God's House
Pastor Matt Bell
Sermon Summary
In this sermon on 2 Samuel 7, preached on Palm Sunday, Pastor Matt explores David's well-intentioned desire to build a physical house for God and God's surprising response to instead build an eternal house for David. The pastor highlights how God’s promise of a lasting dynasty is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who is actively building His indestructible church. Believers are challenged to respond to God's unmerited grace with humility and praise, recognizing that the church is the true, living house of God. Finally, the congregation is called to live as sanctified instruments, ready and useful to the Master in building His eternal kingdom.
Sermon Transcript
Introduction and Scripture Reading
Second Samuel chapter 7. We're going to look at the whole chapter here this morning, but we're going to begin by reading the first three verses today. Second Samuel chapter 7, verses 1 through 3. It says:
Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you."
Father, we do thank you for your word this morning. I pray that you would plant it deep within our hearts. Lord, that as we study about this house that David wanted to build for you, and as we read about your promise to David, God, that we too would have a zeal for your house. We too would have a zeal for the work that you are doing in the world, and that you would use us to advance that work in the earth today. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.
You may be seated this morning. This is Palm Sunday today, and as we began our worship service this morning, reading from that account of the Israelites welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem on that day, that Sunday before he was crucified, it begins Holy Week.
I was looking at whether or not to continue our Year of the Bible series—as we've been going through the Bible together, taking a passage that we read and preaching from that passage that week—or pausing the series to do a Good Friday... or not a Good Friday, I'm sorry, I'm thinking ahead—to do a Palm Sunday sermon. But then I looked at the passages that we were going to be reading this week, and I saw that we were reading this passage from 2 Samuel chapter 7. Honestly, there's not a better Palm Sunday text in the Old Testament than this text we're going to be looking at today. So we're going to preach Palm Sunday from the Old Testament this morning. It wasn't a plan when I laid out the Bible reading plan at the beginning of the year. I don't think that far ahead. This is just a happy accident, or God's providence, that he placed this here for us this week.
The title of the message this morning is God's House. We're going to be talking about God's house today.
David's Desire to Build God a House
We saw here in these first three verses, the story begins with David, and he is in his house. David has come into his kingdom. God has established David as the king over Israel. The first king of Israel, Saul, God removed him. Even though Saul persecuted David, sought David's life, and tried to do everything in his power to stop God's plan of making David king, it didn't matter. God's plan and God's purpose stood, and God removed Saul and established David firmly as the king over the twelve tribes of Israel. It is now a proper kingdom that's united under David.
David had brought the Ark of the Covenant in the previous chapter, which represented the presence of God, back into the city—or for the first time, really, into the city of Jerusalem, the capital city. David had built a complex for himself, a palace. And God had given David rest, it says, on all sides from all of his surrounding enemies. David had gone to war with the Philistines and had conquered them, and there was peace in the land. There was peace, there was prosperity. The economy of Israel was doing well. Everything is going good for David in his kingdom.
He's living in this palace, the king's complex that he built, and he's looking at how wonderful it is and how magnificent it is, and how everything is going so well for him and his kingdom. Then he looks out and he sees God's ark, the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. He sees it out under a tent. Not in a house, not in a temple, but under a tent. That had been God's pattern up until that point because when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, they were in the wilderness for 40 years; they were mobile. They had to go from place to place. So, God had prepared a tabernacle, a tent, to cover the ark.
But now everything has been firmly established, and the presence of God, the house of God, is just this shabby, temporary, worn-down, beat-up, 400-year-old tent. David looks at where he's at in his palace. It says a house made of cedar. It was glorious, it was magnificent. The intricate woodwork, the carving, and everything that he lives in is beautiful. He looks out, and he sees God's presence dwelling in this rundown, raggedy old tabernacle.
He looks at this picture and he says, there's something that's not right about this. It's not right for me to dwell in this kind of place and for God's presence to dwell in that kind of rundown tent. So David expresses this to the prophet Nathan. He says, "This isn't right. I want to do something about this. I want to build God a house."
