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foreign good evening everyone and welcome to uh evening service we're so happy you could join us this evening we're going to start things off by reading a Psalm and this evening it will be Psalm number 65. Psalm number 65. to the chief musician Assam of David a song praise is awaiting you o God in Zion and to you the vow shall be performed o you who hear prayer to you all flesh will come iniquities Prevail against me as for our transgressions you will provide atonement for them blessed is the man you choose and cause to approach you that he may dwell in your courts we shall be satisfied within the goodness of your house of your Holy Temple by awesome deeds and righteousness you will answer us o God of our Salvation you who are the confidence of all the ends of the Earth and of the far off Seas who establish the mountains by his strength being clothed with power you who still the noise of the Seas the noise of their waves and the tumult of the peoples they also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of your signs you make the outgoings of the morning and evening Rejoice you visit the earth and water it you greatly enrich it the river of God is full of water you provide their grain for so you have prepared it you water its ridges abundantly you settle its furrows you make it soft with showers you bless its growth you Crown the year with your goodness and your paths drift with abundance they drop on the pastures of the Wilderness and the little Hills Rejoice on every side the pastures are clothed with flocks The Valleys also are covered with grain they shout for Joy they also sing amen well our first Hymn of the evening will be hymn number 132 and it will be sung to a familiar tomb psalm 132. blessings [Music] foreign my soul is always [Music] foreign always forces [Music] let's go to our Lord in prayer our heavenly father Hallowed be your name you are the Triune and the tri-holy god The God Who lowers his ear to hear the cries of his people and provides atonement for us through the blood of Christ Jesus who Bridges the infinite Chasm between man and his creator we bring praise and worship to you for this marvelous truth and Lord I want to thank you for this Lord's day thank you that we the Saints can assemble freely here and worship and praise you and to hear your word preach to us and I pray Lord that you would grant us with wisdom and increase our faith in Christ This Day thank you for the Saints here this evening I pray that you would give them Grace in their trials and that they may grow in sanctification through these trials and that you would grant us all a spirit of comfort and with peace as we Face them on a daily basis thank you Lord for all the children here this evening and for those with child I pray that you would give Grace to them that you would also Grant these children with wisdom and faith in Christ as they grow older Lord we thank you for the church plants we think of Surrey and in Dryden and Armstrong and Honduras and I pray Lord that you would give Grace to these churches that you would fill them with repented Sinners and for the men leading them I pray that you would make them sharpen your word and give them wisdom and discernment as well and that they would faithfully and boldly preach the gospel to their congregation and that they would be used as instruments to advance your Mighty Kingdom Lord we also want to bring forward the persecuted Brethren around the world whose trials are great and I'm sure fear is great as well I pray Lord that you would be their their strength their defense and their their Rock to S to stand on that you would be their joy as well as they have salvation in Christ I pray Lord that uh that they would not waver and but they would hold fast to Christ in the face of any and all enemies I pray Lord that you continue to build your church and to gather your elect I pray that there would be Revival in this city in our nation and and in this world and I pray Lord that as we go forward on the rest of this Lord's day that we would bring glory and honor to your precious and holy name I pray this in Jesus name amen the next hymn this evening will be hymn number 325. it's him number 325. you know without him anymore [Music] foreign we pray for this evening's scripture reading we'll be reading from The Book of Numbers and we'll be reading from chapter number 15. it's Numbers Chapter 15. and we will be reading from verse 22 to the end of the chapter if you sin unintentionally and do not observe all these Commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses from the day the lord gave commandment and onward throughout your Generations then it will be if it is unintentionally committed without the knowledge of the congregation that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering as a sweet Aroma to the Lord with its grain offering and its drink offering according to the ordinance and one kid of the goats as a sin offering so the priest shall make atonement for the whole Congregation of the children of Israel and it shall be forgiven them for it was unintentional they shall bring their offering an offering made by fire to the Lord and their sin offering before the Lord for their unintended sin it shall be forgiven the whole Congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them because all the people did it unintentionally and if a person sins unintentionally then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering so the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally when he sins unintentionally before the Lord to make atonement for him and that shall be forgiven him you shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally for him who is native born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them but the person who does anything presumptuously whether he is native born or a stranger that one brings reproach on the Lord and he shall be cut off from among his people because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his Commandment that person shall be completely cut off his guilt shall be upon him now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man Gathering sticks on the Sabbath day and those who found him Gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation they put him under guard because it had not been explained what should be done to him then the Lord said to Moses the man must surely be put to death all the congregation shall Stone him with stones outside the camp so as the Lord commanded Moses all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stone him with stones and he died again the Lord spoke to Moses saying speak to the children of Israel tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their Generations and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners and you shall have the tassel that you may look upon it and remember all the Commandments of the Lord and do them and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined and that you may remember and do all my Commandments and be holy for your God I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the Lord your God Amen let us go to prayer our heavenly father we thank you for your Transcendent word that's come down to us and Lord I pray that as Pastor