God Makes a Covenant With David
February 5, 2021
Commentary
God’s covenant with David makes this one of the great chapters of the Bible. God promised a king and a kingdom that would come through David’s line, and He confirmed this promise with an oath that He would never break (PSA 89:34–37). From this point on, the prophets of Israel grounded their message in this covenant. Without understanding this, it is difficult to understand the hopes and expectations found throughout the Old Testament. This covenant shaped Israel’s understanding of the future, pointing to a coming King.
The story begins with David’s desire to build a house for God. After completing his own palace, David looked out and saw the ark of God dwelling in a tent. A sincere plan formed in his heart, and he shared it with Na-than the prophet (7:1–2). Nathan quickly agreed, assuming David’s plan would please the LORD (7:3). But that very night God spoke to Nathan and corrected him. Nathan returned to David with a revised message, explaining that God had not asked for a temple and that God Himself would establish David’s house, throne, and kingdom according to His own plan (7:4–17).
David’s mistake was not bad intentions, but a misunderstanding of who was helping whom. God reminded David that He had always been the One providing, protecting, and guiding him (7:4–7). David’s success came from God’s grace, not his own strength, wisdom, or achievements. God re-viewed how He had taken David from shepherd to king and promised peace, rest, and a lasting dynasty (7:8–17). Everything David had received, and everything still promised for the future, was a gracious gift from God, meant to lead him to humility, worship, trust, and thankful obedience.
Application
What do I do when I want to help God instead of trusting Him? When my plans feel good, do I still wait for God’s word? Do I remember how God has helped me in the past? Today, I will ask God to shape my heart with humility and trust. Will I seek Him and trust His timing today, even when I do not un-derstand?
2 Samuel 7:1–17 (NET)
1 The king settled into his palace, for the Lord gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides. 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” 4 That night the Lord’s message came to Nathan, 5 “Go, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has said: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. 7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say to any of their leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’
8 “So now, say this to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The Lord declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you. 12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent.’” 17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.
Ulysses S. Grant – Never to Turn Back or Stop
One of my superstitions has always been when I started to go anywhere, or to do anything, never to turn back or to stop until the thing intended was accomplished. (Ulysses S. Grrant, quoted in Reader’s Digest)