mh_parser/vol_split/13 - 1Chronicles/Chapter 17.xml

<div2 id="iCh.xviii" n="xviii" next="iCh.xix" prev="iCh.xvii" progress="76.70%" title="Chapter XVII">
<h2 id="iCh.xviii-p0.1">F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iCh.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iCh.xviii-p1">This excellent chapter is the same with <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.1-2Sam.7.29" parsed="|2Sam|7|1|7|29" passage="2Sa 7:1-29">2 Sam. vii.</scripRef> It will be worth while
to look back upon what was there said upon it. Two things in
general we have in it:—I. God's gracious acceptance of David's
purpose to build him a house, and the promise he made thereupon,
<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.1-1Chr.17.15" parsed="|1Chr|17|1|17|15" passage="1Ch 17:1-15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. II. David's
gracious acceptance of God's good promise to build him a house, and
the prayer he made thereupon, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.16-1Chr.17.27" parsed="|1Chr|17|16|17|27" passage="1Ch 17:16-27">ver.
16-27</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iCh.xviii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17" parsed="|1Chr|17|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 17" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iCh.xviii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.1-1Chr.17.15" parsed="|1Chr|17|1|17|15" passage="1Ch 17:1-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.17.1-1Chr.17.15">
<h4 id="iCh.xviii-p1.6">God's Promise to David. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1042.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xviii-p2">1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his
house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in a
house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span> <i>remaineth</i> under curtains.   2
Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that <i>is</i> in thine heart;
for God <i>is</i> with thee.   3 And it came to pass the same
night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,   4 Go and
tell David my servant, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>, Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell
in:   5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I
brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent,
and from <i>one</i> tabernacle <i>to another.</i>   6
Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of
the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying,
Why have ye not built me a house of cedars?   7 Now therefore
thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span> of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, <i>even</i> from following the sheep, that thou
shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:   8 And I have been
with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all
thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the
name of the great men that <i>are</i> in the earth.   9 Also I
will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and
they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more;
neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at
the beginning,   10 And since the time that I commanded judges
<i>to be</i> over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all
thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span> will build thee a house.   11 And it
shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go
<i>to be</i> with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after
thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
  12 He shall build me a house, and I will stablish his throne
for ever.   13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son:
and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took <i>it</i>
from <i>him</i> that was before thee:   14 But I will settle
him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall
be established for evermore.   15 According to all these
words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto
David.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p3">Let us observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p4">I. How desirous and solicitous good people
should be to serve the interests of God's kingdom in the world, to
the utmost of their capacity. David could not be easy in a house of
cedar while the ark was lodged within curtains, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.1" parsed="|1Chr|17|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The concerns of the public
should always be near our hearts. What pleasure can we take in our
own prosperity if we see not the good of Jerusalem? When David is
advanced to wealth and power see what his cares and projects are.
Not, "What shall I do for my children to get portions for them?
What shall I do to fill my coffers and enlarge my dominions?" But,
"What shall I do for God, to serve and honour him?" Those that are
contriving where to bestow their fruits and their good would do
well to enquire what condition the ark is in, and whether some may
not be well bestowed upon it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p5">II. How ready God's prophets should be to
encourage every good purpose. Nathan was no sooner aware of David's
good design than he bade him <i>go and do all that was within his
heart</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.2" parsed="|1Chr|17|2|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>),
for he had no reason to doubt but that God was with him in it.
Ministers should stir up the gifts and graces that are in others as
well as in themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p6">III. How little God affects external pomp
and splendour in his service. His ark was content with a tabernacle
(<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.5" parsed="|1Chr|17|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>) and he never
so much as mentioned the building of a house for it; no, not when
he had fixed his people in great and goodly cities which they
builded not, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10" parsed="|Deut|6|10|0|0" passage="De 6:10">Deut. vi. 10</scripRef>.
He commanded the judges to <i>feed his people,</i> but never bade
them <i>build him a house,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.6" parsed="|1Chr|17|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. We may well be content awhile
with mean accommodations; God's ark was so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p7">IV. How graciously God accepts his people's
good purposes, yea, though he himself prevents the performance of
them. David must not <i>build this house,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.4" parsed="|1Chr|17|4|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. He must prepare for it, but not
do it; as Moses must bring Israel within sight of Canaan, but must
them leave it to Joshua to put them in possession of it. It is the
prerogative of Christ to be both the author and finisher of his
work. Yet David must not think that, because he was not permitted
to build the temple, 1. His preferment was in vain; no, "<i>I took
thee from the sheep-cote,</i> though not to be a builder of the
temple, yet to be <i>ruler over my people Israel;</i> that is
honour enough for thee; leave the other to one that shall come
after thee," <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.7" parsed="|1Chr|17|7|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
Why should one man think to engross all the business and to bring
every good work to perfection? Let something be left for those that
succeed. God had given him victories, and made him a name
(<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.8" parsed="|1Chr|17|8|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and,
further, intended by him to establish his people Israel and secure
them against their enemies, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.9" parsed="|1Chr|17|9|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. That must be <i>his</i> work, who is a man of war and
fit for it, and he must let the building of churches be left to one
that was never cut out for a soldier. Nor, 2. Must he think that
his good purpose was in vain, and that he should lose the reward of
it; no, it being God's act to prevent the execution of it, he shall
be as fully recompensed as if he had done it; "<i>The Lord will
build thee a house,</i> and annex the crown of Israel to it,"
<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.10" parsed="|1Chr|17|10|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. If there be
a willing mind, it shall not only be accepted, but thus rewarded.
