2 Samuel 7:1-17 Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke
Build on the Rock Summer Series 7 July 15, 2018 “A House for David”
What is it that makes a house a home? I suppose we could come up with any number of answers depending on exactly what we think of the question. Usually when people talk about making a house a home, they mean that any proper structure can be a house. It needs to provide shelter, put a roof over our heads. But for us to really love and appreciate our home, it needs to mean something more to us. Maybe it’s the care with which we decorate or personalize the space so that it feels comfortable to us. Maybe it’s the memories that we have there with friends and family. Maybe it’s a location that we absolutely love, and perhaps it’s a combination of some or all those things that makes a house a home. Our sermon text today from 2 Samuel invites us to take a peek inside the house of King David. His house was a beautiful palace built in the Promised Land. It was paneled with cedar wood from Lebanon. It was built in Jerusalem, the new capitol city from which David and his forces had finally expelled the pagan people. It was an incredible and beautiful place, and there David sat having accomplished so much. He was the king of God’s people. He had success against his enemies. And now he could enjoy peace and appreciate the situation he was in. But there was something about that house that didn’t sit right with King David. It didn’t yet really feel like a home for him. The problem was he didn’t feel right living in a luxurious palace while the Ark of God, the Ark of the Covenant, sat in a tent. You might recall that the Ark of the Covenant represented God with his people. This special ornate box sat for so many years in the most holy place of the Tabernacle, the inner room into which no one was allowed to go except for the priest. And even he could only enter that room once per year. David said, “I have a lovely place to live, but God doesn’t.” And he wanted to change that. It is worth noting that in this way, David sets an incredible example for us. He was not just concerned with his own welfare or even with enjoying the luxury that he really did have. He was even more concerned about honoring God and making sure that God was glorified by his actions. David wanted to show his thankfulness to God. So he had an idea. He decided to undertake a building project. He would build a Temple, a place for the Ark of God, a place that would represent God’s glory to his people. David wanted to build a house for God. And this was a great idea. As we said already, we have every indication that this was a heartfelt response for David. He loved God who had put him in his position and he wanted to honor God. David shared his idea with Nathan, God’s prophet, and Nathan, too, agreed that this was a great idea. Nathan told David to go ahead with his plans. But God had other plans. Now, that still doesn’t mean that David’s plans were bad or wrong. If he didn’t listen to what God told him through the prophet, that would have been wrong. But God simply had a different plan in mind and he let David know. That’s a good reminder for us that even when things don’t work out, or when God answers our prayers with a no and not a yes, that doesn’t necessarily tell us that our plans were wrong or bad. Christians serving God make lots of choices between and among things that are good. It wouldn’t be sinful for us to make a different choice. In the same way, God didn’t have other plans because he was upset with David. David’s plan wasn’t sinful. God simply had other plans. In fact, he had better plans, much better plans. While David was prepared to build a house for God, God promised to build a house for David. It wasn’t the same sort of house, of course. David already had his palace. God promised to establish David’s royal line and to do so much more.