Butler comes forward that he would unveil the glories found in it to us and I pray that you would give us eyes to see and ears to hear and for any here who are still dead in their trespasses I pray that this would be the hour of Salvation I pray this in Jesus holy name amen for the final hymn this evening the hymn will be number 294. Sim number 294. [Music] foreign foreign [Music] Jesus thank you before Christmas we must die on processes my name is foreign well you can turn with me in your Bible is to II Samuel 7. as I mentioned this morning looking at a couple of passages today that anticipate the coming of coming at two this morning and the emphasis on the provision of God that Seed of Abraham and whom all the nations of the Earth would be blessed tonight second Samuel 7 deals with the davidic Covenant now the word covenant is absent from this chapter but in Psalm 132 which we sang and then also Psalm 89 you see that this arrangement in second Samuel 7 was in fact a covenant God made with David it's concerning kingship we'll see that as we move through the message tonight and specifically the Terminus is upon the Lord Jesus Christ as that King that is over the House of David and rules and reigns forever World Without End Amen so I'll read second Samuel chapter 7 verses 1 to 17. now it came to pass when the King was dwelling in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around that the king said to Nathan the prophet see now I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwells inside tent curtains then Nathan said to the king go do all that is in your heart heart for the Lord is with you but it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan saying go and tell my servant David thus says the Lord would you build a house for me to dwell in for I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought forth or I'm sorry I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt even to this day but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle wherever I have moved about with the children of Israel have I or excuse me wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to Shepherd My People Israel saying why have you not built me a house of Cedar 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 over Israel 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 great name like the name of the great man who are on the Earth 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 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My People Israel and have caused you to rest from all your enemies also the Lord tells you that he will make you a house when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seat after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom he shall build a house for my name and I will establish the Throne of his kingdom forever I will be his father and he shall be my son if he commits iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men but my Mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I remove from before you and your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you your throne shall be established forever according to all these words and according to all this Vision so Nathan spoke to David amen well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you again for this Lord's Day Sabbath the rest that we have in our blessed savior we thank you for so great salvation even the Forgiveness of sins and that righteousness received from you by faith and we pray that as we consider this scripture now you would fill our hearts with that joy and Thanksgiving that we live in the times of Messiah we live in this new covenant era where all the promises of God are yea and amen in the Lord Jesus Christ we ask God that you would cause us to reflect upon Redemptive history to reflect upon your holy word to see your faithfulness and your promises to see the way that you have indeed blessed your people and save them from their sins and even now forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and all transgression and fill us and guide us now by the Holy Spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well at this particular point in second Samuel chapter 7 David knows a time of Peace he's been a a warring man a man of blood but he has established a degree of stability there will be more difficulty for him as a result of some sin that he commits but essentially what you have is the commencement of David's Reign at Hebron in chapters one to four and then the consolidation of David's Reign Over All Israel in chapters five to nine so he has the entirety of the Kingdom then in chapters 10 to 20 you have the consequences of David said remember he goes into Bathsheba he commits great sin against God and the sword does not depart from his house and then in chapters 21 and 12 to 24 in the book of second Samuel have the close of David's Reign so David was an amazing man a man of God a man after God's Own Heart and one that does pay great dividends to those who study the life of David as we find it here in first and second Samuel But ultimately second Samuel 7 is about David's greater son it's about the Lord Jesus that will come forth from his line it's about the Lord Jesus who will build a house for God Almighty and before we actually get into this particular passage of scripture it's important that we see the word house in this section of scripture it's doing triple duty if you notice in verse 2 it refers to David's physical Dwelling Place his house sort of the most common way that we use that term and then in verse 11 B it refers to a dynasty given by God to David and then in verse 13 a refers to a temple built by God for a manifestation of his dwelling and presence with his people so that word house is being used in interchangeable ways and I think you'll see the significance of that as we move through the exposition so I want to look first at the desire of David in verses one to three and then secondly the Covenant with David in Verses 4 to 7 17. but if you look first at the desire in verses one to three you'll notice the occasion verses one and two now it came to pass when the King was dwelling in his house if you go back to chapter five you'll see that at the consolidation of the Kingdom Under David there is benefit there is blessing he enjoys the fruit of his reward he was in fact a champion in terms of battle and a warrior he led Israel into many battles he vanquished the enemies he dealt with the Philistines he enlarged the borders of Israel he did good stuff notice in second Samuel 5 11 then Hiram king of tire sent Messengers to David and cedar trees and carpenters and Masons and they built David a house so going back to second Samuel 7 at verse one now it came to pass when the King was dwelling in his house and it was a palace it was a glorious building it was a wonderful structure that's what leads him down this path he's essentially music about this in this fashion I'm dwelling in a glorious and gorgeous Palace but God the Lord who brought us this Victory who brought us this Triumph is dwelling in a tent and so David doesn't want that to be the case he'd rather build God a solid structure a tabernacle a temple some sort of a a place that was stable for the worship of the Living God we see that says