Introduction:

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David.

The promise of a royal dynasty.

Like God’s promise to Abraham, his covenant with David is unconditional: It does not depend on human obedience or faithfulness but only on God’s unchanging love.

God promised David, that His “favor will not be taken from him”.

A story with dual meanings.

• • • Some elements of this story would be fulfilled in the immediate future, while some elements of this story would be realized in the more distant future.

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David
¹ When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, ² the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”
³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”
⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? ⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’
⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

¹ When King David was settled in his palace

This would have taken place in the last decade of King David’s reign.

2 Samuel 5:11 NLT
¹¹ Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.

Hiram became King of Tyre around 980 B.C.

Approximate years of King David’s rule were 1010 BC to 970 BC. 

and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, 

With God’s help, David had conquered the nations surrounding Israel.

• David was settled in his palace in Jerusalem and was enjoying a period of peace.

Note: Some commentators believe that 2 Samuel 8 takes place before 2 Samuel 7.

They believe that the arrangement of material is topical.

Chapter 6 was about bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. Chapter 7 is about building a temple for the Ark. 

² the king summoned Nathan the prophet.

Nathan is mentioned here for the first time.

“Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

Building a temple was something David really wanted to do.

This is mentioned in Psalm 132 which may have been written by David.

Psalm 132
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
¹ Lord, remember David
and all that he suffered.
² He made a solemn promise to the Lord.
He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
³ “I will not go home;
I will not let myself rest.
⁴ I will not let my eyes sleep
nor close my eyelids in slumber
⁵ until I find a place to build a house for the Lord,
a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”

David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside.  The tent was no longer suitable, in David’s mind, especially in comparison to his own elaborate palace.

• David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside. 

³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

• Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.

Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.  Nathan told David that he had the Lord’s blessing, but at this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord.

• At this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord. 

⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, 

• God reveals His will to Nathan. (Verses 5-16) 

⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 

Other scriptures:

1 Kings 8:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, ¹⁹ but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

1 Chronicles 17:4 LT
⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.

1 Chronicles 22:8 NLT
⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 

• David was not chosen by God to build the temple. 

⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

It was not God’s idea for David to build Him a Temple.

• God had never asked the Israelites to build Him a house and did not want David to build a house for Him. 

⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 

God had a role for David.

• God had called David to be a leader (shepherd) of His people. 

⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. 

1 Kings 5:3 NLT
³ “You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. 

• David’s desire to build a temple was commendable, but his gift and mission were to fight the Lord’s battles until Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land. 

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 

• David wanted to build a temple for God. Instead, God would build a house, or in reality, a dynasty for David.

God has been building Israel ever since the days of Abraham.  Now God commits Himself to build David’s royal house so that the promise to Israel may be fulfilled – rest in the Promised Land.

• God’s covenant with David finds its ultimate fulfillment in the kingship of Christ who was born of the tribe of Judah and the house of David. 

¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 

• Solomon would build a temple.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son.

• Kings in David’s line would enjoy a special covenant relationship with God.

To the believers in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” 

If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 

Wrongdoing requires a just response from God.

¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 

God will always keep his promise to preserve David’s dynasty. (see the comment following vs. 16) 

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

This refers to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Although the dynasty disappeared for hundreds of years, David’s house and kingdom were renewed in Jesus Christ, the sinless descendant of David who reigns forever.

• The complete and final fulfillment of God’s covenant with David is found in the Messiah’ Jesus Christ, the “son of David”. 

It was the coming Messiah who would establish David’s kingdom forever.

Christ is a descendant of David. (This is stated in numerous passages of scripture.)

Matthew 1:1 NLT
¹ This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Luke 1:32-33 NLT
³² He (Jesus) will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

 Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
⁶ For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen! 

¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Note: Verses 5-16 were a vision from God to Nathan.