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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This excellent chapter is the same with
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+7:1-29">2 Sam. vii.</A>
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It will be worth while to look back upon what was there said upon it.
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Two things in general we have in it:--
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I. God's gracious acceptance of David's purpose to build him a house,
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and the promise he made thereupon,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:1-15">ver. 1-15</A>.
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II. David's gracious acceptance of God's good promise to build him a
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house, and the prayer he made thereupon,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:16-27">ver. 16-27</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Promise to David.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1042.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David
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said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in a house of cedars,
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but the ark of the covenant of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>remaineth</I> under
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curtains.
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2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that <I>is</I> in thine heart;
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for God <I>is</I> with thee.
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3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came
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to Nathan, saying,
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4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, Thou shalt
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not build me a house to dwell in:
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5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought
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up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and
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from <I>one</I> tabernacle <I>to another.</I>
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6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to
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any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people,
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saying, Why have ye not built me a house of cedars?
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7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus
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saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, <I>even</I>
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from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my
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people Israel:
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8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and
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have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made
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thee a name like the name of the great men that <I>are</I> in the
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earth.
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9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will
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plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be
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moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste
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them any more, as at the beginning,
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10 And since the time that I commanded judges <I>to be</I> over my
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people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies.
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Furthermore I tell thee that the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> will build thee a house.
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11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that
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thou must go <I>to be</I> with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy
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seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish
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his kingdom.
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12 He shall build me a house, and I will stablish his throne
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for ever.
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13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not
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take my mercy away from him, as I took <I>it</I> from <I>him</I> that was
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before thee:
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14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for
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ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
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15 According to all these words, and according to all this
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vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Let us observe here,</P>
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<P>
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I. How desirous and solicitous good people should be to serve the
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interests of God's kingdom in the world, to the utmost of their
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capacity. David could not be easy in a house of cedar while the ark was
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lodged within curtains,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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The concerns of the public should always be near our hearts. What
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pleasure can we take in our own prosperity if we see not the good of
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Jerusalem? When David is advanced to wealth and power see what his
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cares and projects are. Not, "What shall I do for my children to get
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portions for them? What shall I do to fill my coffers and enlarge my
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dominions?" But, "What shall I do for God, to serve and honour him?"
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Those that are contriving where to bestow their fruits and their good
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would do well to enquire what condition the ark is in, and whether some
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may not be well bestowed upon it.</P>
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<P>
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II. How ready God's prophets should be to encourage every good purpose.
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Nathan was no sooner aware of David's good design than he bade him
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<I>go and do all that was within his heart</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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for he had no reason to doubt but that God was with him in it.
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Ministers should stir up the gifts and graces that are in others as
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well as in themselves.</P>
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<P>
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III. How little God affects external pomp and splendour in his service.
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His ark was content with a tabernacle
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>)
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and he never so much as mentioned the building of a house for it; no,
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not when he had fixed his people in great and goodly cities which they
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builded not,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+6:10">Deut. vi. 10</A>.
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He commanded the judges to <I>feed his people,</I> but never bade them
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<I>build him a house,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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We may well be content awhile with mean accommodations; God's ark was
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so.</P>
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<P>
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IV. How graciously God accepts his people's good purposes, yea, though
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he himself prevents the performance of them. David must not <I>build
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this house,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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He must prepare for it, but not do it; as Moses must bring Israel
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within sight of Canaan, but must them leave it to Joshua to put them in
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possession of it. It is the prerogative of Christ to be both the author
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and finisher of his work. Yet David must not think that, because he was
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not permitted to build the temple,
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1. His preferment was in vain; no, "<I>I took thee from the
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sheep-cote,</I> though not to be a builder of the temple, yet to be
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<I>ruler over my people Israel;</I> that is honour enough for thee;
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leave the other to one that shall come after thee,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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Why should one man think to engross all the business and to bring every
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good work to perfection? Let something be left for those that succeed.
