STUDY THEME: ONE SOLITARY LIFE: THE LIFE OF JESUS11-5-00
AN EVERLASTING PROMISE 1CHRON. 17:1-2,3-4,10b -14;17:23-27
PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO 1 CHRONICLES 17.

You will remember from last Sunday's lesson that Salmon begot Boaz, Boaz
begot Obed, Obed begot Jesse, Jesse begot David and now today we study
David, King of Israel and his desire to build a temple for God. The Life
of David marked an important epoch in the unfolding of God's purpose and
plan of redemption Here a little and there a little God made known the
goal toward which all his dealings tended. 

 Nathan, the prophet, at first assured David that he could build. But
then God told Nathan that he would have to go back and tell David
differently but that He, God, would build David a "house" in return. But
this word" house" actually meant a dynasty. God promised David that he,
David, would have a descendant who would rule forever. That surely could
not be said of any blood descendant of David except Jesus Christ. David
thanked God for the assurance that He would keep His promise. 

Instead of David's building for the Lord a material and temporal house,
the Lord would build for him a spiritual house, which would abide "for
ever." God made known His purpose to confer upon the posterity of David a
special favor, which He had not granted even to Abraham, Moses, or
Joshua, namely, establish him upon the throne of Israel.

 In a day when so many people seem untrustworthy, whose word seemingly is
no good at all, Christians are to be committed to be keepers of their
promises. In fact there is currently a dynamic Christian movement known
as "Promise Keepers" which seeks to enlist men to be men of God;
especially in their families but also in everyday life. All Christians
should be people committed to keeping their promises. The most prominent
Bible promises are the OT promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the NT
promises made as a result of Christ's coming.
The suggested "Bible Truth" for this lesson is that God promised David
that one of his descendants would rule over God's kingdom forever. The
suggested "Life Impact" for this lesson is to help us understand how God
stayed true to His promises, appreciate that He did and praise Him for
doings so. 

Should you wish to make a more thorough study of the Life of David you
will find it told in parts of four biblical books. First Samuel 16-31
tells of David's life before he became king. Second Samuel tells of
David's reign. First Kings 1:1-2:12 tells of his death. First Chronicles
11-29 also tells the story of David. Some of the portions of 1 Chron. are
paralleled in 2 Samuel. This is true of the account in 1 Chron. 17 that
forms the basis for this lesson. Most of this information is also found
in 1 Samuel 7. Each account has some distinctive material, but both 2
Samuel 7 and 1 Chron. 17 emphasizes God's promise to David. You would
especially enjoy reading in 2 Samuel 6 concerning all the problems
associated with the moving of the ark of God from the house of Abinadab
in Gibeon  without following the Lord's instructions. It certainly
reminded me of instances in my own life. 

David's story is the basis for the heart of the hope for a Messiah in the
OT. Many of the OT references to "the anointed" refer either to David or
to a descendant of David's. Concerning 1 Chron. 17 Roddy Braun wrote:
"The significance of this message for biblical thought ...can hardly be
overestimated. From this time forward it will be impossible for the
Messiah to be considered anything less than David's descendant...It is in
that light that the NT. pictures Jesus as the son of David and relates
his birth in Bethlehem. It is in that faith too that the Church
celebrates the rule of Jesus the Christ, whose kingdom will have no end.

1. PLEASE READ 1 CHRONICLES 17: 1-2. 

David succeeded Saul as Israel's king. He had consolidated all Israel
under his rule. He captured the city of the Jebusites and made it
Jerusalem, his capital. One of David's concerns was to bring the Ark of
the Covenant to Jerusalem. The ark had been neglected during Saul's
reign. but it had been an important feature of Israelite worship since
Moses' time. 

The ark was a portable box about 2 1/2 ft. wide, four ft. long, and 2 1/2
ft. deep. It symbolized God's presence with the Israelites. Bezalel built
the ark. On top of the box were figures of cherubim. The box's lid was
called the mercy seat, and on the Day of Atonement the high pries
sprinkled animal's blood on the lid. The Book of Hebrews reports that the
box contained three items: a gold jar of manna, Aaron's rod, and the
stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. In early
Israelite history the ark was kept in the tabernacle. After the temple
was built, the ark was kept in the holy of holies, the most sacred part
of the building. The ark probably was destroyed or stolen during the
Babylonian invasion in 587/86 B.C. 

During Eli the priest's life and the time of the judges, the ark had been
kept at the sanctuary at Shiloh. When the Israelites attacked the
Philistines, the Israelites took the ark into battle, but the Philistines
captured it. After experiencing a lot of trouble when their gods began to
fall before it, the Philistines returned the ark; ant it was housed at
Kiriath Jearim. When David wanted to retrieve the ark, he sent men there.
When the ark was first moved, a man died because he touched the box; and
David had the ark stored for three months in the house of Obed-Edom.
Later the box was moved to Jerusalem.  Meanwhile, Hiram, King of Tyre,
sent enough cedar and workmen to build a house of cedar for David.