And the prophet Nathan gives David his approval. He says, "God's with you. Whatever he's put in your heart to do, go for it." Nathan gives David the approval because David's desire was a right desire. David was motivated to generosity because of how good God had been to him. God had prospered David, blessed David, provided for David, taken care of David, and fulfilled his word that he had spoken to him. Now David is reaping all of the blessings and prosperity that have come to him from God. He says, "How is this right that I am so blessed, but God's house is in such shambles?"
This is a right motivation. He was motivated by how God had blessed him. Nathan gives his approval: "Go do it. Knock yourself out."
I think that there is much we can learn from David's example today as the people of God. David was a man after God's own heart, the Bible tells us. That means what God was concerned about, David was concerned about. What motivated God motivated David. David wasn't living for his glory; he was living for God's glory. He was concerned about the glory of God being expressed in the earth. That, too, should be a concern of ours as well. We should have a concern for the house of God. Are you concerned about God's house like David was? I don't think it's right for us to experience the blessing, provision, and protection we have from God and ignore his house. The place where God is worshiped should be a concern for his people if we're going to be people after God's heart.
Ultimately, as we read this story, David won't be the one who builds God's house. David won't be the one that builds the temple. But when the temple is eventually built, David will be the one who finances it. He personally finances the building of the temple. His son Solomon builds the temple, but David pays for it. He invests his wealth that he has acquired, that God has blessed him with, into the building of the house of God. I think there's something we can learn from that, church.
God's Promise to Build David a House
As the story continues into the second part, in verses 4 through 17, God makes a promise to David. David has this concern: "I'm concerned, God, about your house. It's not glorious. It's rundown, it's old, it's shabby. I want to do something for you, God."
That night, it says that the Lord came to Nathan. When Nathan had told David, "Go build the house," he was just operating out of his own mind, his own thoughts. He didn't hear from the Lord about what to do; he just gave David an answer off the top of his head. That night, God comes to Nathan and sort of knocks on his door and says, "Hey, Prophet Nathan, you maybe should have consulted me before you gave David the green light." God brings a word to Nathan to go and redirect David.
Let's look at that in verse 4:
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 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 for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'"
God says, "I haven't been concerned about this. This isn't something that I've asked for."
Then in verse 8, I want you to pay attention to who is doing the action. Who is the active party in this promise that God makes to David?
"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, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 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. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 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. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'" In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
This chapter begins with David wanting to build God a house. But God had other plans. David found out that his plans and God's plans weren't exactly the same. God sends the prophet Nathan with his word to realign David's plans, to get David's plans in alignment with God's plans. And hey, guess what? Sometimes we need that in our lives as well. Sometimes we have our own plans that aren't really lined up with God's plans. God will realign our plans with his word, getting our feet on the right path.
Not that David's motivation was wrong, but God had something bigger. God had something greater in store for David and his people. The plan God has is not for David to build him a house, but God is the one who is going to build a house for David. This is even better than what David had envisioned. David had envisioned him building a physical temple for God, but God comes and says, "I've got better plans for you." Listen, God's plans for you are better than your plans for you. Whatever your motivations are, God's plans and his ways are higher.
God is doing a play on words here. He's not going to tear down the castle that David built and build him a better one. When he talks about David's house, he's talking about a dynasty of kings that will come from David. A lineage, a heritage, offspring that will come after him, of royalty and kings who rule over this glorious and magnificent kingdom.
I asked you to take note of who was acting in these verses. It's God who is performing the action. It's not David in his scheming, his political maneuvering, or his military might that's going to bring all of this about. Eight times in this passage, God says, "I will." Over and over again, God tells David: I will make for you a great name. I will appoint a place for my people. I will give you rest from all your enemies. I will raise up your offspring after you.
God says, "David, you wanted to do this for me, but guess what? I'm gonna do something for you. And it's even greater than what you could have ever imagined." God is the one who is going to build this house because the house God wanted to be built was a house that no human hands could build. God will sovereignly act through history to accomplish the building of his house.