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God had given him victories, and made him a name
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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and, further, intended by him to establish his people Israel and secure
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them against their enemies,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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That must be <I>his</I> work, who is a man of war and fit for it, and
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he must let the building of churches be left to one that was never cut
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out for a soldier. Nor,
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2. Must he think that his good purpose was in vain, and that he should
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lose the reward of it; no, it being God's act to prevent the execution
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of it, he shall be as fully recompensed as if he had done it; "<I>The
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Lord will build thee a house,</I> and annex the crown of Israel to it,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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If there be a willing mind, it shall not only be accepted, but thus
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rewarded. Nor,
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3. Must he think that because <I>he</I> might not do this good work
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therefore it would never be done, and that it was in vain to think of
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it; no, <I>I will raise up thy seed, and he shall build me a house,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:11,12"><I>v.</I> 11, 12</A>.
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God's temple shall be built in the time appointed, though we may not
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have the honour of helping to build it or the satisfaction of seeing it
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built. Nor,
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4. Must he confine his thoughts to the temporal prosperity of his
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family, but must entertain himself with the prospect of the kingdom of
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the Messiah, who should descend from his loins, and whose throne should
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be <I>established for evermore,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
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Solomon was not himself so settled in God's house as he should have
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been, nor was his family settled in the kingdom: "But there shall one
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descend from thee whom I will settle in my house and in my kingdom,"
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which intimates that he should be both a high priest over the house of
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God and should have the sole administration of the affairs of God's
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kingdom among men, all power both in heaven and in earth, in the house
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and in the kingdom, in the church and in the world. He shall be <I>a
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priest upon his throne,</I> and <I>the counsel of peace shall be
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between them both,</I> and <I>he shall build the temple of the
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Lord,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+6:12,13">Zech. vi. 12, 13</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_24"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch17_27"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>David's Grateful Acknowledgment.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1042.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>16 And David the king came and sat before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and said,
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Who <I>am</I> I, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God, and what <I>is</I> mine house, that thou hast
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brought me hitherto?
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17 And <I>yet</I> this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for
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thou hast <I>also</I> spoken of thy servant's house for a great while
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to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of
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high degree, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God.
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18 What can David <I>speak</I> more to thee for the honour of thy
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servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
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19 O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own
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heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all
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<I>these</I> great things.
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20 O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, <I>there is</I> none like thee, neither <I>is there any</I>
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God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our
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ears.
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21 And what one nation in the earth <I>is</I> like thy people
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Israel, whom God went to redeem <I>to be</I> his own people, to make
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thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations
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from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?
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22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for
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ever; and thou, L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, becamest their God.
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23 Therefore now, L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, let the thing that thou hast spoken
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concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established
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for ever, and do as thou hast said.
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24 Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified
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for ever, saying, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of hosts <I>is</I> the God of Israel,
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<I>even</I> a God to Israel: and <I>let</I> the house of David thy servant
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<I>be</I> established before thee.
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25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt
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build him a house: therefore thy servant hath found <I>in his
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heart</I> to pray before thee.
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26 And now, L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness
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unto thy servant:
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27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy
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servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest,
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O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and <I>it shall be</I> blessed for ever.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here David's solemn address to God, in answer to the gracious
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message he had now received from him. By faith he receives the
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promises, embraces them, and is persuaded of them, as the patriarchs,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+11:13">Heb. xi. 13</A>.
