2
Samuel
Why God’s promises never fail : 2 Samuel 7.1-17
(by Mick Hough)
The reading begins with two men, David and Nathan,
reflecting on God’s great goodness. vv.1-2
Almost imagine David and Nathan enjoying a glass of chilled
Canaanite Chardonnay in David’s magnificent cedar palace, and looking back at
God’s faithfulness to them and to his people. Remembering how God has kept his
promises to his people. Brought them out of slavery in Egypt to enjoy the
Promised Land, and there they experience rest from all their enemies, and enjoy
a unique relationship with God. God has shown himself to be a faithful God – a
God who makes and then keeps promises.
To cap it all, in the previous chapter, David has brought
the ark of God, the symbol of God’s presence, into the city. The only concern
that David has is that whereas he lives in a grand palace, the ark is still in
a tent. But that can be seen to, says David – I’ll build God a house, it’s only
right. Apart from that, all is well. They are a blessed people.
It’s a picture of God’s people in God’s place, with God
dwelling among them. God has kept his promises to his people.
Our title is ‘God’s promises never
fail.’ There are times when we can
wholeheartedly agree with that. Life seems good, we feel blessed by the God who
feels near to us.
But what do we do when our experience of life makes us
question the reality of God’s faithfulness to us? When the storms come, and God
seems distant. We can sometimes feel knocked about and dazed by circumstances?
Look at this incident in the life
of David – a critical event in the unfolding of God’s purposes in history. God
makes a promise to King David, a promise that has something vital to say to us
today.
God’s promise to David:
Concerns the King (vv.8-9,11-16)… God will make David’s name ‘great
(v.9b) like the names of the greatest men of the earth.’ In other words,
David’s name will live on. (Talking about him today!)
Then in v.11 God explains what he
is going to do, and he uses a play on the Hebrew word for ‘house’. David had
decided (v.2) that he should build God a house – a proper shelter
for the ark, a temple fit to represent God’s presence among his people.
But God replies, I don’t need a
house (I’ve never asked for one, have I), But instead, (v.11) I will
build you a house. Not a bricks and mortar house like you wanted to
build me, but a house in terms of a line, successors to carry on your
name and to sit on your throne.
God has turned David’s offer around
– God will be the builder and David the recipient of the house.
So God’s promise concerns the King
– David and those who will sit on his throne. David is blown away by God’s
grace to him – in vv.18ff he goes and sits down to pray. ‘Who am I, O
Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? V.20,
v.22. God is the gracious giver.
…who represents his people
(vv.10,11)
But between the promise to make David’s name great (v.9)
and to establish his kingdom forever is a promise to the people of Israel,
God’s people. They too will enjoy rest and peace, they too will enjoy God’s
blessing.
The way the verses are structured suggests that the
prosperity of the people is tied up with the prosperity of the King. He is a
representative of them. God’s promise to bless and prosper David is a promise
to bless and prosper his people. The King is representative of the people –
their identity and hope are tied up with him. God’s commitment to his King is a
commitment to his people. And God has made a deep, everlasting commitment to
David – neither death (v.12), nor sin (v.14), nor the passage of time (v.16)
will affect God’s promise to David - his name and his throne will never fall.
Well, lets leap forward a few years in the history of
Israel.
David had been succeeded by a son, Solomon – who, just as
God said in v.13, would be the one to build God a house, a magnificent temple.
And Israel enjoyed God’s blessing – they had a King who was famed for his
wisdom, and a city that was the pride of the nation, and the envy of the world.
The leaders of the nations flocked to Jerusalem to see the King –Israel was a
mighty player on the world stage. A nation blessed by God.
But, but,
unfaithfulness to God soon set in, even within the lifetime of Solomon,
and only a few generations later, God passed judgement on Israel. The city lay
in ruins and the people had been carried off into Babylon. No land, no rest, no
temple, no king. Only exile.
Where were God’s promises to be found then? Had God reneged
on them? Or had the King and his people sinned God’s promises away?
Well, to understand God’s promise to David more clearly,
let’s go for an imaginary walk in the hills. Imagine yourself going on a
walk…you see what you think is the peak of the range of hills just a short walk
away. So off you set, and in an hour or so you get to the top of the peak you
were aiming at. But once you reach the top, you realise that it isn’t the
highest point after all – (bino’s) there’s another peak higher than the one
you’re on – you just couldn’t see it from the bottom. So you eat your sandwiches, and have a drink, then set
off for the next peak. But when you reach there at dusk, you can just make out,
through the bino’s, a further peak, which is higher still than the one you’re
now standing on. So you decide to pitch the tent and attempt the highest of the
3 peaks the next day.
God’s promise to David is a bit like that! It has more than
one level of fulfilment.
