This is the Land of the Dying ; but wait till you get to the Land of the Living. Forever and ever!
It’s always great to have a restful evening, but that night the Lord had some important things to say to Nathan. Nathan was His spokesman, and there needed to be some points of clarification given at the palace. About this house David desires to build for Me, said the Lord, here’s the first point to share with the king. 1. I’ve lived in a tent since leaving Egypt with My people. In all that time, “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?’” (2 Sam 7:7). The answer is No! 2. David, was this your idea to leave sheep-herding to run for office? No, “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people” (v 8). Then let Me carry on. 3. Have I been doing a good job so far? “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 men who are on the earth” (v 9). Now, David, people put their tents away when they’ve arrived, when their pilgrimage is over. Do you think this was the climax of My big plan? Hardly! 4. There’s a very important other part still to come: “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. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (vv 12-13). Say, Christian, are you finding it impossible to settle in down here? Good! We aren’t Home yet. Through the centuries, God’s faithful pilgrim band “desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb 11:16).