the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around and then in verse 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet it's the first introduction of the first time we meet Nathan the prophet he says see now I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwells inside ten curtains you can see that right you can understand that David's been blessed imaginably immeasurably by God yes it was the Lord who taught his hand out a fight how to battle how to engage in Warfare it was God who led the armies of Israel into those battles and into Victory and so David is a godly man he's a righteous man he's a faithful man he's not not a sinless man he's not a perfect man a second Samuel 11 and 12 well evidence and indicate but nevertheless he is a man after God's Own Heart and I think that's a good reflection we want the best for our God we want God to enjoy the benefits of who God is David's enjoying the benefits of Who David is and now he's musing in this Palace that the house of God is basically a tent it's a mobile structure there's no stability there so he expresses the desire of his heart which is a good desire we'll see that God says no not at this time but he expresses the desire of his heart to this man Nathan the prophet and in verse 3 then Nathan said to the king go do all that is in your heart for the Lord is with you now this was advice given by Nathan The Man David sought out the word of God from Nathan the prophet in fact one man makes this observation the prophet should first have waited for God's revelation because the answer is going to come to David through Nathan no you're not going to build the house it's going to be your son Solomon after David ultimately dies and Solomon secures the kingdom Solomon enjoys A Reign of peace and Solomon is going to be the man that ultimately puts together the temple he is going to have it constructed he is going to dedicate it the Shekinah Glory of God is going to come down and rest upon it so Nathan says go and do what is in your heart but that wasn't the word of the Lord there is a marked contrast between verses 3 and 4 and then in verse 17. notice in verse 4 but it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan saying go and tell my servant David and then look at verse 17 according to all these words and according to all this Vision so Nathan spoke to David so the man Nathan gave advice that was not consistent with the Revelation that God would give him so again this fellow says the prophet should first have waited for God's revelation a good intention does not always mean that we are allowed to execute it just because David wants to undertake like this at this point in Redemptive history it's not his time and we'll get further explanation of that specifically in Chronicles that it was because David's hand or David was in fact a man of war that does not mean a negative reflection upon David's role as conqueror and as Warrior and as a man of Bloodshed it simply means that that was his purview that was his responsibility his task in Redemptive history was to Vanquish the enemies of Yahweh to provide a stable place for Israel and then on the heels of his Reign his son would come that king of peace and would bring the tavern uh the temple to fruition the fellow goes on to say that Nathan too desired a temple for the god of Israel was not wrong in itself the mistake made here was that he spoke as a man and not as a prophet well his opinion as a prophet had been specifically asked for so verse 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet see now I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwells in side 10 curtains then Nathan said to the king go do all that is in your heart for the Lord is with you I think that's an interesting point just because we want to do something and even if that thing is a good thing it doesn't necessarily mean we get the endorsement of Heaven in fact as you read some passages in the Old Testament thinking specifically around numbers uh judges 20. there's some interesting stuff that goes on in Redemptive history and even in the times when people want to do the right thing but it's not at the right time and so David needed the discipline of God's revelatory work it would not be David's task to build this house good expression of his heart good intention of his heart good desire that he had he doesn't want to enjoy a palace well God is in a tent but nevertheless it wasn't time and that's what Nathan communicates to him now by the power of the holy spirit that brings us to this Covenant with David notice in the first place the background to the Covenant in verses 5 b to 9. so verse 5 5 says go and tell my servant David thus says the Lord would you build a house for me to dwell in everything that he goes on to answer is to basically say no in the parallel passage in first Chronicles chapter 17 it's explicit no you're not going to build the house for my name God has his purposes God has his intention God has his time time frame and David was not consistent with that so he goes on to say would you build a house for me to dwell at now notice for I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt even to this day but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle so it refers to the previous location of the Ark and he's essentially saying the glory of God has been seen or has been seen not necessarily in his dwelling place but in the Deliverance that he has affected on behalf of Israel when you look say it the Exodus from Egypt when God brings them out by the power of his mighty right arm it shows his presence and nearness to his people now certainly the Tabernacle is ultimately built the Shekinah Glory of God comes to rest upon it but God's argument here is that this has not been my priority and as we move through the passage the priority of God specifically is the stability of Israel it's the stability of his people while Israel is wandering in uh the Wilderness while Israel is a a sojourning and Pilgrim people God is perfectly content I speak in the manner of a man of man he is perfectly content to go alongside of them in a tent he is perfectly content to dwell in the manner in which he has the glory of God is seen in his dwelling near and with his people in delivering them Davis says do you see what Yahweh is saying about himself he is the god who travels with his people in all their topsy-turvy here in their Journeys and wanderings do his people live in tents so does he are they a pilgrim people on their way to the land of promise so he is the pilgrim God sharing the rigors of the journey with that that's the emphasis in verse six for I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt even to this day but it moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle he's been with the people they're an autopsy-turvy situation God himself and I speak again in the manner of man is in a topsy-turvy situation the primary emphasis in terms of his relation with them at this point is to show his power in delivering them and in protecting them and in watching over that so David's desire is Right David's desire is good but that's not according to God's time frame he's teaching his people he's instructing his people and he's demonstrating things to his people that they need to learn along the way concerning him and