from eternity past. Let me give you an example. I have two more references for you, and hopefully this will bless you.

So we are now told I mean, take the time to read this on your own. We are told that there's a king coming. We are told by God that this kingdom will be forever, And we know this ahead of time that it just doesn't seem to be working. If you don't have the New Testament, it's a very very dreadful future for Israel. One failure after the next after the next until you get to the prophets and you discover some hints given by the spirit of God.

And here's one of the most astounding clues as it relates to the Davidic covenant that God makes with him here. Zechariah chapter 14 verse nine. Here's a prophecy about Israel's future king. And here's what Zechariah fourteen nine says. I want you to see it.

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day, the Lord will be one and his name one. Is that is that a capitalized l o r d in your Bibles? Should be. And Yahweh, the Yahweh, will be king over all the earth.

You're a new covenant Christian. I hope your eyes have been opened to the reality of the person of Jesus Christ. Imagine what that would have sounded like to the Jew of that day who were who were very familiar with the Davidic covenant. They banked on the Abrahamic and Davidic covenant for their survival. It was a source of much hope even in their rebellion and when they sought repentance.

And all of a sudden Zechariah comes on the scene and he says, the Lord will be king over all the earth. Well, hold on. Second Samuel seven, we learned that God said one of David's sons would be the king. So Zechariah, we're hearing what you said, but Nathan said one of David's sons. You're saying Yahweh.

Well, who is it? And you can just imagine the equations coming to mind. Well, surely one of David's sons cannot become God. The scriptures teaches that very emphatically clearly. It's obvious.

That's impossible. Is it possible for God to become a man? Is it is it possible not for God to just become a man. Is it possible for God to become a man who is who is infused and who interjects in the Davidic line? And this would be mind blowing.

The Lord will be king over all the earth. We're waiting for the son of David to become the king that would conquer the world. How do we make sense of this? And the mystery that is to the Jews is what you and I call the incarnation. The mystery that that is to the mind that can't comprehend without the aid of the Holy Spirit is something that you and I worship, especially once a year.

Yes. The Lord can become king, the king of the earth, the son of David, because the Lord can become a man. And not just a man, he can occupy the womb of someone who is from the line of David and assume both roles at the same time and fulfill all ancient prophecy. And if you think that, if you think that that is a stretch, then take the words of Jesus in the last book of the Bible in Revelation twenty two sixteen, and hold on to that verse if you want a verse that will defend the deity of Jesus Christ. And not just the deity of Jesus Christ, but the promised messiah that God speaks of in this chapter of our study.

What does it say? In Revelation twenty two sixteen, I, Jesus, no confusion there. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. I'm the root and the descendant.

You know what I mean? When that you know what that means? I'm the creator of David, and I'm the son of David. I am the author of David, and I'm the offspring of David. I'm the God of David.

Right? And I'm also the king that was promised to David that would come at one point. And so what you see is that the Lord here is confirming an ancient prophecy in the very last book of the Bible. Do you know wanna know why in part? Because one of your last thoughts as you close the Bible, assuming that you read it from cover to cover, is that we are still awaiting for this king to appear and to fulfill the promise that Nathan spoke to David.

That's what you wanna you wanna know what's next on the prophetic calendar? The thing that God spoke thousands of years ago will actually happen before our eyes one day in his perfect timing. And I I just can't imagine the day where David himself in his resurrected state will look at his son and also say, that's my god. Can you imagine that thought? He's my creator, but he's also my descendant.

He is my lord, but he's also my son. And you and I will reign with him if we are faithful to him, and I hope that you will take that seriously in your life. May you and I reflect this man's passion and said, oh, lord. I don't wanna be stagnant. I wanna know how I can serve you as much as I can, and I will have my heart enlarged by these desires.

And, lord, I will trust that you will direct me in how I should fulfill my purpose for your name. Lord, we thank you tonight. Help us, Lord, keep these truths, to love you and honor you with these truths, and to rejoice that we are in the truth. In Jesus' name, amen.