2 Samuel 7:1-17

Although David made a promise to God, God had other plans and made a much bigger promise to David: David’s descendants would forever be on the throne of Israel, and they would be the ones to build the temple for God. God’s promises and plans are so much bigger than we could ever conceive. 

David saw his palace of fine cedar then noticed that the Ark of God was in a tent.  David felt that God deserved a better place.  But God wanted to give David a better place.  Not a new palace, but a house or family that will last forever.  The same Hebrew word in 2 Samuel 7 is translated “Temple, “House” and “Household or family.”  There is a word play going on here, and God turns the desire of David to build a house for God into a promise that God will build David’s House (family.) 

That promise is reaffirmed when the angel Gabriel comes to Mary and delivers the news that she will bear the Messiah.  Luke 1:31-33, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

David wanted to build a temple for God, but God had other things in mind. It would not be David, but his son, Solomon, who would eventually build that temple. Even when we seek to do God’s will, sometimes we try to make decisions that are God’s decisions to make. Despite our best intentions, God’s plans come through for good.

Pastor Greg