David prepared a tent to house the ark in Jerusalem. He took part in a
festive procession that brought the ark into town. The entire nation
joined in the triumphant parade, with David dancing in the celebration
for the box's arrival His dancing displeased his wife Michal.        

The Lord had elevated David from the sheepcote to the throne and had
given him rest from all his enemies. As David sat alone in his palace
meditating there can be little doubt his mind turned to Deut. 12: 10-11
where God made the ancient promise, "When He giveth you rest from all
your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety, then there shall be
a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell
there." It was that word, we believe, which caused our hero to say to
Nathan in 2 Samuel 7:2 "See, now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the
ark of God dwelleth within curtains." He could not bear the thoughts of
lavishing more upon self than upon the service of Him to whom he owed
everything. 

In Ps. 132: 1-6 David vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; "Surely I will
not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will
give no sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, until I find out a
place for the Lord, a habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob." David had
resolved to establish a place where the symbol of God's presence (the Ark
of the Covenant) should be fixed and communion with His people
established. 

2. PLEASE READ 1 CHRONICLES 17: 3-4

Nathan the prophet's first response was to tell David to proceed. Nathan
knew that God had been guiding David's reign.  He seemed to give David a
blank check for David's plans, but Nathan learned that God did not want
David to build a temple. Now God did not openly rebuke Nathan for what he
said. Nathan had not claimed to speak for God but spoke only his own
words. Nathan's fault here was that he did not consult the Lord before
assuring David he could build the temple. The next morning he hastened to
correct what he had said. 

 Imagine how disappointed David must have been when Nathan delivered the
second message. "Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in." It was
not that the Lord did not want a temple; it was that David was not His
choice to build it. Later, God told David that his son would build the
temple. David was heartened by this news and set about gathering
materials for the project, but he would not live to see it completed.
David must have felt as Moses did when he was not allowed to enter
Canaan. 

How we handle disappointments is crucial. Some people let disappointments
overcome them. If they can't do what they want to do---even something for
good and for God-they lose heart and fail to do what the Lord wants them
to do. Many faithful people in the Bible had disappointments. How they
coped with these experiences determined their long-range usefulness in
God's kingdom and thus their own sense of joy and fulfillment. To David's
credit, he did not let this stop him from serving God. He was not allowed
to erect the temple, but he was allowed to prepare Solomon for doing
this.

We can see our plans come to nothing and wonder if God has no use for us.
But God's rejection of a project does not mean He has rejected us or that
He does not look with favor on our desire to serve. A Christian couple
many of us know, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Baugh, our former pastor, wanted to
go as foreign missionaries. The Board was eager to have Mrs. Baugh's
nursing ability, but Dr. Baugh's health caused them to be rejected. A
proposed evangelistic campaign or a church's plans to build may come to
naught. But if our hearts are right before God, He will lead us to
something better and more appropriate.

3, PLEASE READ 1 CHRONICLES 17: 7, 10b-14. 
    
In Vs. 7 the Lord reminded David he had been with Israel during the times
when they were on the move. Implied is the danger of going from a movable
tent to a  permanent building. Later history shows some people used the
temple as a basis for false self-confidence. In his temple sermon
Jeremiah condemned those who put their trust in the temple while they
were living in sin. In the N.T, Stephen spoke of the tabernacle as a more
appropriate way to signify a God who is on the move and wants His people
to move forward with Him. Solomon, in his prayer of dedication for the
temple, recognized that God cannot be confined to a building. Therefore,
God wanted David to realize that having a temple did not guarantee faith
and faithfulness. 

God also told David to reflect on the Lord's leadership in his own life.
He had taken David from the pasture and made him ruler over God's people
Israel. In addition, He had been with David in all he did.

Having summarized what He had done for Israel and for David in Vs. 10b-14
God promised what He would do for them in the future. Instead of David's
building for the Lord a material and temporal house, the Lord would build
for him a spiritual house, which would abide "for ever." It was thus that
God made known His purpose to confer upon the posterity of David a
special favor, which He had not granted even to Abraham, Moses or Joshua,
namely, established them upon the throne of Israel. House is obviously
used in different ways. It can mean "dynasty, temple, and even household.
 The meaning here is "dynasty." David's descendants would be his house.
When David died, His offspring would succeed him as king. God did not
name Solomon, but he succeeded David as king. 

God's relationship with Solomon would be that of a father to a son. This
special relationship would be marked by a love that God never would take
away from him. The term love suggests a long-term commitment,
faithfulness-a loyal love that will not forsake a relationship. God had
been disappointed with Saul, David's predecessor; but He would not
forsake Solomon, the next king.  

