A Life in Exile

David wanted to do something for God. After all, the Lord had chosen him from among all his older brothers, established him on the throne over all of Israel, helped him in defeating all his enemies, and blessed him with more than he could dream or imagine. Now he was settled in his own palace, and though he’d brought the Ark of the Covenant into the walls of Jerusalem, it was under a meager tent—hardly sufficient for the God of all Creation.

He shared his thoughts with the prophet Nathan, and that’s when God, in turn, shared his. Nathan returned to the king the next day and let him know that the Lord Almighty was not asking for a house. No, he was always just asking for a relationship with his people. He would not allow David to build him a house. Even though his offspring might build a physical house, God, himself, would build the true house with his people.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. When 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. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I 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. But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:11b-16 CSB)

As with many prophecies in the Old Testament, there are dual meanings or fulfillments of certain texts. For this reason, the New Testament references to this passage may seem disjointed, but they aren’t, if we look at them in closer detail.

A God of Relationship

What do we know about the God of Creation? We know that he created a garden especially for Adam and Eve. It would be a place where they were working while also in perfect fellowship with their Creator. Even after their sin built a wall between them, the Lord never stopped calling people into relationship with him. We see that with Abraham and the patriarchs, and we see it with the people of Israel. We also know that God did not want to be just one of many gods for those he chose and those who said they believed on him. No, he made it clear that his people would have no other gods before him, and why should the one who created us share? He alone has the power over life and death. We owe him our devotion and love.

Paul knew that the believers in Corinth struggled with this concept. After all, many of them came out of polytheistic faiths, and idols were a part of their upbringing and everyday lives. But, the Lord they now served was jealous for their affection and would not share his glory with another. So, Paul goes back to the verses shared with King David in writing to the church.

Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

The revelation that God would be known as Father to the son of David, is how he established his house among all who would believe for generations to come. Just as a person can have only one earthly father, he can have only one spiritual father as well. Those chosen by God through Christ are to be set apart from the world, wed into an exclusive spiritual relationship with God. How can we claim to know Christ and be yoked with the devil and his ways?

The statement Paul says: “we are the temple of the living God,” is what shows us that the house God would build all the way back in 2 Samuel has nothing to do with a physical house but everything to do with his Body, the Church. We are the living stones he builds, as he chooses us, saves us, and molds us into the likeness of his Son.

The Son of God

Would the physical son of David be the true fulfillment of his words through the prophet? Yes and no. While we know Solomon continued the reign of David and built the magnificent Temple, we know that he failed to fulfill the righteousness of God, and future kings would continue down the path of rebellion against the will of the Father. So, the passage in Samuel holds another, more powerful meaning.

The seed of David would be found in the physical man Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God. God would build his house—the Church, through the foundation of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Because of his perfect life and his complete fulfillment of all righteousness, he would be publicly declared God’s Son from the moment of his baptism to his ascension to heaven.

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my Son; today I have become your Father, or again, I will be his Father, and he will be my Son? (Hebrews 1:1-5)

The relationship of Father and Son was before the foundation of the earth. This God of Creation has always been in relationship with the Son and the Spirit. What he enjoyed in the triune Godhead, he chose to share with us. Through the Son, he built his house, and each of us who believe in the Son are part of that structure. It might be hard for you to see it today, as the Body is spread thin among the nations, but there is a day coming when the House will be revealed to all, and it will be more magnificent than we could ever dream or imagine.

I’m so thankful he has allowed us to know the Son and that he calls us sons and daughters through our faith in him. Don’t let any other god or worldly influence come in between your relationship to the Father. Let him be your all-in-all today and forevermore.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.