14 day plan

New Beginnings

Day 5 of 14

CSB

2 Samuel 7:12

12When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

Reflections: All of us long for a king—a good and gracious king. Israel had that in God. And yet, they rejected him and demanded a human king instead (1 Sam 8:7). Reading Israel’s history is like watching a slow-motion train wreck. King after king, they fail, sin and die. Just as God warned, these kings are not good or gracious—they are fatally flawed. But God doesn’t give up. He promises that David’s offspring will be his chosen king. It’s through this king that God will fulfil the promise he made to Abraham and Moses: the promise of a new beginning for the whole world. We know that Jesus is that king: born of David, promised of God and perfect in every way. He is the king who saved us from our sins (Mt 1:20–21).

Question: In what areas of your life do you reject Christ as God’s chosen king? In his perfect life and sacrificial death, how does Jesus redefine our expectations of a king?

Prayer: Almighty God, we repent of rejecting you as our king and seeking to place ourselves on your throne. Humble us under your sovereign care and cause us to submit to the rule of your Son. Enable us to trust him for he alone is worthy of all blessing and honour and glory. Amen.

© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

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2 Samuel 7:1-29

The Lord’s Covenant with David

1When the king had settled into his palace and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”

3So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5“Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in? 6From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling. 7In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’

8“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. 10I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done 11ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”

17Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

18Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? 19What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God. 20What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. 21Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.

22This is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms. 23And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt. 24You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

25Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, 26so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you 27since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.

© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers