”But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’“ II Samuel 7:4-7 NKJV
a. That night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Nathan’s response to David was presumptuous. He answered according to human judgment and common sense, but before he heard the word of the LORD.
i. “It is of the utmost importance that we should ever test our desires, even the highest and holiest of them, by His will. Work, excellent in itself, should never be undertaken, save at the express command of God. The passing of time will always vindicate the wisdom of the Divine will.” (Morgan)
b. Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? God seemed honored and “surprised” that David offered to build Him a house. It was as if God said to David, “You want to build Me a house? No one ever offered to do that before, and I never commanded anyone to do it.”
i. David wanted to do more than God commanded. This is a wonderful place to be in our relationship with God. Most of us are so stuck in the thinking, “How little can I do and still please the LORD?” that we never really want to do more than God commands.
ii. “Though the Lord refused to David the realisation of his wish, he did it in a most gracious manner. He did not put the idea away from him in anger or disdain, as though David had cherished an unworthy desire; but he honoured his servant even in the non-acceptance of his offer.” (Spurgeon)
c. Would you build a house: David now learned that God didn’t want him to build the temple, but David didn’t respond by doing nothing. According to 1 Chronicles 29:2-9, David gathered all the materials for building the temple so that Solomon could build a glorious house for God.
(Guzik)
i. “If you cannot have what you hoped, do not sit down in despair and allow the energies of your life to run to waste; but arise, and gird yourself to help others to achieve. If you may not build, you may gather materials for him that shall. If you may not go down the mine, you can hold the ropes.” (Meyer)
To Do More!
There’s nothing wrong with trying to do more for God if your heart is in the right place. But if He closes the door like He did with David accept it and move on to something else until you figure out where God wants you to be.
Our church motto is, meeting people where they are and moving them closer to where God wants them to be.
Have you figured out where God wants you to be?
Blessings