Nor, 3. Must he think that because <i>he</i> might not do this good
work therefore it would never be done, and that it was in vain to
think of it; no, <i>I will raise up thy seed, and he shall build me
a house,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.11-1Chr.17.12" parsed="|1Chr|17|11|17|12" passage="1Ch 17:11,12"><i>v.</i> 11,
12</scripRef>. God's temple shall be built in the time appointed,
though we may not have the honour of helping to build it or the
satisfaction of seeing it built. Nor, 4. Must he confine his
thoughts to the temporal prosperity of his family, but must
entertain himself with the prospect of the kingdom of the Messiah,
who should descend from his loins, and whose throne should be
<i>established for evermore,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.14" parsed="|1Chr|17|14|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Solomon was not himself so
settled in God's house as he should have been, nor was his family
settled in the kingdom: "But there shall one descend from thee whom
I will settle in my house and in my kingdom," which intimates that
he should be both a high priest over the house of God and should
have the sole administration of the affairs of God's kingdom among
men, all power both in heaven and in earth, in the house and in the
kingdom, in the church and in the world. He shall be <i>a priest
upon his throne,</i> and <i>the counsel of peace shall be between
them both,</i> and <i>he shall build the temple of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p7.8" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.12-Zech.6.13" parsed="|Zech|6|12|6|13" passage="Zec 6:12,13">Zech. vi. 12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.xviii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.16-1Chr.17.27" parsed="|1Chr|17|16|17|27" passage="1Ch 17:16-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.17.16-1Chr.17.27">
<h4 id="iCh.xviii-p7.10">David's Grateful
Acknowledgment. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p7.11">b. c.</span> 1042.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xviii-p8">16 And David the king came and sat before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.1">Lord</span>, and said, Who <i>am</i> I,
<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.2">O Lord</span> God, and what <i>is</i> mine
house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?   17 And <i>yet</i>
this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast
<i>also</i> spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to
come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high
degree, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.3">O Lord</span> God.   18 What
can David <i>speak</i> more to thee for the honour of thy servant?
for thou knowest thy servant.   19 <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.4">O
Lord</span>, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own
heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all
<i>these</i> great things.   20 <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.5">O
Lord</span>, <i>there is</i> none like thee, neither <i>is there
any</i> God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with
our ears.   21 And what one nation in the earth <i>is</i> like
thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem <i>to be</i> his own
people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by
driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed
out of Egypt?   22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine
own people for ever; and thou, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.6">Lord</span>,
becamest their God.   23 Therefore now, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.7">Lord</span>, let the thing that thou hast spoken
concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for
ever, and do as thou hast said.   24 Let it even be
established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The
<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.8">Lord</span> of hosts <i>is</i> the God of
Israel, <i>even</i> a God to Israel: and <i>let</i> the house of
David thy servant <i>be</i> established before thee.   25 For
thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him a
house: therefore thy servant hath found <i>in his heart</i> to pray
before thee.   26 And now, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.9">Lord</span>, thou art God, and hast promised this
goodness unto thy servant:   27 Now therefore let it please
thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee
for ever: for thou blessest, <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xviii-p8.10">O Lord</span>,
and <i>it shall be</i> blessed for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p9">We have here David's solemn address to God,
in answer to the gracious message he had now received from him. By
faith he receives the promises, embraces them, and is persuaded of
them, as the patriarchs, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13" parsed="|Heb|11|13|0|0" passage="Heb 11:13">Heb. xi.
13</scripRef>. How humbly does he here abase himself, and
acknowledge his own unworthiness! How highly does he advance the
name of God and admire his condescending grace and favour! With
what devout affections does he magnify the God of Israel and what a
value has he for the Israel of God! With what assurance does he
build upon the promise, and with what a lively faith does he put it
in suit! What an example is this to us of humble, believing,
fervent prayer! The Lord enable us all thus to seek him! These
things were largely observed, <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.1-2Sam.7.29" parsed="|2Sam|7|1|7|29" passage="2Sa 7:1-29">2 Sam.