God says three times in this passage that the house he builds is a house that will stand forever. Think about that. When I'm in my house and I look around, I see this house is not going to be here forever. I hope this house makes it to next week, sometimes! The houses we build, the buildings we build, no matter how great and grand they are, are all temporary. The house that David desired to build for God would have been grand, but it would have been temporary. But God says the house I'm going to build for you—the dynasty, the legacy, the kingdom—is a house that will stand forever.
This is an incredible promise. A king's main concern is what will happen after he is gone. "What will happen to everything I've built? Will it last, or will it be squandered and destroyed? My son coming after me, what kind of king will he be?" But God gives David this beautiful promise: "No, David, your kingdom will be a kingdom that lasts forever."
David's Prayer of Praise
Next, we see how David responds to this great promise. He responds with this prayer in verses 18 through 29. What God promised to David was not based on who David was; it was based on who God was. David didn't earn this. It was God's grace being expressed to David. So the prayer that David prays is instructive for everyone who has received the grace of God.
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,' and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever."
When David hears this promise, he recognizes that God's promise is pure grace. He recognizes that he does not deserve it. Contrast this response with the previous king of Israel, King Saul. After King Saul had partially obeyed God—which we know is actually disobeying God—King Saul was so impressed with his partial obedience that he set up a monument to himself. He was so full of himself. But God comes and gives this promise to David, and David responds: "Who am I? Who am I?"
This is the right response to the grace of God. In verse 20, David is speechless. He says, "What more can I say? I have no words left. All I can do is overflow with praise." We see that in verse 22. "You are great, O Lord God. There is none like you and there is none beside you."
He goes on to say in verse 25, "O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken," and in verse 26, "and your name will be magnified forever." David's concern is not with his name, but with God's name and the glory of God. Finally, in verse 28, he responds by strengthening his heart by God's promise: "And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant."
Have you known the grace of God? How ought we to respond to God's grace? I think we should respond in the exact same way. If we have known something of our gracious God, we should like David cry out, "Who am I, O Lord? Who am I that you have saved me, that you have called me out of darkness, that you have put your love upon me, undeserving though we were in our sins and trespasses, yet you have saved us by the blood of your Son."
I don't know that we should ever get beyond marveling at the grace of God in our lives. The Apostle Paul never did. He referred to himself as the least of the apostles because he had previously persecuted the church of God. Paul says, "I'm the chief of sinners," yet God, by his grace, has saved me. We must never forget who we were without Christ. We must never forget where God took us from and where he is taking us, lest we be puffed up with pride. If there's any holiness in our life, any good fruit of the Holy Spirit, friends, it's God working in us.
David is concerned about the glory of God. "Lord, if you fulfill this promise to me, let it be to the praise of your glory." Likewise, we should live with the glory of God in view. Does the way you're living bring God glory? You have God's name on you, Christian. We must be zealous like David for the glory of God.
David holds fast to the promises of God. He says, "Your word is truth," and may we remind ourselves that God's promises are sure. Just like David didn't see the fulfillment of this promise in his day, we too are looking forward in faith to promises we won't see fully in this life. But it strengthens us on the fact that God is true and his word is true.
The Fulfillment of the Promise in Christ
I want to look at how this promise was fulfilled. As you continue to read 2nd Samuel and move into 1st and 2nd Kings, you see that Solomon, David's son, does become king after David passes away. Solomon does build a physical house, a temple for God. But unfortunately, Solomon was unfaithful to the Lord. At the end of his life, he was led astray to worship false gods, and to even build houses for them.
Because of this, God brings judgment on Solomon's house. The nation splits into a civil war, into two nations. Eventually, it leads to the downfall of both Israel and Judah and the destruction of the temple. The house that Solomon built was destroyed by the Babylonians. From that point, it took about 400 years for that to happen. Then, for 600 years, there was no kingdom of Israel. There was no throne. There was no descendant of David ruling.