God’s promise to David: Fulfilled partially
in Solomon…
When God promised David a successor to sit on his throne,
and to establish his kingdom forever, that promise was partially fulfilled in Solomon
and the temple. That was the first peak, if you like. But beyond it lay
something and someone greater – a further fulfilment of the promise.
The prophets began to see and prophesy a King who would not
let Israel down by sin and unfaithfulness to God – one who really would reign
forever.
…but
fully in Christ (Is.9:6)
Isaiah, several centuries later, as Israel was about to go
into exile, prophesied the birth of the one who would fulfil God’s promise:
(Is.9:6)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of
his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom…for ever.
And as we know, the NT writers took that passage and saw
that it prophesied the coming of Jesus – descended from David’s line.
Jesus is the one who does now reign over an
everlasting kingdom, as he sits at the right hand of God in heaven. As Paul
writes in Ephesians: God has raised him from the dead and seated him at his
right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and
dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but in
the one to come. He is God’s eternal King.
God’s promise today: Concerns
Jesus, God’s eternal King…
…who represents his people
This is where God’s promise to David becomes a promise to
us, as Xn believers. Remember that the prosperity of God’s people was closely
tied to the prosperity of the King. When God blessed David, the people too were
blessed. When Solomon and future kings rebelled against God, God judged them
and the people were carried of into exile.
Thankfully, in Jesus, God has
placed a righteous ruler over God’s people – so if Jesus is the King of our
lives, if we have given our lives to him, then all that God has blessed his Son
with, will be ours. Our identity and our hope are tied to him.
God’s promises in vv.10 onwards are
for us, through Jesus, our King – a settled place to live (heaven); freedom
from oppression and rest from our enemies – sin, sickness and death, which
blight our experience of this life, will be no more.
God’s
promise concerns Jesus, God’s eternal King, who represents his people. It is
an amazing promise that God has made! And God’s promises never fail.
But let’s go back to our experience of life and its
difficulties. We need to know how this promise of God works itself out in our
lives today, when life is often difficult.
The answer lies in these. Binoculars!
God’s promise to us: Fulfilled partly now……but
fully then
Remember our walk in the hills. We are still camped on the
second peak! Our experience of God’s promise is that of being on the second of the
3 hills.
We have seen that Jesus was a greater fulfilment of God’s
promise to David. But even in Jesus’ coming, we haven’t arrived at the final
peak of God’s fulfilment. We await Jesus’ return – the coming of God’s Kingdom
in all its fullness. Only then will we
enjoy all the benefits associated with belonging to our king and his kingdom –
the freedom from sin, sickness, sorrow and death.
Christians run into real trouble when they try and bring
what belongs to this 3rd and final fulfilment into the present.
The Bible doesn’t promise us health, wealth and happiness
if we come to Jesus. But it does promise hope, freedom from the power of
sin and death, and knowledge of God and his love for us. That transforms
our experience of life, but doesn’t mean we won’t suffer difficulty. Peter (1
Peter 4:12,13)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you
are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice
that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed
when his glory is revealed.’
We need to live in this world, with the certainty of what’s
to come. Keep looking through the binoculars at what is to come, the glory to
be revealed! – persevere through the difficulties! Don’t confuse what God has
promised ‘now’ and ‘then’.
The assurance of his presence (v.6)
But there is one more piece of assurance for us as we go
through life, trusting in God’s promise, but living with the difficulties that
life brings. We do not travel alone – God travels with his people. vv.6,7.
As Xns we know that to be true – God is in us and with us
by his Holy Spirit. He strengthens us in faith, keeps our eyes fixed on Jesus,
and encourages us to believe and hold on to the promises, comforts us in our
difficulties. God himself in us and with us as a sign of his goodness towards
us.
Conclusion
God is the gracious God who promises his people eternal
peace and rest with him. His promise to David is a promise fulfilled in Jesus
Christ, and we as his people, await the coming of God’s King. In the meantime,
we fix our eyes on what is yet to come to us through Jesus, and live in the
experience of his presence with us.
Pray v.v18,22
Why failure is not the end: 2 Sam
11.1-17
He
was God’s anointed one, plucked from obscurity to be the king of the nation. He
was the mighty victor over Goliath and the Philistine armies. He
was the founding member of the dynasty that led to Christ. He was the author of
the most heartfelt God-inspired poetry ever written and the man after God’s
heart. He was a liar, a cheat, an adulterer, and a murderer
The Bible tells it straight. There
is no cover up. Just a frank description of King David’s darkest hour.
It all began when David had an idle
moment, it was the time when kings go off to war - or at least when they were supposed to, but David was content to
let others do the fighting while he lounged around the palace. It was in that
moment of idleness that David spied a beautiful woman bathing.
