September 12th: Bible Meditation for 2 Samuel 7

Bible Readings for September 12th

2 Samuel 7 | 2 Corinthians 1 | Ezekiel 15 | Psalms 56–57

In 2 Samuel 7, David asks Nathan about whether he should build a permanent temple for Yahweh. David points to his own house built with solid cedar and contrasts it with the impermanent dwelling place of Yahweh in the tent of the tabernacle (2 Sam. 7:1–2). Yahweh quickly puts this matter to rest, insisting he does not need a house of cedar (2 Sam. 7:5–7).

But then, Yahweh flips the discussion. David will not build Yahweh a house of cedar, but Yahweh promises instead to build David a house—that is, a house in the sense of a family (2 Sam. 7:11). Specifically, Yahweh promises to establish forever the kingdom of Israel through David’s offspring (2 Sam. 7:12). This is an incredible promise, since earlier Yahweh had sworn that the offspring of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15) and that through the offspring of Abraham he would bless all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:1–3, 7). Here, Yahweh is further specifying the identity of this offspring who would save the world—he would be the son of David.

More than that, Yahweh promises to adopt the son of David as his own son (2 Sam. 7:14) so that the throne of this son of David/son of God would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:16). Yahweh swears not to treat the son of David as he had treated Saul by rejecting the house of David when the offspring of David sins but rather to discipline the son of David with a rod and with stripes—that is, by beating him. Yahweh will never, however, remove his steadfast love from David’s offspring (2 Sam. 7:14–15).

Ultimately, Yahweh would keep every bit of this promise—and more. Yahweh did not merely adopt one of the descendants of David, but he actually sent his only, eternally begotten Son into the world to be born into the house of David. Then, this greater Son of David (who is by nature the Son of God) was disciplined with the rod of men and with the stripes of the son of men, not for his own disobedience, but for the disobedience of all the sons of David who had come before him. But Yahweh then raised his Son up from the dead, declaring Jesus to be the Son of God through his resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4) and exalting him as king forever to reign on the throne of David.

And all of this he did for us, crushing the head of the serpent and blessing all the families of the earth in his life, death, and resurrection. Praise Jesus—he, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory now and forevermore (Rev. 5:5–14).

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.