Accepting God Will
When peace came to Israel as David settled in as King, he thought of the Lord and how to honor Him and address the spiritual needs of the people. In exchange, God God us all the Davidic covenant.
What it meant to David
David had his thoughts about how to honor God and sought counsel from Nathan, his advisor from God (prophet). It's interesting that Nathan first told David to pursue his heart's desire. Then Nathan later came back with specific message from God. It seems to support the idea Pastor Eric has shared, and from Self-confrontation...If you want to know what your gifting is or God's mission for you...then start doing something. The rutter on the boat only works when the ship is moving on the water, not in place on the dock.
God points out that He never asked for a house. He asked for the tabernacle and its accompaniments, but not a house. What He needed David to focus on was the nation of Israel. They needed shepherd back from the season of the judges and having David focused on the temple, would draw attention away from David leading his people back to restoration. (I've also heard that David was a man of war and that's not who God had to build his temple.) David was disappointed; but accepted God's will and honored the Lord for knowing what was good and best.
What it meant to Israel
The Davidic covenant brides Abraham's covenant. It speaks of the nation and the Messiah previously promised.
- It promised land and rest (rest going back to God's rest on the 7th day; leading to Sabbath; rest for the Israelites freed from Egypt in the Promise Land; and then Jesus as our rest under the New Testament.)
- David offered to build God a house; God in return, offered to build a dynasty to culminate in Jesus' eternal Kingdom.
- References to the Messiah
- Genesis 3:15: human savior
- Genesis 12:3: Jew who would bless the whole world
- Genesis 49:10 Tribe of Judah
- II Samuel Chapter 7: From the line of David
- Micah 5:2: Born in Bethlehem (city of David) (Matthew 2:6)
- Greater than Solomon: house forever; kingdom forever; throne forever; glorifying God forever.
- Israel also owns David for the massive and essential preparation work he did to prepare for Solomon to build and fill the temple.
All of these promises are for us under the New Testament through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ- as He was born King and His Kingdom will reign forever.
What it meant to Believers Today
David as an example to us all. As a servant, as a child of God, as someone grateful in the past for how far God had brought him and how far the Lord had brought all of Israel; grateful in the present, despite not getting what he thought he wanted, in faith for believing in future promises and moving forward in action and in prayer to what was promised.