The Best Man for God's Mission | 2 Samuel 7

July 20, 2025

Today, we continue our study of David, this being part four of a six-week study, taking note of David’s life, with the understanding that he is a type of Christ.  (As we continue in this study, let us remember that Jesus Christ is the Savior who is Messiah, the Promised Son of David, as we are told in the opening statement of the book of Matthew.)

As we consider “The Best Man for God’s Mission”, let us begin with Psalm 89:3-4, which reads, “I have cut a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne from generation to generation. Selah.”  We begin in Psalm 89 because, through the beauty and harmony of Scripture, we find that it revisits the very promises in today’s primary Scripture, 2 Samuel 7.  From there, we open with, “Now it happened when the king inhabited his house, and Yahweh had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I inhabit a house of cedar, but the ark of God inhabits tent curtains.’  So Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you’ “ (vv.1-3).

In this passage we find David, about age 40, settled in his house, God having given him rest from all of his enemies on every side.  David’s house is made of cedar, a symbol of luxury and permanence, which demonstrates God’s providence for David in establishing his throne.  We find David troubled by the contrast between his home and that of the Ark of God, which still remains housed in a tent.  David’s heart, filled with humbleness and gratitude welling up within, is motivated to build a temple for the Lord.  In seeking out counsel with this huge endeavor, David shares his desire with the prophet, Nathan.  Initially, we see in verse 3, Nathan encouraging David, affirming what is on David’s heart.  Nathan loves David’s heart in this.  It was David’s desire that God permanently dwell among His people, knowing also that the people of Israel would join with David in this good thing.  Yet, Nathan’s advice is given before consulting God, assuming God’s approval.

As we continue reading, we see in 2 Samuel 7:4-7 that during the very same night, the word of God came to Nathan in a vision, correcting and instructing him to tell David that God never asked for a house and that He has always dwelt in a tent since bringing Israel out of Egypt.  God emphasizes that it is He who has been the one guiding and establishing David, not the other way around.  God questions whether David should be the one to build a house for Him, emphasizing that He has not required such a dwelling from any leader of Israel.  In fact, if we revisit 1 Chronicles 28:3, we see David, standing before a great assembly of leaders in Jerusalem, telling the assembled that God said to him, “(David) shall not build a house for My name because (he) is a man of war and have shed blood.”  The wars God had for David disqualified him to build God’s house.

Moving through 2 Samuel 7:8-13, we take notice in the unfolding promise of God that it is through one who is going to come after David, from his own body, that God will establish his kingdom (v12).  It is He who will build a house for God’s name.  Let us also take notice of the numerous and wonderful blessings and proclamations declared by God to David in this covenant, things God will do:

1. I will make you a great name (v9).
2. I will appoint a place for my people Israel (v10).
3. I will give you rest from your enemies (v11).
4. I will make a house for you (v11).
5. I will raise up one of your seed after you (v12).
6. I will establish your kingdom (v12).
7. I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (v13).

In our English language, we use “forever” quite casually and with some confusion.  At times, we hear the word used to express things happening that seem to take a very long time to complete, while in other usages to express events that happen very frequently or habitually.  Yet in another example, we use this term to mean something that lasts for a long time.  In this particular usage, we drift closer to the meaning as used in 2 Samuel 7:13, where “forever” means that God’s covenant with David and his royal descendants will be “eternal, without end” or “in perpetuity”.  God’s promise will extend beyond David’s life and beyond the historical monarchy established for Israel.  Hearing God’s promise of a “forever” kingdom without end, what would the people of Israel be thinking in light of their understanding of God’s established kings Saul, David and Solomon?  How will God accomplish such a promise?

Saul, Israel’s first king, is our first candidate.  We should observe that in many ways he was a good king and that, in the people’s eyes, he could be a conduit in God’s establishing this forever kingdom, forever throne.  Saul was anointed and chosen by God.  Physically, he met the people’s expectations for a leader’s appearance.  Early in his reign, we find him humble and modest, even hesitant to assume royal power and reluctant to highlight his achievements or claim glory for himself.  Saul united the tribes of Israel and built a strong standing army, leading the nation to many victories over enemies of Israel.  Early in his reign, we find Saul merciful and forgiving.  In times of crises, Saul acted decisively and courageously.  He had an ability to inspire and unite.

