Please read the passage before reading the commentary.
David had thought of building a temple for God in Jerusalem. Nathan, David’s prophet and advisor, thought it would be a good idea. Nathan went to sleep on the idea and God spoke to him in a dream and told him not to let David build it.
The Hebrew word for house can have several meanings. It can mean house, a place to live; it can mean temple, a place for God; and it can mean house, as family or blood line.
David wanted to build God a house, a temple, but God wanted to build David a house, his royal dynasty, his right to be king.
For David to put the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem would give him a political advantage in time of trouble since both the seat of government and the seat of religion would be in David’s capital city.
God, however, had other ideas. The time was not ripe for putting the religious capital in Jerusalem. That would come later, under David’s son Solomon. God, however, would make David’s kingdom secure even without having the temple in Jerusalem. It would be God’s doing to preserve David’s royal line well past the death of David. God would not be bribed by David’s gesture, but God would nonetheless protect David’s family.
The good that we do does not bribe God into blessing us. God has always blessed us freely and without constraint. God’s gifts are free, with no strings attached. The good that we do, we do in response to God’s gifts; the credit goes to God.
Nathan, then brings us our message from God, “Your house, your family, your presence in my kingdom shall endure forever. Be not afraid, God is with you.”
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