The people of God kept coming back to the promise: "God, you said you would place a descendant of David on his throne forever. And yet there's no kingdom, there's no king, there's no throne. Where is your promise?" This is what the people of God wrestled with for 600 years.
Into that questioning, God would send his prophets to reassure the people that he has every intention of keeping his word to David. An example of this is from the book of Amos, chapter 9, verse 11:
"In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old."
God would tell his people, "Just wait. A day is coming when God will fulfill his promise." Like the people of God in the Old Testament, we live in a period where we have the promises of God, but we don't always see them fulfilled yet. We need to be reassured by the word of God. That's why we need messengers to preach to us the word of God, to remind us that he keeps his promises.
As you turn the page from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the very first verse says, "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." The son of David who would reign eternally over his house is Jesus. Jesus is that son God had in mind when he made this promise.
That's why the crowds on Palm Sunday shouted what they shouted. Matthew 21:9 tells us they were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The crowds recognized Jesus as the rightful heir, the descendant of David who would establish the kingdom of God that would last forever.
When Jesus enters Jerusalem, where does he go? He goes to the temple, to the house of God. The temple had been rebuilt, but it hadn't been rebuilt for the glory of God. It was built for political purposes and the glory of men. When Jesus goes in, he cleans his house. He flips the tables. When he leaves the temple, he says, "Not one stone of this house is going to be left standing." This house is fading away. But what else does Jesus say? "I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Jesus said, "I'm going to build the true house of God."
The True House of God: The Church
In Acts chapter 15—hang with me, I know this is getting kind of technical, try and hold these threads together—after Jesus dies, rises again, and ascends into heaven, Gentiles are entering into the church. The apostles don't know what to do about this. Everything God has been doing up until this point has been centered around the Jewish people. Now all these Gentiles are coming into the church. What do we do?
They get all the apostles together to discern the will of God. When you're trying to discern the will of God, the first place you should go is God's word. The apostles have a Bible study. The apostle James says:
"Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written..."
And then James quotes that verse from Amos, word for word:
"After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old."
What does this mean? According to the apostle James, the Gentiles coming into the church is the fulfillment of the promise God made to David! The promise to build David a house that would never end is being fulfilled by the nations streaming into the church.
What God had in view was not a physical building that could be destroyed. It was a house that no human hands could build. That's why God says, "I will build it." And that's why Jesus says, "I will build my church." There is no army on planet Earth that can destroy the church of God. Every power in earth and in hell has been trying to stop the advancement of the kingdom of God for the last 2,000 years, but friends, you and I are here this morning. We are part of the house that God is building.
Application: Being Useful to the Master
I began the sermon 43 minutes ago by asking you: Are you concerned about the house of God? Are you concerned about the church? We should be. David's concern was for God's house. This isn't just a place that we come and hang out for an hour and then go about our day. Our lives should be ingrained with one another. We should be encouraging one another, lifting each other up, sharing the word of God, and reassuring one another.
Yes, we should care about the condition of our church, but let us also never forget that the house God is building is done by God. Jesus is the one building his church. But you and I are the instruments that he wields in the construction of his house. You and I are the hammer that he swings. You and I are the materials that he uses. The master builder gets the credit, but we are the instruments he chooses to use.
I have one last scripture as I wrap this up today. It's in 2 Timothy 2:20-21. Paul says, speaking of the church:
"Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."
Paul says that if we will work with the Holy Spirit and allow that cleansing process to take place in our lives, we make ourselves available for Jesus to use in the building of his house. I want to be useful to the Lord in the eternal house that he is building.
On this Palm Sunday, let us remember Christ is the King. He established his kingdom on the earth, a kingdom that will never end. The nations of this world are teetering and tottering. They will eventually be in the dustbin of history. But the kingdom that God is building is eternal, and it cannot be shaken. Let's make ourselves available to be used by the Lord in the building of his kingdom. Amen.