then with reference to the previous leadership in Israel notice what he says in verse 7 wherever have I moved about with all the children of Israel have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to Shepherd My People Israel saying why have you not built me a house of cedar in some sense David or God rather is very gently but firmly not chiding David not reproving David not disciplining David but essentially telling David David I've I've got this this is my time frame I am the one who's in charge here it's a good desire that's in your heart but it's not for you to achieve at this particular point and this particular Venture I didn't tell Moses I need a stable place I didn't tell Aaron I need a stable place I didn't tell Saul I needed a stable place it's nice that you sort of want to look after me but I've got this it's kind of like when your child wants to take care of you they want to Mother you they want to Father you and you've got to gently remind them there's a structure and an order here and you're not the parent I don't want to say that crass or unkind or mean or viciously but that's kind of what's going on David good good desire of the heart but you just need to know that you do what I've called you to do and be faithful in the execution of your particular duties I've got the time frame under my control and then notice he refers to the present leader of God's people so the previous location of the art this is background to the present leader of God's people in verses 8 and 9 and this is where he says and speaks of having blessed David says now therefore verse 8 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 over Israel and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you and it made you a great name like the name of the great man who are on the earth so God graciously chose us David to lead the children of Israel God graciously blessed David to have that Warrior mentality to have that that that that uh that wartime strategy that Savvy with Weaponry that ability to command troops God did that with David God taught David with reference to war and this is what he's reminding him of this is all happening according to my time frame and my plan the Lord powerfully dealt with David's enemies and the Lord had kindly conferred upon David a great name notice that at the end of verse 9 and have made you a great name like the name of the great man who are on the earth you'll read in the gospel narratives concerning Jesus that he would go about doing good did he go about healing that he would go about driving out demons that he would you know do those great things and and teach and it says that the fame of Jesus spread throughout all the land well the same is true of David the fame of David was spread through the land the Philistines and the warring area uh uh enemies around Israel knew that in David they had a formidable foe David was a man who succeeded David was a man who was able to deal out death blows to the enemies of God well David didn't come on this half haphazardly it was God who prospered him it was God who advanced him that brings us secondly now to the promise that is given through Covenant in verses 10 and 11. the promise to Israel in verse 10 and then a specific promise to David in verse 11. let's see what he promises Israel in verse 10. moreover I will appoint a place for My People Israel and will plant that 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 again I don't want to go too far in terms of human or creaturely analogy but I think this reflects the mindset of any good father any good father wants to provide stability for his family wants to provide a good roof over the heads for his family wants to engage in making sure they have the sufficient things that they need for life and happiness before he builds his man cave now that's a terrible analogy with reference to the temple but a guy doesn't go go out on his beginnings and say you know I've got to have my man cave you five kids you can all you know join together in one room that's typically not how it is a man makes sure his wife is looked after a man makes sure that his children are looked after a man makes sure there's food in the cupboards there's clothes in the closet he makes sure that his family is taken care of before he benefits that's the emphasis in verse 10. I want Israel planted in the land I want them stable and secure from all their enemies David your function was to Vanquish their enemies to drive them out to secure the kingdom and to install your son and once your son is there once Solomon is present once he secured the kingdom you know how Solomon secures the kingdom in First Kings chapter 2 by killing all of the opposition by killing all of the enemies you know today we we oftentimes Marvel at the political banter and discourse which is still about thousand times more civil than it's ever been in the rest of the history of the world dude used to just cut each other's heads off instead of tweeting nasty things at that so that's how Solomon secured the kingdom and it was in that environment that God then says build me a house he takes care of his family before he himself benefits as a result and verse 10 lays emphasis to that 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 alter says though the judges succeeded in temporarily driving off Israel's unreal pressers the period as a whole was one of instability and recurrent harassment by enemy peoples and so now we've got a situation with more stability not the judges but a monarchy and not just a monarchy okay but a monarch after God's Own Heart and a monarch taught by God on how to Vanquish enemies and enemies that have now been vanquished that is setting the stage ultimately for Solomon's reign of Peace so he can build a temple for Yahweh and the town and then the promise to David notice what he says in verse 11. since the time that I commanded judges to be over My People Israel and have caused you to rest from all your enemies also the Lord tells you that he will make you a house so it starts off with David musing in his Palace saying I want to build a house for god well this is a great time David me to remind you of something it's not the house that you're going to build for me but it's the house that I'm going to build for you and as I said this is the second use of house and here it refers to a dynasty a succession of Kings it was dynastic in terms of the kings that would Ascend the throne they came from the fathers and that's the emphasis in this particular section and so God the Lord is going to secure the kingdom God the Lord is going to put his man upon the throne and God the Lord from that Throne is going to bring the Lord Jesus Christ to Reign and rule over all things forever and ever Davis says how can God settle down when they Israel are unsettled perhaps we glance now why Yahweh wants no Cedar Temple yet he must make a secure place for Israel first he will not rest till he gives rest to his people he will not rest till he gives rest to his people now before we move on think about that for a moment our God is giving our God is gracious our God is merciful I've told you before and you've met them before the people that say oh the Old Testament it's all filled with blood and blood shed in fact you're celebrating David's hands that