God's promise related to Solomon, who built the temple in Jerusalem.
Many, however, see an anticipation of Jesus' ministry in the passage.
Jesus was a later descendant of David, and the kingdom he announced-the
kingdom of God-fits the promises well. When God said, "I will establish
his throne forever", He may have intended Jesus more than Solomon.
David's descendants ruled as kings for centuries, but the Babylonian
captivity interrupted that dynasty in the sixth century B.C. Jesus
kingdom will be forever. 

Some Israelites may have thought God's covenant with David's family was
unconditional, meaning the nation never could be defeated. David,
however, understood that he and his family were to obey God.

4. PLEASE READ 1 CHRONICLES 17:23-27.

In Vs. 15 in response to Nathan's report of God's "revelation," David sat
and prayed. This is the only time in the O.T. that someone sat and
prayed.  David's prayer began with a natural question that could be
summarized: "Why me." Why had God chosen him to rule? David was not being
falsely modest; he sincerely wondered why God had chosen a shepherd to be
king. Now God had promised that David's descendants would be a political
dynasty. David felt honored to be God's "servant" and to play such a
significant role in God's relationship with His people. 

David also praised God for His uniqueness as Lord of the universe. Other
gods were false gods-counterfeits; only one true God exists. God had
performed miracles in freeing the Israelites from bondage. He "redeemed"
them from Egypt, and they would be His people forever. 

David asked God to fulfill His promise about David and his descendants.
The phrase the promise you have made could be rendered "the word you have
spoken." For the Israelites God's "word" was powerful. Isaiah wrote in
Isaiah 40:8 that God's Word "stands forever." The writer of Hebrews in
Heb. 4:12 also noted the power of God's Word, "For the word of God is
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Because God
is true, His words are true. 

In Vs. 23 David expressed his confidence that God would keep His word.
Today we describe someone as "a man of his word" because he keeps his
word or follows through on his promises. David encouraged God: "Do as you
promised. David's prayer was a candid statement of his hope and trust in
God, not an attempt to badger God.    

In Vs. 24 God's reputation among the nations would be enhanced because of
the display of His power through Israel. The Israelites saw a close
connection between someone's name and the person's nature or identity.
David used the special name Yahweh that God revealed to Moses at the
burning bush, sometimes translated Lord in Vs. 24. 

David's confidence in God's trustworthiness is clear at the end of his
prayer. God had blessed his house, and it would be blessed forever. David
could count on God to fulfill His promise.

David accepted God's decision that his son, Solomon, would build the
temple. David assembled some of the materials needed for the project. He
reviewed for Solomon the account of God's promise to David. . Solomon
would be a man of peace and rest," and God would allow him to build the
temple.  

The Babylonians and later the Romans destroyed the temple, but God's
promise to David and His people remained certain. God's character is
consistent, and He keeps His word. Many of the ancient world's so-called
gods were fickle and unpredictable. Their followers often had to try to
persuade them to behave certain ways. David acknowledged God's goodness.
Once God promised to establish David's house, David knew God would do it.

Today we Christians also can be sure of God's trustworthiness. He will
fulfill His promises to us. Some Christians mistakenly may claim biblical
promises that were made to specific individuals, but we can trust God to
do what He promised to His people in general. For example, God often
promised that He would be with His people. His assurance of His presence
in all life's triumphs and tragedies is a promise on which we can count.
God may not protect us from difficulties, but He promised to be with us
through the difficulties. You and I have lived long enough to know that
life is not fair, but we know for sure that God is good. ;     

On one occasion when hostile natives threatened the life of David
Livingston, the great missionary was frightened. Then he pulled out his
N.T. and read the promises of God's abiding presence. He closed the book
and said to himself, "It is the word of a gentleman of the most strict
and sacred honor. I feel calm now, thank God."

CONCLUSIONS:
In today's lesson we have seen that having good intentions is
commendable, but we need to be sure that we have sought the will of God
and rely on Him in carrying out what He wants us to do. We need to avoid
losing heart when we are disappointed. We also have seen that God's
promise to David, which was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, is an
example of God's faithfulness in keeping all His promises. We have seen
that the proper responses to God's promises are faith in God to do as He
has promised and praise Him for what He has done and will do. 

This lesson affirms God's faithfulness in keeping His promises and
presents David as a model of how to respond to God's promises. Our basis
for believing God's promises is God's character as faithful, loving and
trustworthy. His character is revealed in His actions in keeping past
promises. The fact that He has kept past promises is the basis for our
faith that He will keep His word concerning the future. David's response
to God's promises challenges us to respond in kind. David was so anxious
to do God's will that he was about to act on his own. However, when God
told David that he would not be the one to build the temple, David did
not lose heart. He did what he could to prepare Solomon for that task.
Also he believed God's promise that a future descendant of his would
reign over an everlasting kingdom.  

NEXT SUNDAY WE LOOK TO THE BOOK ISAIAH FOR THE PROMISES OF THE COMING
REDEEMER. A.V. DAUGHERTY      11-5-00