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How humbly does he here abase himself, and acknowledge his own
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unworthiness! How highly does he advance the name of God and admire his
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condescending grace and favour! With what devout affections does he
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magnify the God of Israel and what a value has he for the Israel of
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God! With what assurance does he build upon the promise, and with what
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a lively faith does he put it in suit! What an example is this to us of
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humble, believing, fervent prayer! The Lord enable us all thus to seek
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him! These things were largely observed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+7:1-29">2 Sam. vii.</A>
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We shall therefore here observe only those few expressions in which the
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prayer, as we find it here, differs from the record of it there, and
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has something added to it.</P>
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<P>
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I. That which is there expressed by way of question (<I>Is this the
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manner of men, O Lord God?</I>) is here an acknowledgment: "<I>Thou
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hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree.</I>
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Thou hast made me a great man, and then treated me accordingly." God,
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by the covenant-relations into which he admits believers, the titles he
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gives them, the favours he bestows on them, and the preparations he has
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made for them, regards them according to the estate of men of high
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degree, though they are mean and vile. Having himself distinguished
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them, he treats them as persons of distinction, according to the
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quality he has been pleased to put upon them. Some give these words
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here another reading: "<I>Thou hast looked upon me in the form of a man
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who art in the highest, the Lord God;</I> or, <I>Thou hast made me to
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see according to the form of a man the majesty of the Lord God.</I>"
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And so it points at the Messiah; for, as Abraham, so David, saw his day
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and was glad, saw it by faith, saw it in <I>fashion as a man, the Word
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made flesh,</I> and yet saw his <I>glory as</I> that <I>of the
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only-begotten of the Father.</I> And this was that which God spoke
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concerning his house for a great while to come, the foresight of which
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affected him more than any thing. And let it not be thought strange
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that David should speak so plainly of the two natures of Christ who in
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spirit called him <I>Lord,</I> though he knew he was to be his
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<I>Son</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+110:1">Ps. cx. 1</A>),
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and foresaw him <I>lower than the angels</I> for a little while, but
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afterwards <I>crowned with glory and honour,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+2:6,7">Heb. ii. 6, 7</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. After the words <I>What can David say more unto thee,</I> it is
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here added, <I>for the honour of they servant?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
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Note, The honour God puts upon his servants, by taking them into
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covenant and communion with himself, is so great that they need not,
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they cannot, desire to be more highly honoured. Were they to sit down
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and wish, they could not speak more for their own honour than the word
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of God has spoken.</P>
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<P>
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III. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be <I>for thy
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word's sake</I> is here said to be <I>for thy servant's sake,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
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Jesus Christ is both <I>the Word of God</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+19:13">Rev. xix. 13</A>)
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and <I>the servant of God</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+42:1">Isa. xlii. 1</A>),
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and it is for his sake, upon the score of his meditation, that the
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promises are both made and made good to all believers; it is in him
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that they are <I>yea and amen.</I> For his sake is all kindness done,
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for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness and
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from him we are to expect all these great things; they are <I>the
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unsearchable riches of Christ,</I> which, if by faith we see in
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themselves and see in the hand of the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify
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as great things, the only true greatness, and speak honourably of
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accordingly.</P>
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<P>
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IV. In Samuel, the Lord of hosts is said to be the <I>God over
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Israel;</I> here he is said to be <I>the God of Israel, even a God to
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Israel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>.
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His being the God <I>of</I> Israel bespeaks his having the name of
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<I>their God</I> and so calling himself; his being a God <I>to</I>
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Israel bespeaks his answering to the name, his filling up the relation,
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and doing all that to them which might be expected from him. There were
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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
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them, for they stood them in no stead at all, were mere ciphers,
|
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nothing but a name. But <I>the God of Israel</I> is a <I>God to
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Israel;</I> all his attributes and perfections redound to their real
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benefit and advantage. <I>Happy therefore, thrice happy, is the people
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whose God is Jehovah;</I> for he will be a God to them, a God
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all-sufficient.</P>
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<P>
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V. The closing words in Samuel are, <I>With thy blessing let the house
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of thy servant be blessed forever.</I> That is the language of a holy
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|
desire. But the closing words here are the language of a most holy
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faith: <I>For thou blessest, O Lord! and it shall be blessed for
|
|
ever,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:27"><I>v.</I> 27</A>.
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1. He was encouraged to beg a blessing because God had intimated to him
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that he had blessings in store for him and his family: "<I>Thou
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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."
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Promises are intended to direct and excite prayer. Has God said, <I>I
|
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will bless?</I> Let our hearts answer, <I>Lord, bless me,</I>
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2. He was earnest for the blessing because he believed that those whom
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God blesses are truly and eternally blessed: <I>Thou blessest, and it
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|
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
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>)
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with that which is <I>for ever.</I> God's word looks at things eternal,
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and so should our desires and hopes.</P>
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