have been trained for war and there's grace and mercy and kindness and love and blessedness and you see that glimpsed here the Lord doesn't want his house built until Israel is stable until she has all that is in place and I would encourage all of us to make sure that we follow likewise secure the place for wives children and then have your man caved no don't have a man cave have a garage have a study have a study that's even better fill up a room with books good books and and just read now let's look thirdly and finally at the particulars involved in the Covenant and they focus in on Kingdom they focus in on Kingdom because that's what's happening here that's what's going on the davidic Covenant secures or rather advances the ball of Redemptive Grace from Genesis 3 15 to Abraham to Moses and now to David and it's in the davidic Covenant that we see the nature of the king of God's kingdom and the emphasis is threefold here first he speaks concerning the presence of the Kingdom secondly the purpose of the kingdom and thirdly the perpetuity of the Kingdom but notice the presence of the Kingdom in verse 12. when your days David are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seed after you remember that word from this morning Genesis chapter 22 verse 18 talks about the Seed of Abraham there's other places in the Book of Genesis that talks about the Seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob it all originates in that promise that foundational Covenant promise or or promise of the Gospel in Genesis 3 15 the seed of the woman is going to crush the devil the seed of the woman is going to crush the head of the devil so it's this seed that is focal in this Kingdom narrative or this Kingdom promise now again this provides for a succession of Kings after David there will be Solomon and after Solomon there will be rehoboam and after rehoboam there will be this succession they ultimately end up in Babylon as a result of Covenant breaking but even in that there's a hint or a glimmer of hope in that last king that's even in the Babylonian exile and it is after a period of time that Christ comes from the line of David from that particular seed who fulfills the the the the Contours of this Covenant promise so he refers to the this particular Kingdom when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seed after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom this is just like that promise that our brother Mark read this morning and in Isaiah 9 7 it's the Zeal of Yahweh of hosts that will perform this the fact that Christ is stationed at the right hand of God most high is not due to democratic process it's not due to a vote it is due to the appointment of God most high for the good of his people it is Sovereign in character it is Sovereign in terms of origin It Is God who establishes the kingdom it is God who protects the kingdom it is God who advances the kingdom and as Kingdom citizens and the here and now we ought to rejoice in that Brethren sure we have our part as the Church of Christ to be that helper to our blessed bridegroom to be faithful in terms of preaching and ministering and getting the word of God out in the gospel of our Salvation known to all the nations but it's Christ who builds his church it's Christ who promises the extension of his kingdom it is Christ who will have Minion from sea to Sea it is Christ who is charged with this and tasked with this and in this the church finds great comfort and great benefit and great Delight so he speaks concerning David's rest with his fathers David you're going to die but the Dynasty is going to continue on after you I will set up your seed after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom so again this is a promise of succession turn for an analogy to Deuteronomy 18. Deuteronomy 18. there's an analogy here that I think is helpful because when it gets a little bit further in the narrative in second Samuel chapter seven he talks about sinning sons of God of course that's not Jesus because Jesus doesn't sin Jesus didn't sin against God the father but rehoboam did Josiah did Hezekiah did the kings of Judah did so the promise assures a Terminus in our Lord Jesus Christ but it also secures a succession of Kings upon that Throne until Jesus Christ comes and the same thing was true with the prophetic Ministry look at Deuteronomy 18 15 the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst that's Jesus Peter tells us that very clearly in Acts chapter 3 we know this from the Mount of transfiguration remember when Jesus shines bright before his disciples and and he reveals as it were his glory and his and his majesty and then that voice from Heaven comes and it says this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and then that voice says hear him what's the background it's Deuteronomy 18 15 the prophet or the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst from your brethren him you shall hear according to all you desired of the Lord your God and horah so there's a promise of a prophet to come but before that Prophet to come actually comes there will be a succession of prophets there will be an Elijah there will be an Elisha there will be an Isaiah there will be a Jeremiah there'll be an Obadiah a Jonah a Micah a name you get the point well the same was true with reference to the Kings so back in second Kings chapter 7 as we move through the narrative and the Lord speaks about him committing iniquity it's not Jesus the Terminus it is rather that succession of Kings so II Samuel chapter 7 tells us there will be a succession of Kings until the coming of the king of kings the Lord Jesus Christ and you see all over the book of First Kings specifically and second Kings God will bring judgment he'll bring chastisement upon the the southern tribes of Judah but he'll always carve out it'll always say nevertheless I will not completely destroy you for the sake of my servant David that's second Samuel 7. that's Covenant it's the power and Persistence of Covenant that makes sure that God does not liquidate the southern tribes of Judah that's the beauty of Covenant when God makes these promises he doesn't reneg he doesn't change his mind he doesn't second guess he doesn't put into a plan B but rather he does what he promises by way of Covenant notice secondly the purpose of the Kingdom in 13A so we've got this house again he shall build a house for my name here it's not speaking of David's house his physical dwelling place it's not speaking of a dynasty that succession of kings that will come from David's line but it's rather speaking of the temple wasn't this David's intent wasn't this David's desire wasn't this the expression of David's heart in verse two I I want to build a house for God so God says I'm going to build a house it's not going to be you David but the house is going to build be built that that's settled and established so verse 13 He Shall build a house for my name this is one subsequent to David we know historically it was Solomon the son of David and I will establish the Throne of his kingdom forever the fact that Solomon would build a house for the name of God once Israel was safe in the land under the rule of a Godly and faithful King was the time the right time to provide or produce that temple of God where in