Tuesday, October 25, 2011

God's Grace

Reflections on 2 Samuel 7:18-29
Use the frame on the left to read these Scriptures.

David dreamed of building a house for God, but God promised to make a lasting house for David. He promised to make his seed king and establish his throne forever. The promise had certain similarities with the promise God made to Abraham about his seed, and David responded by addressing God as Sovereign Lord, the same name used by Abraham to address God when he reaffirmed the covenant in Genesis 15. Not once in his prayer did David express any disappointment with not being allowed to fulfill his dream.

UNWORTHY. David expressed no disappointment because he was overwhelmed with the magnitude of God's undeserved gifts (vv. 18-19). His family was insignificant, yet God had made him king of Israel. David's sins were great, yet God made promises concerning the future of his family. Such unmerited favor was beyond comprehension. In wonder he asked, "Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?" All Scripture demonstrates God's answer, "Grace is my usual way of dealing with men who seek me."

REDEEMED. David expressed no disappointment because he, like Israel, had been redeemed (vv. 22-24). David had not been bigger or stronger than his brothers, and he not been more righteous than others. At the very moment God was giving him victory over his enemies, David had broken the 6th and 7th commands. Still, God had chosen him. Similarly, Israel had not been stronger than other nations, but slaves in Egypt, when God chose them. Neither had Israel been more righteous than other nations. Israel had broken the 1st and 2nd commands just weeks after God had led them out of Egypt. Nevertheless, God had redeemed Israel and David. For both, God had performed great and awesome wonders in driving out the nations before them. David marveled that the Great and Sovereign Lord had become their God forever.

LONGING. David confessed that what God promised him, and Israel with him, fulfilled the deepest longings of his heart (vv. 26-25). He urged God to do as he promised, not because he was afraid God would fail to keep his word, but because he so earnestly desired for all to know that "The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!"

COURAGE. Because God had revealed his compassion and mercy through this covenant, David found courage to pray to God, not only to thank him, but to ask him for greater and more precious promises than he could have imagined on his own (vv. 27-29). Without such promises, he might have been satisfied with asking for much less!

My chronology of David's reign appears on an extra page. You can find a link to that page in the "Pages" section below and left.

1 comment:

  1. I always liked David's prayer in this passage. Appreciated the way you broke his prayer down.

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