Mar. 28, 2021. II Samuel 7:18-29

Posted byJohn Sanzone

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HUMBLE BEFORE THE LORD.  II Samuel 7:18-29.  3/28/2021.  #17.

2 Samuel 7:18-29 [New King James Version]

18 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? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant. 21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore You are great, [a]O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God. 25 “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You. 28 “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

  1. Reflection
    1. After David’s enemies had been defeated and David’s throne was well established, he has time to reflect on his lot
    1. David had tried to thank God by building him a temple, but God rejected the idea since David was a man of war
    1. David asks the obvious questions:
      1. “Who am I that you have made me king?”
        1. David was a shepherd and poor
        1. His family was insignificant in Israel
        1. He had no pedigree or deeds of note
      1. Many of God’s chosen vessel asked the same question: Gideon, Samson’s mother, Saul, Mary, Elizabeth, Paul…
    1. 1 Cor. 1 God rarely chooses the mighty, powerful, rich, talented, or acclaimed to do his will
      1. Most of God’s servants are quite ordinary on the human scale
      1. Abraham was a shepherd of Ur, Amos was a  sheep breeder in Tekoa, Peter and John were  fishermen, and Mary was a peasant girl
    1. The blessing and anointing of an individual comes via God’s choice and not our merit
    1. Those men seeking greatness falter (Absalom, Haman)
    1. David points out the wonder of God’s sovereignty:
      1. It is a small matter that God could take a poor shepherd boy and make him king
      1. This is not the way of man who looks for greatness in strength, heritage, and persuasion
      1. David could find no reason that God would choose him for greatness
      1. God chose David despite God knowing him and all his flaws and shortcomings 
      1. David ascribes greatness to God in all he does
    1. God’s greatness is not only in his deeds
      1. God has revealed himself and his plans to David
      1. There is none like God who decrees wonders
  2. An awesome promise
    1. David is overawed by 2 great realities:
      1. God has chosen Israel from among all the nations to be God’s special people, set aside for Him forever (no merit on Israel’s part for this honor)
      1. David’s line will forever sit on the throne
        1. Saul’s line was rejected
        1. No future king from David’s line will be rejected, ending the line of succession
    1. David’s line continues through Jesus (both Mary and Joseph
    1. were of the royal line, though they were common villagers)
    1. David expresses both wonder and thanksgiving
      1. All of God’s grace to us, from birth to rebirth to ministry before God are to God’s credit alone
      1. Humble acknowledgement short circuits pride
    1. We need to often reflect on his grace to us
  3. Affirmation
    1. David requests that God carry out his plan to bless David’s line forever (David adds an amen to declaration)
    1. We should enthusiastically affirm God’s will in our lives no matter what that will may be
    1. By David taking time to reflect on God’s grace and praise  him for it, he gives glory to God and submits to his will