Lesson 9: God’s Promise to Young David
David “dances before the LORD with all his might” as the Ark is carried into Jerusalem (II Samuel 6:14)
David’s Time: David reigned over Israel from about 1010BC to 970BC. Add his reign to your timeline.
The “Bridge” in the previous lessons tries to bring us to the starting point of this Bible study as quickly as possibly, passing over the best-known stories of David’s life, without leaving a huge vacant gap between Gideon and David. So, the purpose of this next section is not to review all of David’s life, but rather to provide a specific lead-in to chapter 7, the focus of the study.
To Prepare for your Study: The Importance of the Ark
Hopefully the “bridge” at the end of the last story helped to review some of the important details of David’s life. Well-known stories, such as his anointing and his battle with Goliath, were left out. In order to make sense of the study you are about to do, however, you should know something about the Ark of the Covenant, so that you know why David was so eager to build a “proper home” for the Ark. So take a look at the model of the Ark below to review what the Ark was and why it was so important to Israel.
While the Israelites wandered in the dessert, The Ark of the Covenant resided in the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the Tabernacle. Access was only permitted once per year, on the Day of Atonement, which you learned about in Lesson 6.
The Ark itself was a small box made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold. It measured 1.15 meters long, 0.7 meters wide and 0.7 meters high. It was carried by two long bars, also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold.
Attached to the Ark’s covering lid were two cherubim (angels). God’s
presence did not dwell inside the box, but remained over the Ark, in between the two cherubim.
We are not told in great detail exactly what the Ark of the Covenant looked like. Some models, like this one, show the Cherubim kneeling. Other models show the Cherubim standing. What we do know is that the wings of the Cherubim were stretched out, to cover the Mercy Seat; the wings of the two Cherubim possibly touched one another to form a complete covering.
Inside the Ark were reminders from Israel’s history of God’s deep love, care, and protection for his people: the two stone tablets of the Law that Moses received at Sinai; Aaron’s rod that budded; a golden pot of manna (visible in the model above). Israel took the Ark into battle to assure them of the Lord’s presence. When the Ark was lost or plundered, God’s protection seemed to go away with it. The final fate of the Ark is unknown.
Bible Study: Learn More About David and the LORD
Now read II Samuel 7 and answer the following questions.
- What was David’s desire? Why?
David’s desire was to build a permanent temple for the Lord. David wanted to do this because the Ark of the Covenant was sitting in a tent while David rested in luxury, and he (rightly) did not think this was appropriate.
- How did the Lord react to David’s desire?
God informed David that he was not the one who should build the temple, but that his son would. So, basically God told David to wait and leave that work to his son. However, God did make David a string of wonderful promises.
- What do the promises in verse 9 and 10 remind you of?
The promises of verses 9 and 10 should remind you of the many promises that God repeated to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and others, promises to make them great and to make the people of Israel great.
- The promise God made in verses 12 through 16 were fulfilled by 2 men: Solomon, David’s son, and Jesus, David’s descendant. What portions of these verses must refer to Solomon? What must refer to Jesus? Which portions refer to both?
The portions that talk about disciplining David’s son must refer only to Solomon, because Jesus never sinned and never needed discipline. Also, the line about the building of God’s house in verse 13 refers to Solomon, because he did build the temple. The parts that talk about the kingdom lasting forever and being established forever must only refer to Jesus, because Solomon’s reign definitely ended. Also, when God talks about his love never being taken away from him, this must refer to Jesus; Solomon did fall away from God’s love for a time.
Some parts of the prophecy, however, can refer to both Solomon and Jesus. Both came from the body of David; both ruled over kingdoms; God was a “Father” to both of them (though in a different way).
This prophecy is an example of a “double fulfillment prophecy,” a prophecy that comes true in more than one place, time, and/or person.
- How did David react to God’s promises? What can this teach us about our reactions when God’s plans do not match our own?
Rather than being bitter or disappointed in God’s decision to have Solomon build the temple, David responded with profound praise, recounting all the glorious things God had done for him personally and for the entire nation of Israel. We can easily apply this reaction to ourselves. When God’s plans do not match what we had in mind, we can still praise him for the wisdom of his plans, and thank him for all he has already done for us.
- What marvelous deeds from the future could David look forward to?
David looked forward to the day that his son would build the temple for the Lord – even though David knew he would not be around to see it. He also looked forward to the time when all nations would see God’s acts and recognize that the God of Israel is the true God.
- Why did God promise to protect Israel from its enemies and always be with Israel?
God had chosen Israel to be the nation through which the Promised Messiah would come. So it was necessary for God to protect Old Testament Israel from all its enemies, so that one day the Promised Messiah could come through this nation, and all of God’s promises about the life and work of the Messiah would be kept.
The Bridge to the Next Story
King David achieved a number of resounding victories following this story. He expanded the kingdom of Israel and solidified his own power over the entire realm. In the middle of his success, however, David sinned with Bathsheba, committing adultery. To cover up his action, he lied and even murdered Bathsheba’s husband. After repenting and receiving the Lord’s forgiveness, David went on to rule Israel for many more years.
David and his kingdom, however, were never quite the same after he sinned with Bathsheba. For the rest of his reign, David lacked the zeal of the young man who danced with all his might. He suffered an attempted coup by his son, Absalom, as well as a rebellion by Sheba, and he struggled to maintain the territory that he had conquered. David also suffered through other difficulties within his own family.
In the middle of these harder years of his reign, David committed another mistake, displaying sinful pride. This display of pride is the subject of the next lesson.