There’s nothing wrong with
appreciating beauty, but David’s eye lingered
and appreciation led to lust which
led to adultery
There are two warning signals there
for us
1. The danger of idleness:
the old saying ‘the devil makes work for idle hands'
2. The danger of the eye:
A few days later the message came
‘I’m pregnant’
David had sinned and he sinned
badly, he proceeded to sin more. David attempted a cover up, and he started to
dig a deeper and deeper hole for himself
‘Let’s get her husband Uriah back
from the frontline, let him spend the night with his Mrs, a bit of rest and
refreshment will do him good’ said David. The king’s motive was clear: Uriah would sleep with Bathsheba, and the
whole world would suppose the baby growing in her womb’s was her husband’s and
David’s sin would stay hidden
It was a clever plan but it failed,
despite two attempts. David had not reckoned with the dedication, godly
devotion, and self-restraint of Uriah, the man he had so grievously wronged:
11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and
Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are
camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie
with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!" 2 Samuel 11
The
self-sacrificial nobility of Uriah, stands in stark contrast to the selfish,
self-serving actions of the monarch. David is unmoved by the loyalty and
dedication of his servant - instead he plans to kill him
Within days
Uriah is no more, the victim of a dodgy military manoeuvre masterminded by the
king and there is nothing to stop David moving Bathsheba into the Palace as the
latest addition to the royal harem
Just for
a moment David seems to have got away with it, but the chapter ends on a solemn
note:
But
the thing David had done displeased the LORD. 2 Samuel 11.26b
The
Lord, you see, has been watching.
That’s
the thing to . So far in this story the Lord has not been mentioned, but he has
been present. He has been watching David intently. That’s important and perhaps
frightening to remember: we can’t see the Lord but he can see us. The Lord has
been watching and now he acts: in judgment and in grace
The
thing to remember at this point is that the Lord loves David more than David
loves the Lord. That’s why the Lord speaks to him through his prophet Nathan.
That’s why the Lord sends David a
wounding message, - a painful, cutting message that has the power to heal
David’s soul
Nathan
the prophet got under the king’s defences by telling him a story:
The LORD
sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in
a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had a very large number of
sheep and cattle,
3 but the poor man had nothing except one
little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his
children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It
was like a daughter to him.
4 "Now a traveller came to the rich man,
but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to
prepare a meal for the traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe
lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to
him." 2 Samuel 12 verses 1-4
David
was incensed at this story of injustice, and burning with anger declared
"As
surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
6 He must pay for that lamb four times over,
because he did such a thing and had no pity." 2 Samuel 12
Then Nathan
said to David ‘You are the man!’
You’re
the man who had every thing but now you’ve stole another’s man wife and then
robbed him of his life. If anyone deserves to die it’s you. You’re pronounced
judgement with your own lips .
At this point
could have made excuses (the age old excuses that we hear to this day: my wife
doesn’t understand me; but I was in love – I couldn’t help myself; everyone is
doing it etc), but David didn’t seek to excuse himself, instead he humbled
himself
The power
of God’s word cut through to his soul and brought David to repentance. His
simply admission ‘I have sinned against the Lord’ is fleshed out in David’s
heartfelt prayer to God in Psalm 51 which has the title ‘A psalm of David.
When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with
Bathsheba’:
A recognition of his sin Ps 51.4
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and
done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
A plea for cleansing Ps 51.7
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
A prayer for restoration Ps 51.10
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew
a steadfast spirit within me.
For
David there was forgiveness and restoration but there was also judgement.
Terrible consequences followed for David and his family
What can
we learn from this episode?
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S
JUDGMENT
It was
recently said of man who had committed adultery that it made him a more
interesting person. Let’s be clear: adultery does not make you a more
interesting person. It brings you under the judgment of God
Adultery
causes untold hurt and suffering, it destroys relationships. It is deeply
displeasing to God. It is a sin that can lead to further sins- as it did with
David
Let’s be
clear: God’s judgment is real: consequences follow. Any one involved or
contemplating involvement in the sin of adultery or any other sin needs to think
again and turn again. The Lord is watching, the Lord knows. Beware the judgment
of God.
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF GOD’S GRACE
He is a
God of judgment but he welcomes back the sinner with open arms, when the sinner turns from his wicked ways and repent. You must
turn, you must repent, then you will be forgiven.
You
might think that God would have given David the sack or had him quietly retired
on health grounds, but the God who had chosen David, who had given him power to
defeat Goliath, restored him and used him in his purposes once more
If you
read the genealogy of Christ at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel
you will
see that Jesus lineage is traced back to David and Bathsheba. Such is the grace
of God that the Lord working things out for good brought from this terrible act
the amazing blessing of the saviour of the world. That’s not an encouragement
to sin, but an encouragement to wonder at the grace of God that can use sinful,
fallible men like David in his purposes
If
you’re struggling as a Christian or falling into sin, come back. God’s grace is amazing. Failure does not
have to be the end.