God Builds David's Descendant and Everlasting Kingdom

This chronicle continues to focus on the important things of God after David established his capital at Jerusalem. Here the temple of the Ark of the LORD is the focus. David had wanted to build a temple to house the Ark which have been housed in tents up till then. David was thinking was should he live in the palace while the symbol of the presence of God is within a tent. Nathan the prophet had no objections and encouraged David to do as his heart desired since he knew David's heart was quite in tune with God.

The word of God straight away came to Nathan that night to asked him to tell David that he should not build a temple for God yet. In fact God prepared a revelation to David through Nathan, describing that instead of David building a house for God, God will build his house through David that will be an everlasting kingdom. God described that Messiah will be David's descendant who will build God a house and God will establish the kingdom of Messiah forever. God also eluded to that fact that He took away his mercy upon Adam "from him who was before you".

David's response was one of humble acceptance and obedient. He praised God for all that He did for him and it appeared David understood somewhat the prophecies concerning his Descendant. He also described the grace of God in choosing Israel out of all the other nations to be His people. The word redeemed was used to describe how God separated out Israel from the other nations to Himself. Finally David returned to the acknowledgment of God's future blessings. Instead of saying no because of his own unworthiness, David accepted the tremendous blessing God spoke to Him about and claimed it and affirmed that it will be true because it is from God. This childlike faith that God so loves is like a child gladly accepting a wonderful present.



1 Chronicles 17

God’s Covenant with David

 1 Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains.”
2 Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
3 But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall not build Me a house to dwell in. 5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’ 7 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 8 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 9 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 10 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the LORD will build you a house.[a] 11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.”’”
15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 17 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O LORD God. 18 What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? 22 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.