God Makes a Covenant With David

II Samuel 7:1–17
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God’s covenant with David makes this one of the great chapters of the Bible. God promised a king and a kingdom to come in the line of David. God confirmed this promise with an oath (Psa. 89:34-37). It is very difficult to understand the prophets from this point on without knowing about this covenant. The Old Testament prophets based their message on the promise given to David here.

The story of this chapter begins with David’s intention to build a temple for God. He has just completed the construction of his palace. God gently rebukes David for his plan. He looks out his window and sees the Ark of the Covenant housed in a tent. A plan begins to formulate in his mind as to how he can build a house for God. So David calls his friend and confidant, Nathan the profit and outlines his intentions (vv. 1-2). Nathan hastily consents, thinking that David’s plan to build such a house will be pleasing to God (v. 3). But that night Nathan is corrected by God, and he has to return to David with a revised evaluation (vv. 4-17).

David had the wrong idea of trying to help out God, rather than the one who is constantly being helped by God. God reminds David of who is helping who. History would remind David (and us) that it has always been God helping; us, not us helping God. God did not ask for a temple, because He did not need one (vv. 4-7). David has fallen into the very trap that God warned Israel to avoid. He has begun to take credit for what God has done. He begins to think of God as dependent upon him, rather than to worship God as a dependent creature. He was wrong to think in terms of his successes. God reminds him that all of his successes were really gracious gifts from His hand (vv. 8-9). And the things which God promises David in the future are gracious gifts (vv. 10-17) for which He is to be praised.                                                                                                          

Application

David accepted his part in God’s plan and did not try to go beyond it. Sometimes God says no to my plans. When He does I need to get involved in the other opportunities He gives to me.