Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(2 Samuel 6:20) Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"
As David brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord into Jerusalem, he ditched his royal robes, wore a linen ephod, and danced with all his might before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). His first wife Michal had watched him from a window and had much disdain for him (2 Samuel 6:16). Now that the ark was in its place and the celebration had ended, David returned to his house to bless it. Michal came out to meet him and spoke in an ironical jeering way, meaning the reverse, how inglorious was the king who had put off his royal robes and danced in the street like some low-life commoner. Her words oozed with contempt, not only for David, but for the people she felt were beneath her class.
(21) And David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord who chose me before your father and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; therefore will I play before the Lord."
David told Michal he had acted as he had for the Lord, in gratitude and humility for appointing him to be the king of Israel. He seems to have made it a point to humble her pride by saying that the Lord had chosen him over her father and over his household. He also made a point of saying he would continue to praise and glorify the Lord with all his might, in any way the Spirit moved him, and would not consider it beneath his dignity.
(22) "And I will yet be more vile than this and will be base in my own sight, and of the maidservants which you have spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor."
David continued by telling Michal that if she considered his behavior vile that day, he would be even more vile in the future, humbling himself all the more, believing he could never condescend too low to exalt the Lord. And as for the handmaidens she had spoken of, he would be content with the honor they would give him as he lowered himself to their level, at least that was the way Michal saw it.
(23) Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Michal never had any children, partly because David probably had nothing more to do with her intimately since she despised him so, but maybe more so by God's judgment against her and possibly the fact that He would not have the descendants of David mixed with the descendants of Saul.
(2 Samuel 7:1) And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies, (2) That the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains."
David was then at peace in his palace made of cedar logs that Hiram king of Tyre had sent him, along with builders to build him a house (2 Samuel 5:11). He spoke to a prophet Nathan who would become one of David's closest advisors. It did not seem right to David that he should dwell in his nice cedar house while the ark of God dwelt in a tent with curtains for walls.
(3) And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you."
At this point, Nathan told the king to go ahead and do whatever was in his heart to do, for the Lord was with him. While the Lord was indeed with David, it turns out that it was not the Lord's will for David to build Him a house.
(1 Chronicles 17:1) Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Lo, I dwell in a house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains." (2) Then Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you."
1 Chronicles 17 told of the same incident.
(2 Samuel 7:4) And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, (5) "Go and tell My servant David, thus says the Lord, 'Shall you build me a house for Me to dwell in?'"
That night the word of the Lord came to Nathan and told him to go to David and tell him His words that began by asking if it was David's intention to build Him a house.
(6) "'Whereas I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.'"
The word of the Lord continued to instruct Nathan on what he was to say to David, that ever since He had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, to this day, He had never dwelt in a permanent house but had dwelt in a tent or tabernacle as it moved from place to place.
(7) "'In all where I have walked with all the children of Israel, have I spoke a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed My people, saying, "Why do you not build Me a house of cedar?"'"
The Lord's words continued with what Nathan was to tell David. He asked if in all the years He had walked with the children of Israel, had He ever told any of the rulers of the tribes that He wanted them to build a permanent house for Him?
(8) "Now therefore, so shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel, (9) And I was with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight and have made you a great name like to the name of the great who are on the earth."'"
Nathan was to tell David the Lord's words that He had taken him from being a shepherd to be the ruler over His people Israel, and He had been with him all the while during his journey to actually taking the throne, cutting off all his enemies and building his reputation as one of the greatest men in the world.
(10) "'"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; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore as before; (11) And as since the time that I commanded judges over My people Israel and have caused you to rest from all your enemies."' Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house."
Through the Lord's words Nathan was to tell David, the Lord was appointing the place where His people Israel could rest in their own place and have no need to move anymore. He had promised them the land of Canaan, but they had not been entirely alone and were much distressed by the former inhabitants of the land. The clauses are a bit difficult to navigate, but I believe the sense is that although the children of Israel had been in their promised land for a while, now with this kingdom of David, the Lord would establish His people in their land and give them peace from all their enemies. And to David, He would make a great house, a kingdom.
(12) "'And when your days be fulfilled and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your descendant after you who shall proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.'"
When the days of David's life were fulfilled, and he was laid to rest with his forefathers, then the Lord would set up his descendant after him, one who "shall proceed" from him, meaning a future descendant, and the Lord would establish that descendant's kingdom.
(13) "'He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.'"
