1 Chronicles 17 demonstrates the clear and distinct difference between God and man. King David was sitting in the midst of wealth and success beyond our imagination. And with complete sincerity, he declared, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent“. I really believe David just wanted to do something nice and to improve God’s image here on Earth. For the rest of the chapter, God taught David humility. Some people confuse humility with humiliation. The two are quite different. Humility is the recognition of the unique greatness of God the Almighty, Creator of all things, Eternal and Self sufficient and ourselves as merely His creation. God spoke through the prophet Nathan, “You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in… I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt… I have moved from one tent site to another“. The Tabernacle was a TEMPORARY dwelling place, not because God is homeless, but because the Jewish people were to be looking for the Messiah, the One who would become the perfect sacrifice “once and for all“. The tabernacle was just a symbol of God’s dwelling place in eternity.
God reminded David, “I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth“. Every thing David owned, every success he had and every victory was God-given. And what’s more, God said, “the Lord will build a house for you“. We can’t out give God. He continued by explaining that the King of Kings will be born on earth through David’s descendents. The entire world will receive Salvation through the “Son of David“. “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son… I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever“. Although Solomon built a magnificent temple in Jerusalem, it only served to get people’s eyes off of God. It was destroyed in less than 400 years. In contrast, John 2:19 Jesus answered the angry Jewish leaders, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” And the text explains, “But He was speaking of the temple of His body“.
Notice David’s readjusted perspective, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” Now David saw himself as God’s instrument. “There is no one like you, O Lord, and there is no God but you… And who is like your people Israel the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself“. David was ready to simply receive, “Do as you promised, so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever“. In the book of Luke (chapter 18) we read of a blind beggar. He knew his need and he knew it could only be met by God. When Jesus was passing by he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” By using this title, he was professing his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus heard him and answered, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well“. Nothing else was required, “immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God“. Are you in need? Calls out to the Son of David, His promises are forever and for YOU.