IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

“are You the One to Build Me a House?”

Date: Sep. 18, 2024

Passage

2 Samuel 7:1-17 (ESV)

Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”

But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 7:5

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?

David was a man of action, always looking to the next task. It upset him that God dwelled in a tent while he lived in a palace. Building a house for God seemed such an obvious endeavor, even Nathan was happy to support David’s desire. But neither of them thought to ask God’s opinion.

That night God revealed his heart to them in a long testimony highlighting not what David did or would do, but all that God was doing – not only for David, but for Israel and all of humanity! While building a house for God would keep David and Israel busy, it would distract from what God was doing through David: establishing a kingdom that would bless all people for all time. Ultimately, this points to Jesus’ coming as our Messiah, our Savior King. God’s vision is an eternal kingdom where he may dwell with redeemed humanity forever!

Are we taking time to pray and ask God for his bigger purposes in our life? The house of God is not the temple built by Solomon, but the church (1Ti 3:15; Eph 2:19, et.al.), the body of Christ, in which we each have a role that Jesus has chosen us to fulfill (Jn 15:16). The lasting fruit is not what I do for God, but what God is doing through me.

Prayer: Father, thank you for this reminder of all you have accomplished through Jesus in my life. Help me have eyes to see your greater purposes.

One Word: God’s eternal kingdom in Jesus

Daily Bread

A Lioness and Her Cubs

Ezekiel 19:1-14

Key Verse: 19:2

and say:

  What was your mother? A lioness!
    Among lions she crouched;
  in the midst of young lions
    she reared her cubs.

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