I grew up in a family of builders. My grandad was a home-builder and a custom cabinet maker, as a result, I was constantly exposed to the building process. It was always fascinating to watch the process of a house being created from nothing. The foundation, the stud walls, the joists, the rafters, the plumbing, the electrical, the brick, the windows, the roof, the trim and finally the flooring and cabinets. It was always fun to help, whether it be climbing up on a roof to nail on some shingles, wiring in electrical boxes, or helping to set the cabinets. To have your hand in building a house made you feel that you were somehow becoming a small part of the whole.
Today in 2 Samuel chapter 7 we see a chapter of just this, house building. In fact, the word house is used 15 times in my ESV translation. That’s a lot of specific verbiage for just one chapter. We see back in 2 Samuel 5:11 that David finally settled in as king of the entire nation of Israel and as a result, God built him a house. God raised up Hiram, the king of Tyre to send cedar wood, carpenters, and masons to get the job done. David, now king of God’s people, has a beautiful home in which to reside and rule. But David, having a heart like God, looked out from his beautiful home one day and saw the home of the ark of God…a simple tent. David is living in a beautiful home while the ark of God is sitting in a simple cloth tent. The beauty of the heart of David is that it was always seeking to do something for God. It was not a heart that said what can God do for me, but what can I do for God. And it is in this moment that David decides to build a house for God.
Now of course, David will not build the temple, but his son Solomon will. But that will not stop David from working for the Lord. The Lord forbid him from building the temple so David did the next best thing, he assembled all of the building materials. What a great lesson for us today. That a ‘no’ from God doesn’t mean we just stop serving Him and sit on our hands. There is always a way for the heart of God to serve God, you just might have to pray a little harder to find the avenue He has now opened up.
So, God builds David a house. As a result, David wants to build God a house. God tells David the time is not right yet for him to build the Lord a house but comes back with that He will build David a house. What? He has already built David a house, right? And here is where the foundation of the lesson lies. Building not houses of wood and brick, but building eternal houses.
Margie and I have been watching some of the PBS show Downton Abbey. The idea of these British royals and the excesses which they were afforded is quite the oddity indeed. Butlers, under-butlers, footmen, valets, chauffeurs, handmaids, stable hands, laundry servants, and they even have one servant that does nothing but care for their shotguns. Bizarre. But something that is rather strange is how they refer to their estate. It the 'house' of Downton. They are stewards for the house of Downton. They are part of the house of Downton. The sons, daughters and whom they marry are all part of the house of Downton. You see, the house of Downton is far more than just a massive castle built in 1679. The house of Downton is more than just bricks, mortar, wood, and tapestries. The house of Downton is really made of flesh and blood. Of lives.
As God and David are discussing house building in one of the most beautiful and prayerful discussions in the Bible, we see God discussing this new house that He will build David. Not another house of cedar and stone, but a house that will change the face of the world. Folks, this is one of the most pivotal chapters in the Old Testament thus far. It is here that God promises David his real house. A house, a lineage. A family line that will include none other than the Messiah, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. I will be to Him a father, and He shall be to Me a son. When He commits iniquity (laid upon Him), I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:11b-12, 14-16
God establishes the house of David. God builds a lineage that will bring forth our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. From the house of David, one will come that will take away the sins of the world. Question…have you ever done anything wrong? Have you ever lied, cheated, stolen, or lusted after another? Did you know that even one little white lie is enough to separate you from God for all of eternity? You see, God is perfect. As a result, He cannot be in the presence of sinful evil. Not even one little white lie. So what does this mean for you? That you can never go to Heaven because you told a lie? No my friends, since God established the house of David, Jesus came. God sent His only Son here to die as a one time, perfect sacrifice. Perfect, sin-free blood had to be shed to pay the penalty for the evil of our sins. The perfect blood of Jesus that was shed on the Cross can and will cover your sins. The day that you die and stand before God in judgement, He will not see your sin but only the perfect blood of His Son Jesus Christ.
Folks, without the blood of Jesus Heaven is only a hope. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Jesus is the only way to spend an eternity with God. But you have to claim it. And today, His saving grace is wide open to you. It’s free, it’s instant and it’s open to any that call upon the name of Jesus. If you have not claimed the saving grace of Jesus, you can do it in this moment. It will be the single biggest moment of your life and of your eternity. Admit to Jesus that you have sinned. Ask Him to save you from that sin. Ask Him to live in your heart and change it. He is faithful to save all that call upon His name. Call upon the name of Jesus today and be invited into the house of the Lord.
“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:1-3
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