David's Conscience Versus God's Will

Click here to read II Samuel 7.

David had succeeded in uniting the 12 tribes in a United Kingdom. As the result there was internal peace amongst the tribes and external peace among the nations. David was living in Jerusalem in a beautiful cedar Palace. He felt bad that he lived in such a beautiful place and the Ark of God was housed in a tent. So he asked Nathan, the Prophet, if it would be all right with the Lord if he would build a Temple to house the Ark. At first, Nathan agreed, but that night the Lord told Nathan not to let David do it.

God had a plan:

  1. He had chosen David when he was but a shepherd boy.
  2. He had supported David in defeating the enemies of Israel.
  3. He had used David to bring peace and unity to the land of Israel.
  4. He would put one of David's sons upon the thrown of Israel when David died. It would be that person that would build the Temple.
  5. He would be a good Heavenly Father to the descendants of David. When they sinned, He would punish them but his love and kindness would never leave them as it had Saul.
  6. He had determined that the descendants of David would rule His kingdom forever.

We believe that this is a prophesy of the Christ who is often called "the Son of David". The gospel writer Luke says in Acts 13, "He was of the seed of David." In Luke's Gospel, Chapter 1:32, he says, "To Him God gave the thrown of His father David." The establishing of the House of David forever can be applied to no other than Christ and His Kingdom.

Then Nathan went and told David all that the Lord had said. When David heard this he went into the Tabernacle that housed the Ark and prayed. There are 6 major points to that prayer:

  1. David's humility... "Who am I Lord?"
  2. David's appreciation... "You have brought me to where I am."
  3. David's acknowledgement of God's grace... both in the great things that God had done for him and for the wisdom God had granted him.
  4. David's acknowledgement of God's greatness... "There is none like you."
  5. David's acknowledgement of Israel's greatness... "none among all the nations can be compared to Israel."
  6. David's partitions...
    1. Knowledge to pray rightly.
    2. Boldness to ask for those things God promised.
    3. A guide for prayer.... expectation, Glorying God and requests for the family. In David's case family meant the passing of the crown of Israel to his descendants and the perfection and obedience necessary for this. This prayer of David for his descendants was abundantly answered in the coming of Christ and the establishing of His kingdom forever. I doubt that David totally understood what he asked for.


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