2 Samuel 7:1\u201316<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 1 Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, \u201cSee now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.\u201d 3 Nathan said to the king, \u201cGo, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.\u201d\u00a04 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, \u201cWhy have you not built me a house of cedar?\u201d 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. 15 But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. 17 In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n See also Isaiah 9:6\u20137<\/strong><\/span> Presidential elections<\/strong> remind us how much people long for a leader \u2013 a leader who will bring justice and peace, protection and prosperity. However, all too often people\u2019s aspirations are dashed as leaders reveal their own flaws and failures. No one person proves to be the ideal leader \u2013 with one exception.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the main themes that the Bible develops is that of a king whom God will appoint and through whom he will bring redemption.<\/strong> During the reign of King David, some one thousand years after Abraham (c. 10th cent. B.C.), we learn that key elements of God\u2019s promises to Abraham have been fulfilled \u2013 his descendants are many, they possess the land from the River Nile in Egypt to the Euphrates River (modern Iraq), and there is a king (David) who has laid the foundation for a time of peace and prosperity under his descendants, in the first instance, his son Solomon.<\/span><\/p>\n During his reign David spoke with Nathan the prophet about building a house (temple) for God.<\/strong> \u00a0He thought that things were not right spiritually in the kingdom \u2013 he lived in a palace but \u2018the ark of God\u2019 which was the focus of God\u2019s presence among the people \u2018dwells in a tent\u2019 (7:2). He wanted to build a \u2018place\u2019 for God. God, however, through his prophet Nathan, wanted David to understand a bigger picture \u2013 first, God is not limited to buildings; second, he intended to make David\u2019s name \u2018great\u2019 and establish his (David\u2019s) \u2018house\u2019 (dynasty) forever. The king who would sit on David\u2019s throne will not get these through personal posturing or political intrigue, but will be \u2018chosen\u2019 by God. God will raise up a \u2018descendant\u2019 of David who will reign over Israel (heirs of the promises), in peace and prosperity, justice and truth (7:10\u201311).<\/span><\/p>\n Notice the play on the word house<\/strong> \u2013 David had wanted to build God a house; God plans to build David another kind of house, a dynasty. David would one day die \u2013 he was not without sin \u2013 but, by God\u2019s grace, from David\u2019s house would arise a descendant who would be God\u2019s perfect king.<\/span><\/p>\n In fulfillment of all that is promised here, David\u2019s offspring would establish God\u2019s reign forever<\/strong> (7:12\u201313). One day he would ride into the city of Jerusalem on the back of a donkey (see Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:37\u201338) \u2013 Jesus, the son of David, son of Abraham, son of Adam, son of God (Luke 3:23\u201338).<\/span><\/p>\n When Jesus asked his close followers who he was, Peter replied, \u2018You are the Christ\u2019<\/strong> [literally, the anointed king], the Son of the living God\u2019 (Matthew 16:16). \u00a0The language of 2 Samuel 7 is prophetic and profound, identifying important motifs of God\u2019s king and righteousness and peace forever. \u00a0We should also note that the human inclination to look for a holy place is confounded by God\u2019s passion for a holy people. \u00a0\u2018Look up for God\u2019s king,\u2019 2 Samuel 7 urges us. \u00a0\u2018See now,\u2019 says Luke and the other New Testament writers, \u2018God\u2019s king has come, death has not defeated him\u2019 (Luke 24; Acts 17:30\u201331).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Read: 2 Samuel 7:1\u201316 1 Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, \u201cSee now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.\u201d 3 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":936,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2016-lenten-series"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n 6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders;\u00a0and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.\u00a07 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace\u00a0for the throne of David and his kingdom.\u00a0He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness\u00a0from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\nA LEADER WE LONG FOR
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nConsider:<\/h2>\n
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Pray:<\/h2>\n