When King David lived in his house, and
Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around, David said to
Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells
within curtains.”
Nathan said to David, “Go, do all that
is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you.”
That same night, Yahweh’s word came to
Nathan, saying, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you
build me a house for me to dwell in? For I have not lived in a house
since the day that I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt, even to
this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all
places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word
to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people
Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’”’ Now
therefore tell my servant David this, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “I took you from
the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel. I
have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from
before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who
are in the earth. I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and
will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more.
The children of wickedness will not afflict them anymore, as at the first, and
as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will
cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover, Yahweh tells you that Yahweh
will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with
your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of
your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for my
name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be
his father, and he will be my son. My loving kindness will not depart from him. Your
house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will
be established forever.”’”
2 Samuel 7:1-17
In
this evocative passage, David surveys his situation and decides that God has
fulfilled everything that He promised and it is time for David to honor God by building
a temple for Him. But God declines. God notes that He has been happy to live in the
tabernacle tent prepared for him by Moses and the Israelites at the base of
Mount Sinai. God reminds David that He anointed
David as king even though David was the youngest of his brothers and so unlikely
a choice that his father had left him to mind the sheep when the prophet Samuel
calls to identify the new king.
God
announces that He has been with David always and everywhere and will continue
to be. God goes further and promises
David that he will establish a house for David in the form of offspring who
will succeed David on the throne and live in peace. Only then, during the reign of David’s son,
Solomon, will God relent and allow a Temple to be built for Him.
God
is still keeping the covenant he announced to Abraham and delivering more
abundantly than Abraham or David could imagine. Clearly, we are to understand that we are the successors
of Abraham and David and the beneficiaries of the original promise made to
Abraham.
God
will always be with us.