The Lord said that that descendant of David's, whom we know to be Solomon, would be the one to build the Lord's house for the honor and glory of His name, and He would establish the throne of that descendant's kingdom forever, and that is because the Messiah would descend from him, and His reign would be forever.
(14) "'I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men, (15) But My mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took from Saul whom I put away before you.'"
The Lord would be as a father to David's descendant, chastising him when necessary by the means of men, but His mercy would always be with him. He would never take His mercy away from David's descendant as He had removed it from Saul when He removed him from the throne in favor of David.
(16) "'And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.'"
The Lord promised David that his house and his kingdom would be established forever. And that's a promise that could not be made to any earthly king except for the one from whose line would come the Messiah. How blessed was David to have this special covenant with his Lord!
(17) According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
Nathan told David all the words of the Lord that he had seen and heard in a vision, even though it contradicted what he had told David before. Nathan was a Godly prophet who was faithful to the word of God.
The same incident was recorded in 1 Chronicles 17:
(1 Chronicles 17:3) And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, (4) "Go and tell David My servant, 'Thus says the Lord, "You shall not build Me a house to dwell in, (5) For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but have gone from tent to tent and from tabernacle. (6) Wherever I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to feed My people, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedars?'"' (7) Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over My people Israel."'"
This account varies little from the account in 2 Samuel 7. At this point, I was struck by another observation that didn't hit me in the other account. David in the Old Testament was said to be a type of Christ, his throne a precursor for Christ the King who would sit on David's throne forever. God called David from a shepherd of sheep to be a shepherd of His people. Jesus called His disciples from fishermen of fish to be fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).
(8) "'"And I have been with you wherever you have walked and have cut off all your enemies from before you and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are in the earth. (9) Also I will ordain a place for My people Israel and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them anymore, as at the beginning, (10) And since the time that I commanded judges over My people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all your enemies."' Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. (11) '"And it shall come to pass, when your days are expired that you must go with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, which shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. (12) He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. (13) I will be his father, and he shall be My son, and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took from him who was before you, (14) But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forevermore."'" (15) According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
Again, these are pretty much the same words as in the account in 2 Samuel 7 with little variance.
(2 Samuel 7:18) Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?"
David went into the tabernacle he had prepared for the ark and sat before the Lord. In humility, he asked the Lord why he, a sinful unworthy creature, and his family, should be given all the blessings and honor the Lord had given him thus far.
(19) "And this was yet a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God, but You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of men, O Lord God?"
Bringing David to the throne thus far was a small thing compared to the future kingdom of his house the Lord promised would be forevermore. Then David asked a rhetorical question, if similar treatment to such an inferior as David was to God, would ever be done by men, and the obvious answer was no, so he marveled that the Lord would do so for him.
(20) "And what can David say more to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant."
What more could David say? Words could not express his sense of humble gratitude, but the Lord knew his heart.
(21) "For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things to make Your servant know."
For the sake of the Lord's word that David would be made king and his kingdom established forevermore, and according to His heart, His own pleasure, mercy, and grace, and not according to any merits or deeds of David, the Lord had done all these great things. And He had let David know the future plans He had for David's kingdom through these words he had just received from Nathan.
(22) "Therefore You are great, O Lord God, for none is like You, neither any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears."
The translation "therefore" just doesn't sit well with me. What? Because God did all these wonderful things for David, therefore He is great? Actually, there were two words that were translated as "therefore," "al" meaning "on account of" and "ken" meaning "rightly, so." I can see why the translators used "therefore" and "wherefore," but I rather think it was intended to be more like "on account of Your being great, O Lord, it rightly follows You have done all these great things." Because God's very nature is greatness and goodness, He can be nothing but, and there is no all-good, all-powerful, all-seeing, God, but Him. David understood that, not only because of what the Lord had done for him, but for everything people had heard about in history, like God's deliverance of His people from Egypt.
(23) "And what one nation in the earth is like Your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself and to make Him a name and to do for You great things and terrible, for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed to You from Egypt, the nations and their gods?"
David asked the rhetorical question of what nation in all the earth was like Israel, the people God chose to make His people, whom He went to Egypt to deliver out of bondage, to make His great name known and glorified, as well as His people's, because of all the great and awesome things He did and they did through Him, for His promised land, the land He promised for His people, those miraculous things He did when redeeming His people from Egypt, as well as from the Canaanite nations and their gods.
(24) "For You have confirmed to Yourself Your people Israel a people to You forever, and You, Lord, have become their God."
