Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-10-09
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
International Lesson Comments For OCt( :
Der ii.
Subject: Gods Covenant With David, Sam.
VIII, 4-l6-Goden Text, Sam. yi,-
Memory Verses, 8, Commentary
nm the DAVIS Lesson
nm the DAVIS Lesson.


I. Davids desire to build house for
the Lord Tvs. 49,. The kingdom was now
fairly launched, with favoring wind and
tide to move on to its fullness of useful
ness and glory. The people were united,
the ark was on Mount Zion, the religious
services were renewed. David, in his pal.
ace of cedar, looked out upon the place OF
worship for the nation and saw only
tent, which must soon decay, as the Mo-
sale tent had decayed. 1t did not seem
right and fitting for the king to live in
house while the Lord dwelt in a tent. 1t
did not honor God nor religion. David
accordingly consulted the prophet Nathan
whether he should not build a fitting tenn
pie for the worship of Jehovah. 1t was
a noble desire, the perfecting the religious
work he had already begun. Nathan at
once, without waiting to consult the Lord,
approved of his proposal and told him to
proceed with the work.
II. The desire not granted Tvs. ,4-lC);;
the prophet Nathan his desire to build
permanent temple for the Lord. The night
was the recognized time for prophetic
visions. "Word of the Lord" God spale9
to Nathan by vision w. lO. GO and
tell" Nathan's first answer to David was
not given under divine inspiration, but
was only his own judgment. That he
might not continue to encourage error. or
leave David to carry out human desires,
the Lord spoke to Nathan and revealed
His will in the matter. God could have
spoken directly to David, but he desired
| to put honor upon His prophets and pre-,
serve Davids regard for them: SHALT
thou build" Meaning thou shalt not.
Not because house should not be built,
| but not at that time, nor built by David.
See Chron. l7:4.
g. 7. "Have walked in tent" The
| idea which runs through the divine mes
sage is that the dwelling of Jehovah in
tent was a fitting symbol OF Israels IN
| vid's mission to give them quiet security
in the region which they had conquered
so long ago.
remind David of the great things God had
done for him and prove to him that
though he was not permitted to build tho
temple he was honored by the Lord. He
would also be reminded that he was In
debted to God for all his good intentions
from lowry life came through Gods
| favor. "To be ruler" The office and dig
nifty of prince over Israel. From following
the sheep Jehovah took him to be "Hil
servant" word Of high dignity applied
to but few persons in the Old Testament;
"a great name" Besides all His watchful
care and the success which He gave David
in battle, the Lord had given him tho
! hearts of the people and established his
I character abroad. This was not TOR tho
sake of mere earthly dominion. 1t waa
first of all a type of Messah's reign, to
whom God had promised the heather for
his inheritance, and that His Gospel should
be carried to the ends of the earth
Hitherto Gods promises had been general,
and no tribe, much less any person, had
been chosen as the ancestor of the Mes
siah. '"Will appoint :. will plant; VI
rather have appointed, and have planted
my people Israel in the land OF Canaan.
In these words the discourse turns to tho
future of the people. The sense is: after
all these manifestations of favor in tho
past up to this time, the Lord will for
The future assure His people a position and
an existence, wherein they shall no more
experience the affection and oppression
that they suffered from goddess nations.
III. Gods promises to David Tvs. ll-lD.
IL, II. "Will make thee an house" Gods
covenant promise to David was three1o!d;;
First, He promised that the house of David
name of renown, and he was also to have
a family of renown. He had been a man
of war, and through him Israel was estab'
lished firm, deep-rooted, living nation;
The foundation was laid, on which could
be carried out the work of temple building.
"Will set up thy seed" Exalt to royal
rule and power. Not any of his sons living
then, but from among those who should
be born unto him there should be a selec'
ton for the throne. A gracious promise
to David following his denial from building
the temple. The kingdom so dear to him
should prosper, and through his own son.,
10. "Shall build an house" The second
promise made to David was that the house
of the Lord should be built by David's
seed. The house which Solomon built con.
tinued four hundred years, till the time
Of the Babylonish exile, when 1T was burned
by Nebuchadnezzar q Kings 25:S); but it
was rebuilt at the close of the exile ezra
,6:l5), and of it then the prophet Haggai
said alag; 2;9), THY glory Of this latter te
house shall be greater than that Of the
former for this second temple was the
connecting link between the Jews of Hag'
gals time and the Messiah. For my
name" The name OF God signifies God
Himself so far as He has revealed and
manifested Himself to men. His promise
concerning the temple was that He would
"put His name there" that is, that lie
would be present and reveal Himself there
in an especial manner, Forever" The
word forever emphatically twice repeated
in verse l6. shows very distinctly that this
prophecy looks beyond the succession OF
the kings of Judah of the house of David,
and embraces the throne of the Christ,
according to the angels Interpretation as
given in Luke 1878, where the reference
to this passage cannot be mistaken
l4-l6 The third promise was that Da-
vid's seed should be the Son of God in
peculiar sense. ellis Father" This pre-.
iiction applied to Solomon. ''Will chasten."
This was another token of love and union.
As father He would punish that he might
not continue in wrong-doing. Though eX,
allied to the throne and honored above all
others, this son would have the nature
of men and suffer for evil, as all men sui.
fer who sin. "My mercy sha not depart.
The family of Saul became totally extinct.
The family of David remained until the
incarnation. Joseph and Mary were both
of that family. Jesus was the only heir to
the kingdom of Israel. He did not chose
to sit on the secular throne, but assembled
to the spiritual throne, and now is exalted
to the right hand of God, Prince and a
Savior to give repentance and remission
of sins. -,
". David's prayer Tvs. 1920. David's
address to God consists of, l. Humble
Thanksgiving for the. undeserved favor
shown to him and his house Tvs. ls.2D. 2:
Praise for Gods past manifestations OF
His glory in and to Israel Tvs. 2224l. B.
Petition for the final fulfllment Of the
promise Tvs. 1920. This prayer is model
for all who approach the spiritual mercy,
seat. 1t embodies ~ confession, W
alteration and (3) supphcation: Observe
III L l.