2 samuel 7-8

Read 2 Samuel 7-8 at Bible Gateway.

I love this part of David’s reign. When he had established his kingdom, and all his enemies were subdued before him, his heart smote him that he dwelt in a fine palace made of cedar (the most expensive building material which could be had at that time), while the ark of the covenant dwelt in a tent.

But the LORD said, in essence, Will you build Me a house to dwell in? (For all heaven is too small to contain the LORD, and the earth is His footstool). No rather, it is the LORD who will build David a house. For it was from David that the Promised Seed, the Messiah, would be born into the world.

“I will set up your seed after you, who will 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 his Father, and he shall be My son.” 2 Sam 7:12-14

This is the Messiah and Messiah”s kingdom He is talking about. And why is He going to establish His kingdom? So that He will build a house for the name of YHVH to dwell.

This is not a house made with hands. This is not the Temple (although Solomon, the seed of David, did build the Temple, but even that was prophetic, that the seed of David would build a house for YHVH to dwell in). Peter says:

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Pet 2:4-5

And:

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Joh 2:19-21

“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” Act 17:24 

For we are the temple of the living God, and the Holy Spirit, the presence of the LORD, indwells us. The purpose of redeeming us is so that the holy name of YHVH can find a home in us. It is just so mind- blowing.

But remember when we were studying the structure of the tabernacle from Exodus. The Holy of Holies corresponds to the heart, where the ark of the covenant dwells. The tablets of stone, the word of God and the Law of God, is within the ark, written on our hearts, and our hearts are covered by mercy, as the mercy seat covers the ark. The light of the menorah and the table of bread are laid out in the Holy Place, which corresponds to our mind and our soul. That the word of God, which is bread and light, dwells without ceasing in our minds, as the light burns without ceasing in the Holy Place. And the outer court corresponds to our bodies. The outer court has contact with the world, but if anything is to enter the outer court, then it must be purified first, because the outer court is the gateway to the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.

We individually are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, but we corporately, as the body of Christ, the ekklesia, the assembly of the believers, when we are together, are also the Temple of the Living God. So some of this is still a mystery. But this prophecy that Nathan prophesied over David, was partly fulfilled when Solomon built the Temple, and partly fulfilled with Jesus’ first coming. The rest of it will be fulfilled with Jesus’ return, as God promised:

“Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously.” 2 Sam 7:10

Well, that happened during David’s reign, but then from that time to this, Israel has not had rest in their land without oppression from their enemies. So it is Messiah who will completely fulfill this prophecy, during His millennial reign. 🙂

David’s response to the Lord was humility: I am not great enough to have You do this for me, LORD. But if You do this, it is because of how great You are; it is because of the majesty of Your name and Your word.

And that is the way it is. Nothing the LORD does for us is because of us. It is because of Him. 🙂