Israel could now come with their sin with their remaining corruption with their vileness and use that sacrificial system appointed by God so that they could dwell together with their God in the a house that was built for his name in the land that had been secured by the efforts of David and these kings that succeeded him so you see what you have in covenants like this is sort of a programmatic view of what's going to happen in the future and as I said as you move through the rest of second Samuel I mean it focuses on David and the consequences of the sin of his own life it's kind of a sad and Blake picture from chapters 10 to 20. but when you get to first and second Kings I mean talk about topsy-turvy if you've not ever read first and second Kings may I encourage you read first and second Kings you'll wonder how in the world did these people ever keep the kingdom how in the world do these these people ever secure the property that God had promised to Abraham and had actually given to that well how in the world because the second Samuel chapter 7 because of God's covenantal Fidelity because of God's power and promise and because of God's persistence it is that Covenant theme that secures the benefits that God has confirmed upon his people First Kings chapter 8 tells us so the Lord has fulfilled his word this is at the dedication of the temple by Solomon he says so the Lord has fulfilled his word which he spoke and I have filled the position of My Father David and sit on the throne of Israel as the Lord promised and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel now this may seem like a bunch of historical data to you and I can't make it seem anything better or more so than that but may I encourage you that when you get these nuts and bolts they help you as you navigate through the rest of scripture so that when you meet with vicious vile wretched gangs and you wonder in your heart of hearts how do they manage to keep the kingdom oh yeah second Samuel oh yeah the faithfulness of God oh yeah the tenacity of God oh yeah the security brought by God see the scripture presents to us one hero I'd say Paul's a hero David's a hero but scripture really only presents one true hero that's the Lord God most high that's the Lord Jesus Christ all the other men have their foibles all of those other men have their blemishes all of those other men have their uh uh blind spots and their difficulties and their issues and their challenges the book of God is about God most high and it highlights and celebrates his faithfulness to his people so the purpose of the kingdom was to be a kingdom of priests on Earth worshiping glorifying the true and living God and mediating the blessing of God to the Nations around them Deuteronomy chapter 4 Israel wasn't just supposed to go into land and benefit from all the good things that God had given them they were supposed to radiate like a light like a city set on a hill they were supposed to function in such a capacity that the Heathen Nations and the pagans around them would look at them and Marvel and say what kind of a nation is this that has such good laws that has such a great God they were to function in such a way as to mediate the blessings of God not only to them and their successors but also closer to the Gentiles around that now of course they don't do that the church is supposed to function in that particular capacity in this new covenant setting we're not safe simply for ourselves we're saved to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation and we're saved to hold forth the word of Truth to bring that message of Hope and salvation to needy Sinners all throughout the Earth to extend by God's grace that Kingdom of Jesus Christ it's supposed to be that kind of dynamism it's supposed to be that kind of energy it's supposed to be that kind of a of a framework that the church undertakes on behalf of her blessed Savior and Lord well it was similar to what they had in the old Covenant but they were persistent in their sin and then that brings us to the perpetuity of the Kingdom in 13B to 16. notice 13B I will establish the Throne of his kingdom forever that's the statement of its perpetuity but then he proves this he not only says it notice in verse 13 be I will establish pushed the Throne of his kingdom forever but he goes on to prove that declaration see God doesn't just throw it out there and say well you know I hope it works out that way I I hope you guys take your tasks seriously I I hope your responsible agents under me and that that you do everything right with a little a little bit of luck and a little bit of hope you know maybe we can make this all work no that's not it that's not our covenant God that's not the Sovereign God of Holy Scripture he purposes to do what he has purpose to do and he accomplishes all of his Good Will toward us notice the proofs that he gives first he says death itself does not annul the pro the promise notice in verses 12 and 13. when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers the death of David does not annul the promise that he will build his kingdom and it will have no end I mean brethren in this context David would have been your hero I mean he's the guy that every guy wanted to be and he was the guy that every woman wanted to marry I mean David was the man okay now David Falls hard in second Samuel 11. the word second Samuel 7. and things are going his way I mean he has done everything that God has commanded he has Consolidated power he has made Jerusalem the capital not only politically but religiously he has as it were enjoyed the fruits of his very hard and very difficult life he didn't do this you know just as a benefit you know he his daddy made sure everything always went well for him oh no Blood Sweat and Tears on the part of David but at this point in history David was the man and so for God to say that I'm going to establish my kingdom when you're gone this indicates that it's not David upon whom This Promise rests it's upon David's greater son it is God's promise so death itself does not annul the promise but notice the presence of sin cannot destroy the promise either this is the one that I think gets most Christian readers we we read about these guys well why didn't you get rid of the high places why didn't you you know these were basic fundamental things I mean horror of horror for us as New Covenant readers we look back at some of the stuff in the old asthma like well how did that ever happen how could you these kings ever think to do that how would they ever not you know walk Faithfully with God hopefully you continue that train of thought to to con to consider yeah how come I don't always do exactly what I'm supposed to do how come I'm not always perfect and obedient to the Lord Sin is Sin Brethren when it's whether it's in the king of Judah or it's in you know the guy living in Chilliwack and in in 2022. so God says that sin does not annul or decimate or destroy the promise and here we've got some wonderful language notice in verse 14. I will be his father and he shall be my son so yahweh's relation to the sitting king in Israel is a relation of Father and Son now if you're thinking New Covenant you'll notice that this text is invoked by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter 1 to teach us