Use the frame on the left to read these Scriptures.
David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem despite an initial setback, he brought it into the city with celebrations and thanksgiving, and he placed it in a tent he prepared for it. But David's dream was bigger. He eventually wanted to reunite the altar in Gibeon with the ark in Jerusalem so that all Israel could worship God in the place God had chosen.
DAVID'S OATH. Sometime later, David compared the tent where the ark was with his own palace and was perhaps embarrassed. He dreamed of something grander for God. He dreamed of building a "house for the Name of the Lord my God" (1 Chronicles 22:7). Psalm 132:1-5 reveals the intensity of his dream when it says that David had made an oath that he would not rest until he had found a dwelling for the Lord:
O LORD, remember David
and all the hardships he endured.
He swore an oath to the LORD
and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
"I will not enter my house
or go to my bed-
I will allow no sleep to my eyes,
no slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."
GOD'S DENIAL. Nathan's initial response to David's dream was favorable, but Nathan had not consulted God on this matter. He was merely expressing his own private opinion. God had different plans. God told Nathan that night that he had never asked anyone before David to build him a house, and that he was not asking David either. God did not require a majestic temple as a dwelling place. What God really wanted was to dwell in David's heart and in the hearts of every Israelite.
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
"I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite." (Isaiah 57:15)
GOD'S PROMISES. After God refused to allow David to accomplish his dream, God set about reviving his heart. First, he enumerated what he had already done for David (vv. 8-11a). He had taken him from the pasture and made him ruler. He had cut off his enemies and made his name great. He had given Israel a secure homeland free from oppressors, and given them rest. (The NIV puts many of these statements in the future tense, but notice that v. 1 says that "the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him." Hence, all the verbs up through 11a should be understood as past as in Young's Literal Translation. In Hebrew, the perfect is used not only for past actions, but also for future actions in prophecies and promises. This double use of the perfect is what creates the confusion in this passage.) These promises are ones basically given to all Israel and had been fulfilled through David's military conquests recorded in chapters 8 and 10.
GOD'S COVENANT. Second, God declared what he would do for David in the future (11b-17). He said he would build a house, or dynasty, for David by causing his seed to succeed him. Three promises are made concerning this seed. He would build a house for God. He would be treated as a son; when he sinned God would not reject him but would discipline him. Finally, his kingdom would be established forever. Each promise has reference to both Solomon (the first of his seed to reign) and to the Messiah (the last of his seed to reign). Solomon would build the temple in Jerusalem, and the Messiah would build a spiritual temple of lowly and contrite people in whom God dwells (Matthew 16:18; 1 Peter 2:4-6; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21). When Solomon and his descendants departed from following God, God often disciplined them as sons removing the peace and security he had given them through David and causing them to be oppressed by their enemies. The Messiah too was God's Son (Luke 1:35), and though he did not sin, he still learned obedience by the things that he suffered (Hebrews 5:8). And finally, when Judah was carried into Babylon captivity, it was not clear how David's kingdom would be eternal until the Messiah took his seat upon the throne at the right hand of God (Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:32-36; Ephesians 1:20-21).
God vetoed David's dream, but he replaced it with an even grander dream. David would not be allowed to build God a house, but God would build a house for David which would last forever.
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