Day 93

Building a House

Read: 2 Samuel 4-7

With the death of Ish-bosheth, David becomes king of all Israel. He has a palace built for him. He takes more wives and has more children. The Philistines see him as a threat and come to attack him. As is his custom, he seeks God’s guidance regarding how to deal with this threat. With God’s help, he defeats the Philistines.

We must never sit back and think we are secure. New threats to our spiritual life constantly arise, and it is important that we seek to know God’s will. That will in terms of what we ought to do in life is first of all revealed in Scripture, yet the advice of people who love the Lord and love us is also valuable.

Having his own house built, David’s thoughts turn to a house for God. He decides to move the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. But while the law of Moses specified exactly how it was to be moved, he uses another method, with sad consequences. He does not allow this to deter him, however, but tries again. This time he uses the biblically prescribed method.

Now that the ark is in Jerusalem, David thinks it would be a good idea to build a temple in which to place the ark. God, however, makes it clear that David is not to build a house for God but that God will build a house for him: God will cause his household to reign forever, a promise fulfilled in Christ, who in the Gospels is called “the Son of David.”

PRAYER
Father, we realize that what is most important is not what we do for you, but what you do for us. In Christ. Amen.