In 1 Chronicles 17:1, David showed a sincere heart in his desire to build a permanent Temple to honor God. “Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.”
Interestingly, it seems that Nathan’s response to David was presumptuous. That is, it came from Nathan himself, rather than from God. Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you” (17:2). Much of Nathan’s words were accurate. David was certainly a righteous king, and in general his reign was in accord with God’s purpose. However, it was wrong for Nathan to assume God would desire for David to build the temple.
An important lesson can be learned from this narrative. The righteous man, can never presume, (just because he loves God, and seeks to please Him), that all that he does is pleasing just because of that love and devotion. It seems, however, that most religious people act upon such presumption.
“I love God so much, and I want to do big things for Him. I am confident he will be pleased when I do ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ for Him.”
In fact, God did not want David to build Him a house. That very night, God told Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not build Me a house to dwell in”’” (17:4). The reasons behind God’s decision were not immediately apparent to David, but regardless of the why, David did not know God’s mind on the matter. To forge ahead and build a temple to God, without His approval, would have been presumptuous, and sinful.
Fortunately, David understood this truth. Nathan told David that the one who followed him on the throne would be the one to build the temple. After heaping praise upon the Almighty, David said, “And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said. So let it be established, that Your name may be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.” (17:23-24).
The lessons for us are important. We should, as David, be desire to do great things for God. However, we should recognize that even godly men can lead us astray. Just as Nathan initially misled David, it is possible for even sincere men to be wrong about God’s will. That is why the Bereans examined the teaching of Paul in Acts 17:11. “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
Ultimately, it is God’s word that establishes His will for us today. If we go ahead with our majestic plans, but do so without divine authority, we are doomed to failure. Presumptuous efforts to please God are sinful! “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
David respected God, and left the building of the temple to his son. Do we show the same respect ourselves?
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