II Samuel Chapter 7
Please read: II Samuel 7 –
Here is where we really see that David has a heart for God. He wants to do and give his very best to God. It didn’t seem right to David that he lived in a beautiful palace made of cedar and the ark of the covenant was kept in a tent. God had greatly blessed David in fact we learn in the first verse that he was living in a time of rest. All his enemies had been subdued. This may indicate that this chapter actually followed chapter 8 because the next chapter begins a series of battles that were fought.
It would seem that building a temple for God would be the right thing to do. But God spoke through Nathan a prophet and told David that it would be his son who would build the temple. Instead, God reminded David of how He had led the people of Israel out of bondage from the Egyptians and made them His people. The loving kindness of God is expressed in this chapter as He describes how much He has done for His people Israel and how He will continue to take care of them. In all that time God never asked them to build Him a temple. He also expresses His love for David and how He brought him out of the fields when he was just a shepherd boy and established him as king. And God promised David that He would establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
But we also want to give careful reading of the words of love that David expressed to God. These are words that we can adopt into our own prayer life.
Let's Reflect
1. Who was it that gave David rest from all of his enemies? Who can give us rest from all the stress of this world?
2. What did the prophet Nathan first think of David’s idea to build a temple for God?
3. What does God call those who have godly leadership of His people? See verse 7.
4. In verse 8 David was a literal shepherd once but God made him a what over Israel?
5. God will appoint David’s son to build the temple. But what does God lovingly say He will do for David’s son?
6. David expressed gratitude to God for all that He had done. How did David see himself in the grand scheme of things?
7. David also expresses gratitude for all God has done for the people of Israel. God called them His and took care of them and blessed them. What in particular did God do for Israel that is very important? See verses 23 and 24.
8. David ends his praise to God in a statement that says, “so be it.” “God the blessings that you want to pour out on my life, so be it.” Have you ever thought about the blessings that God wants to pour out on your life?
