1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ...
8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leadersa over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before meb ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
Thoughts: This is a very gracious act of God. David offered to build a "house" (Temple) for the Lord. Instead the Lord said he will build up David's house (lineage/descendants). You cannot out-give God. God reminds David-- now that his throne is established- with a capital, a palace, a central place of worship, and peace from his enemies-- of how far God has brought him. It is always good to see how God has blessed us- for that wells up thanksgiving inside of us to the glory of God.
As Christians, we see this promise of a descendant on the throne eternally being fulfilled in the Prince of Peace and King of kings- Jesus Christ. While the last real king of Judah was Zedekiah (586). There were princes who ruled informally and kept up with the Davidic line. The Maccabees(Hasmoneans) defeated the Greeks and re-established the Davidic throne. When Augustus asked people to go to their hometown- Bethlehem (the city of David) was full of his descendants. Jesus was born there. The last legitimate claim to all of Judea (Judah) was Herod the Great who claimed the Davidic throne by marriage to a Hasmonean princess. Jesus was born during Herod's reign. Luke 1:32 has the angel prophesying: "He (Jesus) will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end." So Jesus fulfilled this prophesy made about 1,000 BC.
As Christians, we see this promise of a descendant on the throne eternally being fulfilled in the Prince of Peace and King of kings- Jesus Christ. While the last real king of Judah was Zedekiah (586). There were princes who ruled informally and kept up with the Davidic line. The Maccabees(Hasmoneans) defeated the Greeks and re-established the Davidic throne. When Augustus asked people to go to their hometown- Bethlehem (the city of David) was full of his descendants. Jesus was born there. The last legitimate claim to all of Judea (Judah) was Herod the Great who claimed the Davidic throne by marriage to a Hasmonean princess. Jesus was born during Herod's reign. Luke 1:32 has the angel prophesying: "He (Jesus) will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end." So Jesus fulfilled this prophesy made about 1,000 BC.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be generous toward your kingdom as David was. Help me to love you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me also to trust in your promises.
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