“Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)
In today’s reading we find David talking with the prophet Nathan. David noticed that while he lived in a fancy cedar palace, he thought it wasn’t right that the creator of the universe and the one who allowed him to rule over Israel, the Lord, “dwelled” in a tent. David wanted to express his gratitude to God for delivering him from his enemies (7:1) by building him an actual house.
Although described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14), God doesn’t grant David’s request to build a house for him. Instead, God proclaims that one of David’s descendants will be the one to build God’s house (7:13) and makes a covenant with David that his house and kingdom will last eternally (7:16).
As we continue our study of 2 Samuel, we will soon discover that David will commit some grievous sins. His son Solomon, who eventually built God’s house ended up worshipping false gods. After Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided into two separate kingdoms (Israel and Judah) and were eventually ransacked by the Assyrians and Babylonians as a part of God’s judgement. Does this mean that God voided the covenant he made with David in verse 16?
Regardless of the failings of David, Solomon, and the Israelites, God was faithful. The covenant found its complete fulfillment in Jesus, to whom God “[gave] the throne of his father David” and has reign over a kingdom that has no end (Lk. 1:32-33). As a result, we can have confidence in the promises God has for us through Christ Jesus (Heb. 13:5, Jn. 10:28, Rom. 8:38-39 for example) are not conditional on our performance.
Even during periods where we seemingly drift away from God and experience a season of spiritual dryness, he is still 100% faithful and does not give up on us! (2 Timothy 13:4) God is gracious and compassionate and since he is love, he does not keep a record of our wrongs (1 Cor. 13:5) because of what Christ has done on our behalf.
Do you view God like an over demanding boss who is just waiting for you to slip up? Or do you believe that he is our Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can ever imagine? Even though at times we may live like he doesn’t exist, our Creator is still mindful of us (Ps. 8:4). Let us thank God for his overflowing grace!