that Jesus is the son of the father but again there is a succession of sons to the father until that Terminus which is our Lord Jesus Christ but in Psalm or rather Hebrews 1 5 there's two texts of scripture to evidence that Jesus is in fact the Son of God most high Psalm 2 7 the the Lord begot him and then second Samuel 7 14 I will be his father and he shall be my son now notice there's fatherly discipline for those kings in Israel if he commits iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of man and with the blows of the sons of man in other words God's not going to just turn away from the fact that these men sinned I mean David himself this Godly King he ends up with consequences as a result after he goes into bathtub the after he has Uriah murdered after he's reproved by the prophet Nathan then the prophet Nathan tells him under God the sword will never depart from your house and it doesn't take long for you to understand what that means David's life was a mess after that David's life was messed up as a result of that sin against God he was forgiven we see that in second Samuel chapter 12. he was forgiven of his sin there was atonement wrought there was blessing for him but nevertheless there are consequences for the sins that we commit and so if a sitting King in Judah was to engage in sinful activity he'd be chasing he would be disciplined he would receive the blows of men and oftentimes that meant victory over the nation Itself by the enemies there were times and incursions and battles and various things that that threaten the very stability of the Kingdom so if he commits iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of man and with the blows of the sons of men but then notice this statement verse 15 but my Mercy shall not depart from him and as I said you can read through first and second Kings and see that in vote several times along the way nevertheless but this isn't going to happen I'm not going to disenfranchise David I'm not going to sideline the kingdom of God I'm not going to suspend it he says specifically my Mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul Saul's a sad case Brethren if you ever want to see the the rise of David you have to first go through the makasal and Saul messed up Saul was one of those bumbling idiots that that just did foolish things along the way and things that ultimately jeopardized his position as king under God and jeopardized his son Jonathan as successor to the throne read first Samuel chapters 13 and following sometime and see how God deals with Saul so note the contrast between the house of Saul and the House of David David wasn't perfect David wasn't spotless David wasn't you know a lamb without blemish what's the difference God's Sovereign Grace God's covenantal dealings God's pleasure and God's good will he rejected Saul but he can uh uh accepts David and secures David even in spite of some things that at times even outsold Saul well David was always faithful in terms of no idolatry Saul didn't have that benefit for whatever David did I would put it in the category of sin dad said horrible said but he was never an idolater his heart was never divided so I've wrestled with that I'm sure you have too the promise that God is going to choose a man after his own heart and then you get to the man after God's Own Heart and II Samuel chapter 11 and he's going into Bathsheba and in order to cover that up he's having her husband murdered on the Battlefront how is that a man after God's Own Heart I think it's at the level of loyalty to Yahweh there is a sense where even sinful men remain corruption sorts of men and women are nevertheless undivided in terms of their love for and their Devotion to the true and living God now please don't take that and say oh I'm going to go out and sin you know with impunity as long as my heart is loyal before God no there's obviously some interplay there an overlap but with reference to David he was a man after God's Own Heart and God promises he will never ever disenfranchise the House of David from this kingship so but my Mercy verse 15 shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I remove from before you Davis says David's line will never meet Saul's end the idea seems to be that any individual davidic King may meet disaster because of his infidelity and some of them do Brethren some of them do but that will not overthrow the promised endurance of the davidic dynasty to steal the house analogy sin can bring disaster faster on any current resident but cannot demolish the house it cannot destroy the dynasty it cannot invalidate the Covenant Promises of God and in this we greatly Rejoice not so that we may sin but if we do sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous so God at the announcement of this Everlasting Kingdom knows and affirms that there will be inequity knows and affirms that there will be sin in Rebellion knows and affirms that there's going to be departure from Individual kings that sit upon the throne but the house itself will not be destroyed the house itself will march on the house itself will ultimately be staffed by the son of David who will reign forever and ever World Without End Amen and then the final aspect he says that the passing of time cannot exhaust the promise notice in verse 16 and your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you your throne shall be established forever so whatever May threaten it death can't and all it sin can't destroy it time can't invalidate it in other words God has spoken God will perform the Zeal of Yahweh of horse of hosts shall perform this John Gill says that is both his family and his government should be perpetuated or he should always have one of his family sit upon his throne the accomplishment of which in the beginning of it he saw with his eyes in his son Solomon and with an eye of faith in his greater son the Messiah in whom only these words will have their complete fulfillment so in conclusion the desire of David was a good desire God doesn't Chase in him I can't believe you'd have a desire to put me in a stable place no that's not the bad thing it's just not time frame we we always operate and we're always dependent upon God and not the other way around he doesn't perform for us he doesn't do our bidding but rather we are submissive to his will and we go according to the revelation of that will that we find in holy scripture so the desire was a good one the reason that David would not ultimately secure this is found in first Chronicles he was a man of war the man of Bloodshed and again that's not oh you're a you're a horrible hideous man I can never let you sit on that Throne you're a horrible hideous man I I can't let you build a house how would that be I mean some people actually talk that way it says I'm not gonna let you build a house because you got blood on your hands people take that negatively oh that that's a comment on on the fact that he's a warrior it's a comment on the fact that he's a a battle heart and Soldier it's a comment on negativity uh because he's he's a violent man and yet it's because of the violence of that man that the kingdom is secure that God then has the house built Brethren that is such a faulty argument it's about time it's about security it's about what's happening in terms of