Session #20

II Samuel 7:18-29
“The Davidic Covenant, pt. 2” • 2.5.08 • Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session #20

Intro.
- David has just heard the most amazing promises from the Lord.
- These words, spoken through the prophet Nathan, speak of God’s grace toward David, his descendants and the people of Israel. Upon hearing these words, David responds to the Lord.
• II Samuel 7:18-21 : “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? 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 Gord? Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant. For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.”
- David is overwhelmed at the grace of the Lord, and it’s well that he should be.
- This section ends with a prayer that asks for the Lord to bring His will to pass.
• II Samuel 7:28,29 : “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.’”
- We have camped here for a spell, because the great theme of grace is being unfolded for us.
- Last week, we discussed God’s grace from spiritual promotion to the everlasting covenant of eternal decree. Today, I want to finish this chapter with observations about David’s response to God’s grace.
- Before we do that, grace seems to be one of the most polarizing subjects in the church.
- Every one of us has a reaction to the concept of God freely giving something good to those who deserve the opposite.
- For those on one end of the theological spectrum, grace is incredibly unfair. It bothers us when we see it active towards others who are undeserving in our minds and it has the tendency to burden us when we consider it toward ourselves, in that we want to earn it.
- On the other side, the reaction to grace is used as a reason to become arrogant and dispassionate toward others who are not currently aware of God’s grace toward them.
- What is God’s intention in providing grace for His people? David had a great response that would be instructive to us today. I believe that we can observe 3 effects of the grace of God.

I. Invites Intimacy (v.18a)
II. Inspires Humility (v.18b-21)
III. Initiates Worship (v.26,27)

Text

I. Invites Intimacy (v.18a)

• II Samuel 7:18a : “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord” : One commentator mentioned something really telling. He noted that the first few verses of chapter 7 saw David as the King. This second half of chapter 7 sees David as the Lord’s servant.
- In fact, David refers to himself as a “servant” 10 times between verses 18 and 29!
- The word “before” here is suggestive. The word denotes a close intimacy.
- Remember that David has always had a close relationship with the Lord, but he has not had a major experience with him for several years.
- Grace is the key to this type of intimate access to the Lord, and only grace can bring this to pass. God invites this and David takes advatage.
- It’s rare for men to consider the type of closeness that the Lord wants with each of us.
• Romans 5:1,2 : “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
- If it was true for David, how much more for you and I, men who have been redeemed from the law of sin and death, for the glory of God?
- And yet, how often the grace of God embarasses us. We feel embarrassed by His goodness, because we know our own hearts, For those in that condition, grace often pushes us away.
- That is not the intent of God’s grace.
- Let me ask you a question: Are you taking advantage of the place of intimacy that you can have with the Lord? It is our choice to experience it. However, if you are at all like me, you would rather try to earn it.
- I’m reminded of the story of Mary and Martha who played host to Jesus on several occassions. On one of those occassions, Martha worked herself into a frenzy, while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.
- Martha was infuriated at the lack of attention that Mary was paying to her chores and played tattle tale, exposing Mary as a sloth. Expecting a rebuke, Jesus surprised Martha.
• Luke 10:41,42 : “And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”
- I pray that you would choose the good part as well.

II. Inspires Humility (v.18b-21)

• II Samuel 7:18b-21 : “and he said: ‘Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 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? Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant. For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.” : The grace of the Lord caused David to look at his life, and take stock to see what it was that impressed the Lord. It couldn’t be his family!
- David sees that in all ways, that God has kept him and delivered him to a destiny.
- In His grace, God has promised a long line after David’s time. Again, it’s acknowledged here by David that his line would continue.
- “Is this the manner of man?”, meaning that man cannot promise such things. He has no authority. We have no authority to speak beyond this day much less, our lifetime.
- But God has done this for David. From what motivation? From David’s righteousness?
- David acknowledges that this action comes from His decree, according to all that is in the heart of God.
- When we consider the ocean of grace that has been extended to us, we cannot help but be humbled at the pure incentive and initiative of the Lord toward His children.
- David picks up on this theme in the book of Psalms.
• Psalm 8:1-4 : “O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?”
- Indeed, what are we aside from His grace? We are nothing, and yet He sets the value on His people, by redeeming you and I with the blood of His son Jesus.
- We can and must say the same thing as David: Lord, because of Your heart and Your Word, You have accomplished this!
- This is the first way in which grace humbles you. It’s God’s heart and solely from His own initiative, without any kind of motivating factor outside of Himself.
- But the second humbling factor is that grace is not isolated to ourselves. This is where David’s heart goes next, to the people to whom he belongs, national Israel.
• II Samuel 7:23,24 : “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? For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God.” : Notice that David says that they are the one nation on the earth, uniquely, that God went to redeem for Himself.
- God did this so that His name would be great, redeeming a valueless people in a priceless way, among an idolatrous people.
- God had redeemed them from Egypt, the nations surrounding them in the time of Joshua and, interestingly their gods.
- Even though God’s people were generally monotheistic, the people around them were polytheistic and henotheistic. They had many gods and those gods were territorially strong.
- God redeemed His people from the power of Egypt, to the supposed power of the gods of the Canaanites. God’s grace had extended to an entire people.
- I am not the only person that God has been gracious to. God has been gracious to all of His people. I mention this because it is here. David, in acknowledging God’s grace to himself, also was drawn to consider the Lord’s grace to his brethren.
- I’m not sure why David was drawn to this in his response to the Lord. When I muse upon the grace of the Lord, I admit that I don’t think much about you guys or this church, or the body of Christ.
- But the lesson here seems to be that I should. And why would that be important?
- The reason it seems would simply be that we might extend grace to each other! Consider these statements:
• Ephesians 4:25-32 : “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. ‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”
- We are to live in grace toward each other. Grace is not just to effect my relationship with the Lord. Grace is meant to heal potential and real rifts that we create or have with one another.
- Grace teaches me that if I understand it and embrace it, that I must then practice it!

III. Initiates Worship (v.26-27)

• II Samuel 7:26-29 : “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. 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.” : The thrust of this section is a true conception of worship, namely affirming who God is and affirming what God has promised.
- David speaks out in a heart of gratitude for what God is going to do for Him.
- This is an interesting concept, in that so much of our worship is based on what God has done for us. David has mentioned that in his prayer, when he says that the Lord has kept him this far.
- But here David worships the Lord for what He is going to do on David’s behalf, way before it ever happens! David affirms his faith in what God promises by choosing to worship now, as though it were fulfilled. How often do you worship the Lord for promises that He has given you?
- David responds as if this was done, and truly, with God, it’s as good as done, even if it is long in the fulfillment.
- David says “Let Your name be magnified forever!”
- The word “magnified” is a picturesque word. The Hebrew word literally means “growth.” David is saying let your name grow and grow forever.
- Understanding the grace of God should lead us to worship the Lord and desire that His name, His reputation and His truth be on display forever and ever.
- David often speaks of blessing the name of the Lord and magnifying the Lord in the Psalms.
• Psalm 34:1-3 : “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.”
- A true understanding of grace will overflow our hearts with grateful worship unto the Lord, just as it did for David here.
Conclusion
- As we contemplate the grace of the Lord, I pray that you will first understand that God wants to have an intimate relationship with you. The door is open and I pray that we will not neglect the privilege.
- His grace should humble you and remind you that it’s all from Him, every good thing, every blessing, and every ounce of mercy. It’s all from His heart. He has placed you in a body where you show how much you’ve learned, by how much you practice.
- Finally, grace should awaken praise and worship in your heart toward God, for His past goodness to you, as well as the future that is guaranteed in Him.