vii.</scripRef> We shall therefore here observe only those few
expressions in which the prayer, as we find it here, differs from
the record of it there, and has something added to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p10">I. That which is there expressed by way of
question (<i>Is this the manner of men, O Lord God?</i>) is here an
acknowledgment: "<i>Thou hast regarded me according to the estate
of a man of high degree.</i> Thou hast made me a great man, and
then treated me accordingly." God, by the covenant-relations into
which he admits believers, the titles he gives them, the favours he
bestows on them, and the preparations he has made for them, regards
them according to the estate of men of high degree, though they are
mean and vile. Having himself distinguished them, he treats them as
persons of distinction, according to the quality he has been
pleased to put upon them. Some give these words here another
reading: "<i>Thou hast looked upon me in the form of a man who art
in the highest, the Lord God;</i> or, <i>Thou hast made me to see
according to the form of a man the majesty of the Lord God.</i>"
And so it points at the Messiah; for, as Abraham, so David, saw his
day and was glad, saw it by faith, saw it in <i>fashion as a man,
the Word made flesh,</i> and yet saw his <i>glory as</i> that <i>of
the only-begotten of the Father.</i> And this was that which God
spoke concerning his house for a great while to come, the foresight
of which affected him more than any thing. And let it not be
thought strange that David should speak so plainly of the two
natures of Christ who in spirit called him <i>Lord,</i> though he
knew he was to be his <i>Son</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.1" parsed="|Ps|110|1|0|0" passage="Ps 110:1">Ps.
cx. 1</scripRef>), and foresaw him <i>lower than the angels</i> for
a little while, but afterwards <i>crowned with glory and
honour,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.6-Heb.2.7" parsed="|Heb|2|6|2|7" passage="Heb 2:6,7">Heb. ii. 6,
7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p11">II. After the words <i>What can David say
more unto thee,</i> it is here added, <i>for the honour of they
servant?</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.18" parsed="|1Chr|17|18|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Note, The honour God puts upon his servants, by taking them into
covenant and communion with himself, is so great that they need
not, they cannot, desire to be more highly honoured. Were they to
sit down and wish, they could not speak more for their own honour
than the word of God has spoken.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p12">III. It is very observable that what in
Samuel is said to be <i>for thy word's sake</i> is here said to be
<i>for thy servant's sake,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.19" parsed="|1Chr|17|19|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Jesus Christ is both <i>the
Word of God</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.13" parsed="|Rev|19|13|0|0" passage="Re 19:13">Rev. xix.
13</scripRef>) and <i>the servant of God</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.42.1" parsed="|Isa|42|1|0|0" passage="Isa 42:1">Isa. xlii. 1</scripRef>), and it is for his sake, upon
the score of his meditation, that the promises are both made and
made good to all believers; it is in him that they are <i>yea and
amen.</i> For his sake is all kindness done, for his sake it is
made known; to him we owe all this greatness and from him we are to
expect all these great things; they are <i>the unsearchable riches
of Christ,</i> which, if by faith we see in themselves and see in
the hand of the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as great things,
the only true greatness, and speak honourably of accordingly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p13">IV. In Samuel, the Lord of hosts is said to
be the <i>God over Israel;</i> here he is said to be <i>the God of
Israel, even a God to Israel,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.24" parsed="|1Chr|17|24|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. His being the God <i>of</i>
Israel bespeaks his having the name of <i>their God</i> and so
calling himself; his being a God <i>to</i> Israel bespeaks his
answering to the name, his filling up the relation, and doing all
that to them which might be expected from him. There were those
that were called <i>gods</i> of such and such nations, gods of
Assyria and Egypt, gods of Hamad and Arpad; but they were no gods
to them, for they stood them in no stead at all, were mere ciphers,
nothing but a name. But <i>the God of Israel</i> is a <i>God to
Israel;</i> all his attributes and perfections redound to their
real benefit and advantage. <i>Happy therefore, thrice happy, is
the people whose God is Jehovah;</i> for he will be a God to them,
a God all-sufficient.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xviii-p14">V. The closing words in Samuel are, <i>With
thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.</i>
That is the language of a holy desire. But the closing words here
are the language of a most holy faith: <i>For thou blessest, O
Lord! and it shall be blessed for ever,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.27" parsed="|1Chr|17|27|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. 1. He was encouraged to beg a
blessing because God had intimated to him that he had blessings in
store for him and his family: "<i>Thou blessest, O Lord!</i> and
therefore unto thee shall all flesh come for a blessing; unto thee
do I come for the blessing promised to me." Promises are intended
to direct and excite prayer. Has God said, <i>I will bless?</i> Let
our hearts answer, <i>Lord, bless me,</i> 2. He was earnest for the
blessing because he believed that those whom God blesses are truly
and eternally blessed: <i>Thou blessest, and it shall be
blessed.</i> Men can but <i>beg</i> the blessing; it is God that
<i>commands</i> it. What he designs he effects; what he promises he
performs; saying and doing are not two things with him. Nay, <i>it
shall be blessed for ever.</i> His blessings shall not be revoked,
cannot be opposed, and the benefits conferred by them are such as
will survive time and days. David's prayer concludes as God's
promise did (<scripRef id="iCh.xviii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.14" parsed="|1Chr|17|14|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>)
with that which is <i>for ever.</i> God's word looks at things
eternal, and so should our desires and hopes.</p>
</div></div2>