the Contours of the Kingdom it's about a particular plan and purpose that God most high has and day David's acts of violence were vital and instrumental and absolutely crucial for the ultimate establishment of this house for the ultimate building of this house for the fact that Solomon was able to Reign and rule in a in a time of Peace so that he could build this Temple for the Lord and then the desire was not ultimately realized by David but through his sons the temple built by Solomon First Kings chapter eight it's dedicated there but ultimately the temple built by Christ turn to Zechariah the prophet Zechariah Chapter 6. Zechariah Chapter 6. we're just about to end the Messiah gets various names in the prophets that just sort of give us multi-facets concerning his person his his work and and you'll see him referred to here in Zechariah 6 but also in the Prophet Jeremiah as branch he's referred to in the servant songs of Yahweh as the servant of Yahweh in the prophet Isaiah he's called a sprout or or a root in in Psalm 132. there's all these names that are given to Messiah again just to give us various facets and various blessed truths about his person and the work that he has in store and in verse 12 of Zechariah 6 then speak to him saying thus says the Lord of hosts saying behold the man whose name is the branch from his place he shall Branch out and he shall build the Temple of the Lord yes he shall build the Temple of the Lord he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule on his throne so he shall be a priest on his throne and the Council of Peace shall be between them both so Solomon built the temple historically Zechariah 6 prophesies concerning the temple building project under David's greater son this is what we find in that New Covenant Saturday it's not a physical structure it's not that Jesus does have some building plan in Jerusalem I'll tear down herod's Temple I want to build it right I want to hire my Architects I want to hire my you know guys I want to get my my masons in here I want to get all the people in here to build this and the way it should have been built in the first place he's building a spiritual Temple so we've understood in our studies in the book of Ephesians what's that spiritual Temple it's us it's the Church of Jesus Christ First Peter chapter two where we're stoves we're part of that Temple wherein God dwells with his people so what you find in Solomon is a blessed down payment for what comes in New Covenant era Christ builds the temple Christ is the temple according to Revelation 21-24 it is the reality that he dwells with men and that we dwell with him so everything that God promises in second Samuel chapter 7 comes to fruition in the Incarnation of Our Lord when the word became flesh and dwelt among us when the word brought in that Redemptive task and gave us life and salvation and the presence of God Almighty whenever we gather here on the Lord's day we ought to come expectantly I like to think back to the time of the Tabernacle I'd like to think back to the time of the temple there was a a Time years ago the Lawsons would know that sister the Adventists have a camp out on out in Hope and they would put a a replica of the Tabernacle out there it was really cool I mean if they ever do that again they they carry it around do they do that again I don't know okay but you could go and you could sort of see it right I mean you can read about it and there's pictures most study Bibles have a little sort of picture of what the what the Tabernacle in the temple looked like but when you're kind of walking around a replica a scale model of you know you're you're kind of seeing the dimensions and you're pondering what happened you're you're kind of envisioning you know you come on Sabbath and you cut your animal and you hand it over to to the priest and he takes it and he he burns it or he separates it cuts it up if it's a burnt offering he burns the whole thing if it's not a burnt offering it cuts up some pieces you know puts it you know on the side for later for him and his priest buddies as they're going to eat some of that good food that he that meat but the worst part is their theology at the end I mean Adventists don't have a good robust Theology of atonement or soteriology so that that's a bit you know disappointing but in terms of seeing that it causes you to kind of think about the reality or Temple what was it like to be one of the remnant to be one of the actual faithful people in Israel at the time of the temple I'm sure there was a joy and this is why you have that that set of Psalms described as songs of ascent well what are they ascending to they're ascending to the temple Mound they're ascending Mount Moriah they're going to the place of worship they're going to the place of sacrifice and they have this this Litany of songs the songs of Zion to be able to sing to God as they're on their way I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord that's the kind of mindset that the people of God had at the time of the temple should we not have something of that in the Church of Jesus Christ today when we come to the father through the son in the spirit and God fills us with all the fullness of God As We Gather together Lord's Day morning and evening Brethren there ought to be an expectation in our hearts on Saturday night there ought to be an anticipation in our hearts on Saturday night there ought to be that joy in our hearts when we wake up on Sunday morning I get to go to the house of God this is a glad occasion I'm going to meet with Yahweh how do I how do I Rejoice more in that when I reflect on a second Samuel 7 and the provisions made in terms of a king that will sit over his kingdom World Without End Amen I should rejoice in the Fulfillment of these blessings I should Rejoice by participation participating in the public worship of God and in conclusion Luke 1 ties these things together so does Acts 2 but I'll just read Luke 1. Luke 1 29 but when she saw him she was trouble that is saying and considered what manner of greeting this was then the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth the son and shall call his name Jesus he will be great and will be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the Throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end praise God Almighty we live in the days of fulfillment that that second Samuel 7 promise was good it was brought to realization and we are blessed in light of it so may God help us as we gather for public worship to do so with great joy with anticipation and with expectation that God is in the midst of his people well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for these covenants that Advance your promises to your people and we thank you that we're in this new covenant setting when all of these things all of these farther steps find their fulfillment in our Blessed Redeemer King give us that anticipation and expectation as the the weekly cycle revolves around the Lord's day may we see it as a delight and may we see it as that blessed time when we come to meet with our God we ask now that you would go with us that you would protect us and keep us watch over all the brothers and sisters in this local church and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation