"THE HOUSE OF DAVID"
How important is your house? Of course you know that some houses are more important than others? And, I’m sure you know a lot about houses. You probably know your house quite well. Now how about God? Would you say that houses are important to God?
Let me begin today with just a couple of introductory comments on houses. You’ll be surprised to learn that the Bible has a lot to say about them. As a matter of fact, the term “house” is found well over 2,000 times in the Bible; 2027 to be exact. This is what the Bible teaches.
Houses in Bible times were far different than what we think of when we use the term. For thousands of years houses were tents made from animal skins. Actually tents were temporary structures that were easily set up and easily taken down to move. The first stationary houses were made of stone that was mortared together.
But there are much more important houses found in the Bible. First, there is the eternal house contrasted with the earthly house. Here’s what we read in the NT Book of II Corinthians. II Corinthians 5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:…”
Today we live in the house called our human body. This earthly house is amazing, to say the least. And if it’s well-cared for, it will likely last a long time. But there is coming a day when we will “move out” and move into a new house. The LORD simply says we live in our earthly house and some day we will be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
Second, Jesus spoke about His Father’s House. Here’s what He said. John 14:2 “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
So, the answer is “Yes, houses are important to God.” But I want to show you another kind of house that is just as important as these houses.
Please open your Bible with me to the Book of II Samuel and open to chapter seven.
For quite a while now we’ve been carefully making our way through this OT Book called II Samuel. It’s a story primarily about one man; David, the King of Israel. Now when you read the Bible, you generally find two main entities: God and people. All of the events in the Bible revolve around God and people. But a house? Now what would you expect the LORD to say about a house?
Surprisingly, over and over in this book (II Samuel) you’ll read about a house; actually two houses. Just in this one chapter alone, II Samuel 7, you’ll find fifteen references to these two houses. And, as you are about to see, there is one house that is far more important than almost every other house.
Let’s see what the Bible teaches here? Here’s the physical house. Look with me at verse one. II 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 unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.”
Think with me first about what is happening here. As David sat in his own house, the palace, he came up with the idea that he wanted to build a Temple for the LORD in Jerusalem. So, he presents the idea to his friend Nathan who is a prophet of God. And initially Nathan tells his to go ahead with his plan. But that very night as he sleeps, God speaks to David through Nathan. He tells him that a house would be built but not under David’s auspices. It would be through his son that a Temple would be built. And that temple would later be called The Temple of Solomon.
Go on to Page Two
Let me begin today with just a couple of introductory comments on houses. You’ll be surprised to learn that the Bible has a lot to say about them. As a matter of fact, the term “house” is found well over 2,000 times in the Bible; 2027 to be exact. This is what the Bible teaches.
Houses in Bible times were far different than what we think of when we use the term. For thousands of years houses were tents made from animal skins. Actually tents were temporary structures that were easily set up and easily taken down to move. The first stationary houses were made of stone that was mortared together.
But there are much more important houses found in the Bible. First, there is the eternal house contrasted with the earthly house. Here’s what we read in the NT Book of II Corinthians. II Corinthians 5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:…”
Today we live in the house called our human body. This earthly house is amazing, to say the least. And if it’s well-cared for, it will likely last a long time. But there is coming a day when we will “move out” and move into a new house. The LORD simply says we live in our earthly house and some day we will be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
Second, Jesus spoke about His Father’s House. Here’s what He said. John 14:2 “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
So, the answer is “Yes, houses are important to God.” But I want to show you another kind of house that is just as important as these houses.
Please open your Bible with me to the Book of II Samuel and open to chapter seven.
For quite a while now we’ve been carefully making our way through this OT Book called II Samuel. It’s a story primarily about one man; David, the King of Israel. Now when you read the Bible, you generally find two main entities: God and people. All of the events in the Bible revolve around God and people. But a house? Now what would you expect the LORD to say about a house?
Surprisingly, over and over in this book (II Samuel) you’ll read about a house; actually two houses. Just in this one chapter alone, II Samuel 7, you’ll find fifteen references to these two houses. And, as you are about to see, there is one house that is far more important than almost every other house.
Let’s see what the Bible teaches here? Here’s the physical house. Look with me at verse one. II 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 unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.”
Think with me first about what is happening here. As David sat in his own house, the palace, he came up with the idea that he wanted to build a Temple for the LORD in Jerusalem. So, he presents the idea to his friend Nathan who is a prophet of God. And initially Nathan tells his to go ahead with his plan. But that very night as he sleeps, God speaks to David through Nathan. He tells him that a house would be built but not under David’s auspices. It would be through his son that a Temple would be built. And that temple would later be called The Temple of Solomon.
Go on to Page Two