Despite these good characteristics on display in the early years of his reign, Saul missed the mark as this forever king, as there were many ways he was a bad king.  We find him impatient and disobedient, unlawfully performing priestly duties, when Samuel was late for a sacrifice.  We find him incomplete in his obedience, sparing the life of the Amalekite king, Agag, and keeping much of the Amalekite’s livestock, when the instruction was to completely destroy the Amalekites and to take no spoils.  As Saul’s reign continued, we see increasing self importance and self-deception in his relationship with God, refusing to take responsibility for his mistakes.  Also, we see Saul’s insecurity with David, which led to an intense jealousy of David’s military and popular success, resulting in multiple murder attempts, persecuting David rather than ruling.  We see a loss of faith, resorting to the occult, deceitfulness and dishonesty towards God’s prophet and his own people, further undermining his moral authority.  Saul’s later behavior was marked by fear, erratic decisions and psychological distress, which ultimately led to his downfall and his own suicide.  Saul’s story is tragic and not the king who fits the mold of an eternal kingdom.

Saul’s disobedience and failures led to God’s anointing of Israel’s second king, David, our second candidate.  In many ways, David was a very good king.  Chosen and anointed by God, identified by Samuel as a “man after God’s own heart”.  Throughout David’s life, we see great courage and faith in God: we need only remember David’s killing of Goliath.  As a military leader, David unified the tribes of Israel, led the nation to many military victories, subdued surrounding nations and expanded Israel’s borders, all of this serving to bring prosperity and peace to Israel.  In making Jerusalem the capital and religious center of Israel, David demonstrated great political wisdom.  David was credited with leaving a legacy of worship, composing many psalms, providing a spiritual heritage that shaped both Jewish and Christian worship.  In times of wrongdoing, we see personal humility and repentance, directly seeking God’s forgiveness, displaying a heart sensitive to rebuke and quick repentance.  We see graciousness, mercy and loyalty in his relationships, including his enemies.

David is very much aligning with the everlasting king; however, like Saul, he also displayed characteristics of a bad king.  Remember his moral failure with Bathsheba, committing adultery, then ordering the death of her husband, Uriah, which resulted in both personal and national consequences.  Household and family disorder resulted from David’s leniency and lack of discipline with his children, which led to severe family dysfunction.  We see an abuse of power and unchecked authority that ignored God’s commands and ethical standards, as seen in the census of Israel, which resulted in a divine plague.  In David, we see failure to act justly, pride and overreach.  Some of his alliances and marriages were motivated by political expediency rather than covenant faithfulness.

We see that David’s story is marked by remarkable achievements and profound moral lapses.  He shaped Israel’s history through faith, courageous leadership and profound spirituality, yet David was deeply flawed.  Like Saul, David fell short of fitting the mold of an eternal kingdom.  With his death, Israel’s third king, Solomon, takes the throne as our third candidate.  With Solomon, the promised seed, comes much hope.

The book of 2 Samuel was written sometime between 931 and 722 BC after Solomon’s death in 931 BC; therefore, the readers of this book would know Solomon.  He was a good king.  In the beginning of his reign, in response to God’s first question, Solomon requested wisdom, which God gave to him.  Solomon became wiser than all men and his name was known across nations for his discernment and understanding (1 Kings 3, 4:29-34).  His reign was marked by unprecedented peace and prosperity.  He expanded Israel’s influence and secured its borders.  Under Solomon, there were many architectural and cultural achievements, including the construction of the first temple in Jerusalem.  His fame spreading throughout the world, Solomon had international recognition and developed peaceful alliances with neighboring nations, often through diplomatic marriages.  We see the Queen of Sheba visit to witness his wisdom and the glory of his kingdom.  Solomon is credited with authoring Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and some Psalms, which, like his father, profoundly influenced both Jewish and Christian thought and worship.

Just as the two kings before him, Solomon was a bad king.  We know that Solomon married many foreign women…having 700 wives and 300 concubines…who brought their gods and were able to persuade Solomon to build them many altars.  This marked a grave spiritual decline and violated God’s direct commands (1 Kings 11:1-8).  We see excess and oppression as he heavily taxed the people to sustain his building projects and his royal lifestyle.  Despite his wisdom, Solomon turned his heart to other gods, which resulted in God’s warning that his dynasty would lose the control of Israel after his death (1 Kings 11:9-13).  Unlike his father, Solomon did not finish his reign with a repentant heart and wholehearted obedience.  With his lust for political gain, we see intermarriage.  While some of these alliances brought peace, the marrying of foreign women was in direct contradiction with Mosaic law, ultimately bringing about the division of the kingdom.

Are these the kings we would choose to establish the eternal covenant?  Even Solomon, whose reign stood out for its wisdom, peace, prosperity and cultural greatness, undermined his legacy and the nation’s future through his spiritual compromise and neglect of God’s commands.  Thus, we arrive at a dilemma: how on earth can God bring about an earthly king to fulfill His covenant?  Each king begins in promise and ends in disappointment.  Each reign begins with a hopeful anticipation by the people for a good king, but each demonstrates his fallen nature, each reign ending in a hopeless discouragement, with the people still longing for a good king.  How can this covenant prevail and last?  As one theologian said, “Even the best of men are men at best”.  It appears hopeless…BUT GOD!