The Lord had confirmed for Himself His people Israel, not for anything they had done, but just because He chose them. He chose them to be His people forever and made a covenant with them that they would make Him their God, following only Him and His word and His commandments.
(25) "And now, O Lord God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said."
David prayed that the Lord do as He promised. My first reaction was why? God had already said that He would. But those covenants with God are two-sided and conditional, and it appears that David realized that. If he or his posterity after him did not walk with God, they would be driven from the throne. Therefore, he prayed that these things would indeed be established forever.
A flood of thoughts come to me regarding this. I find myself accepting a word from God as a done deal, or that is my goal, so I do not have to constantly pray for it. However, Ezekiel 36:37 says, "Thus says the Lord God, 'I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them...'" This was after promises He had made for His people. He had promised, but He still would be inquired of by the people. This seems to imply that He wants us to continually pray for the thing He has promised. I can see that this makes us conscious of the fact that it is only through Him that those promises are fulfilled, and it keeps us ever dependent on Him, our only source of life and salvation.
However, somehow I believe those promises God makes will be fulfilled, regardless of what we do. We might just not be a part of it. Even though the people and even David's descendant kings rebelled against God, God still established His kingdom forever through Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He just did it without His people Israel, but we should be ever thankful that it worked out the way it did. That was the only way that we Gentiles were able to be grafted into the house of God's people.
(26) "And let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel,' and let the house of Your servant David be established before You."
David desired that those things the Lord promised would magnify and glorify God, and that the world would recognize that the one true God of all the universe was over Israel and protected and blessed its people. Once again, David prayed that the Lord's word that his house would be established before Him would come to fulfillment.
(27) "For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore has Your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to You."
Because the all-powerful, sovereign, one true God of the universe, and God over Israel, had blessed him so by telling him He would build his house, his heart overflowed with feelings he had to pour out to God. John Wesley wrote, "That prayer that is found in the tongue only will not please God. It must be found in the heart. That must be lifted up and poured out before God." I would add what Paul said in Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Those are the things of the heart, not just vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7).
(28) "And now, O Lord God, You are that God, and Your words be true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant."
David professed that his Lord was that one true Lord of hosts, God of the universe, and God of Israel, and His words were always true. That is God's very nature; He can be nothing but true. And He had promised these good things to David.
(29) "Therefore now let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You, for You, O Lord God, have spoken, and with Your blessing, let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."
Finally, David prayed that it be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord to bless his house that it might continue forever. For it to be pleasing to the Lord, David and his house must continue to follow their Lord, so in a sense, he was praying that they all be acceptable to the Lord so that He would be pleased to bless them. However, they didn't all hold up their end of the covenant, but the Lord had spoken, and the house of David would be blessed forever with the coming Messiah. And that certainly pleased the Lord! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." (Isaiah 53:10) Because God loved His sinful creation so much, it pleased Him to have Christ die for us to save us! And what is even more incredible, although it is hard to imagine anything more incredible, is that God Himself came down to the earth in the human form of Jesus to save us! (John 1:1, John 10:30, Colossians 1:15-17, Isaiah 9:6) It pleased God to die for us! "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
(1 Chronicles 17:16) And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?"
1 Chronicles 17 also told of David's thankful prayer to the Lord in response to Nathan's vision.
(17) "And yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God, for You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. (18) What can David speak more to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant. (19) O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. (20) O Lord, there is none like You, neither any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (21) And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be His own people, to make You a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You have redeemed out of Egypt? (22) For Your people Israel did You make Your own people forever, and You Lord became their God. (23) Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as You have said. (24) Let it even be established that Your name may be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is a God to Israel.' And let the house of David Your servant be established before You."
These are pretty much the same words with little variance as in 2 Samuel 7:19-26. Verse 26 had said, "The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel." 1 Chronicles 17:24 seems to repeat itself, "...the God of Israel, is a God to Israel." I believe the sense is that the Self-identified God of Israel, what God called Himself, truly was what He called Himself, a God to Israel, having taken such good care of them, providing for them, delivering them from danger, and preserving them.
(25) "For You, O my God, have told Your servant that You will build him a house; therefore Your servant has found in his heart to pray before You. (26) And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant. (27) Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant that it may be before You forever, for You blessed, O Lord, and blessed forever."
The Lord had blessed David's house and had blessed it forever, to be blessed forever, and David prayed that that would be always pleasing to the Lord to do so. Of course, that would be eternally pleasing to the Lord through Jesus Christ.
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