2 Samuel 7:19-26 – Going Narrow to Go Big
Jesus commands us to ‘seek first the kingdom of God’. The extent to which we’re doing that will be reflected in the sort of things we pray for. How often do you pray ‘your kingdom come’? How often do you pray for the proclamation of the gospel, for people to be added to the kingdom, and for Christ to do what he’s promised and build his church in the face of the gates of Hell itself?
David prays here with a special focus on the nation of Israel. Does that mean he’s not interested in the rest of the world? Is he just a narrow, provincial kind of king? Not at all! When the ark was brought to Jerusalem, 1st Chronicles records David singing words which would later serve as the opening of Psalm 96: ‘Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among ALL the peoples!’ He says here in v19: ‘This is instruction for mankind’.
But if David really is concerned about the whole world, why the focus on Israel which we have in v23: ‘And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people’, and v24: ‘And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever’, and v26: The LORD of hosts is God over Israel’? Do we say: In the Old Testament God was just concerned about Israel, but now in the New Testament he’s concerned about the whole world? That’s clearly not the case. This very chapter talks about instruction for mankind. David has elsewhere called on all the nations to worship God. So what’s going on? Well God goes narrow in order to go big. At this point in the Bible, God’s plans and purposes have narrowed in a sense from all humanity, (Adam and Eve), to the nation of Israel (represented by Abraham). Now God is actually narrowing in again by focusing on the king. But the intent is always to move in the other direction. God is here blessing the king, so that the king could bring blessing to Israel, which in turn would bring blessing to humanity.
Questions
- How will a godly king be a blessing to Israel?
- How will a godly nation be a blessing to the world?
Prayer Points
- Pray that our nation would become a godly nation again.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.