If we look back, there is hope.  God’s covenant was a unilateral, unbreakable divine promise that did not depend on man.  In man, a forever kingdom would never succeed.  In God’s declarations  (2 Samuel:9-13), we see each is preceded by two critical words, “I will”!  Only in God is there hope!  “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will come forth from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom” (2 Samuel 7:12).  David would have to lie down and die for God to bring about the eternal temple and kingdom.  His death was pivotal in establishing Solomon’s reign as a time of peace.  While David’s rule was marked by war, conflict and the consolidation of Israel, his passing allowed for a transition to a new era, one defined by peace and prosperity under Solomon, whose very name means “peaceful”.  Solomon’s ascendency was necessary to build the temple of God.  The peace of Solomon’s reign in contrast to David’s wars, symbolized the fulfillment of God’s promise that David’s “son” would build God’s house and reign in peace.  From this would come a dynasty with eternal duration as promised.  Only in one who lives forever could this promise be fulfilled.

In the beginning of today’s service, we read Psalm 89, seeing shadows and parallels in David’s life, as we also see in 2 Samuel 7, that point to God’s eternal plan and the Better David to come.  In divine selection, while David was chosen by God as Israel’s king, the Better David was chosen by God as eternal King and Savior.  While David is promised an earthly dynasty, we see eternal kingship fulfilled in the Better David.  David is given royal “sonship” to God, whereas we see the Better David is the true Son of God, both divine and human.  God promises that David will build a house for God, fulfilled in the temple built by Solomon, but the Better David builds God’s spiritual house, the church.  We see God’s enduring mercy remaining despite the failings of kings, while with the Better David, Christ, the unbreakable new covenant is fulfilled.  While David provided and protected the people of Israel as a shepherd king, the Better David leads, saves and lays down His life for His people.

“So I will set up his seed to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven” (Psalm 89:29).  How do we get from Solomon to forever, from Solomon to a Better David?  As Luke taught last week, we are reminded of God’s mercy and His lovingkindness.  If we revisit Psalm 89:25-35, we see an everlasting covenant and enduring throne, God’s sworn oath that He will not retract His promise to David.  Despite the failures of David’s descendants, God’s covenant remains secure, ultimately fulfilled through the Messiah.  We see that God’s steadfast love, despite the sins of David’s descendants, will not be taken from him, nor would God ever betray His faithfulness (v33), laying the groundwork for a king, the Messiah, who would fully embody faithfulness.  “Once I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David” (v35), an irrevocable promise of God to David.  We see a turning point, mentioned earlier, David representing the old order, marked by struggle and incomplete fulfillment.  With Solomon, a new era is inaugurated, fullness and peace, just as Jesus brings the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises through His death, resurrection and eternal reign.  The peaceful kingdom under Solomon becomes a prophetic shadow, a prototype, of the Messianic kingdom of Christ, where, “the wolf will dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6), where peace and justice will dwell forever.

With man, there is no hope, no way.  “Even the best of men are men at best.”  BUT GOD brought a Better David.  God always keeps His promises!  Jesus is the promised eternal, forever King, the Son of David who lived, died and rose again, sent to rescue and bring us into God’s eternal kingdom.  His rule brings forgiveness, peace and new life.  Everyone who trusts in Him belongs to His eternal kingdom, not because of their perfection, but because of His.  God’s simple requirement, His only ask of us, is that we believe in Jesus, recognize Him as our King, trust in His death and resurrection for our forgiveness of sins…and follow Him.

“But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood” (1 Chronicles 28:3).  David was disqualified and had to die.  Jesus Christ came as qualified, but He became disqualified for us, taking on our sins, paying the price for us, so that through His death and resurrection He could lead us into God’s eternal kingdom, an eternal throne of salvation and peace.

God’s word is clear.  Christ was foretold.  God built His dynasty, His reign upon Himself.  It was the only Way.  Would that this truth be solidified in our minds, enlarging Him, knowing that, in God’s sovereignty, He planned this Way before the beginning of time, seen perfectly in its intricacy, woven through the beauty of Scripture, God’s written word.     

Selah

• Every man is disqualified to be king, the lord over his own life. “Even the best of men are men at best.”  BUT GOD brought a Better David, a Forever King, fully qualified by God.  God’s word is clear.  Is Christ truly your King or is now the time for you to step down off the throne?
• If Christ is your King, does His prosperity and peace govern your heart?  What must change so that it does?