Everlasting Temple

      Again, David wanted to build a house for God.  We know the story.  David never did build the temple, but his son, Solomon, did build the grandest of temples.  It became the pride of the people of Israel and Judah.  It was a beautiful building made by man where men became corrupt serving self and not God.  We are so frail and weak.  We let worldly things slide into our hearts and minds over staying with God.  God knew that man would continue to sin and a temple was not the answer.  God had a plan from the moment Adam and Eve sinned.  His plan was to send the greatest sacrifice, His Son, for the sins of the world.  A man made temple on earth was not God's plan.  God's plan was to build us an everlasting temple through his son, Jesus.

     In God's response to David, he says, "When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever.  I will be his father, and he shall be my son." (2 Samuel 7:12-14a) 

     I don't think the prophet, Nathan, nor David understood God's response.  It wasn't until other prophets wrote about the 'seed of David."  It wasn't until Jesus walked this earth in human form.  It wasn't until the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.  It took many years before God's words to David through  Nathan was understood.  Even Isaiah wrote, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6,7)   With Isaiah's prophesy, many still did not understand.  Some still do not understand.  We are blessed to have so much of the scriptures where we can see all scripture is around God's son, our salvation. 

     Yet, God chose a young shepherd boy.  One who was a poet and musician.  A man who let his faith in God lead him.  Faith is the difference between David and other kings and prophets.  David's faith helped him to defeat Goliath.  David's love for his God lead him to love his enemy not destroy his enemy.  David's dedication to give his best to God is a great factor in being chosen by God.  God knew what was in David's heart.  In same manner, God knows what is in our hearts.  

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:1-5

     Since man lives in darkness, it took man time to understand.  Some still refuse to believe and understand.  David and Nathan may have not completely understood God's blessing for David, but David believed.  David had the light of God shining within him.  Even without complete understanding, his life was to live a life serving God.  When David sinned, he confessed with a broken heart.  He understood that it is sin which separates man from God.  

     God's promise is for all those men and women who have faith as David had faith.  All we have to do is open our hearts to Jesus, confess our sins, and believe.  When we believe, we have the light of Jesus within us.  

"That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:9-14)

     The promise to David was a savoir, God's son.  Through David's faith and his seed, we have Jesus, our Messiah.  Through that promise, we have salvation.  All we have to do is believe; believe as David believed.