An Eternal Kingdom
2 Samuel 7:4-16
International Sunday School Lesson
March 2, 2014
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
This week in 2 Samuel 7:4-16 we can see a wonderful continuation of our lesson from James last week.
When I wrote my commentary on James 3:1-12 and the taming of the tongue, I concentrated on the first verse’s mention of not all who aspire to be teachers should do so. In that commentary I touched on our need to utilize our Holy Spirit given gifts and that not all who teach are given to do that. In most cases those individuals who fall in that category are doing it in love but that doesn’t make it God’s will.
This week we see in David another example of love attempting to go against God’s will. That doesn’t seem possible but it is.
Has God taken you “from the pasture”? Has He “been with you wherever you have gone”?
I believe that most Christians active in their faith should be able to answer this in the affirmative as God has been active in their lives and so they react. Just as David wanted to do for God we want to glorify Him.
God is not offended by this as we see from the rest of the scripture. He in a no nonsense matter says in affect like He did to David, “Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? Or it might be, “are you the one to preach?” Or, “are you the one to teach?” Or, “are you the one to have this ministry or another?”
I don’t think many of us could be doing much if we haven’t set out on a course of glorifying God and failed or at least had mediocre results because we weren’t on the right path. There isn’t anything wrong with wanting to do it but as we can see God does have specific roles for us to accomplish that.
I find today’s scripture encouraging because I too have failed in attempts and yet I know just as God still loved David He still loves me. I have overreached, I have at times been sure in the attempts only to fail. Rather like the old saying, “It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” I firmly believe that determining God’s roles for our lives, in other words His will, is all a part of our maturing as Christians (Romans 12:2). I don’t see in my own children anything wrong when they try their best and fail in fact I expect it and I encourage them to try again until they get it right.
We as Christians likewise will rarely enter into the perfect place to bring glory to God the first time. As a result many will fail to try again. Some will plow on stubbornly refusing to recognize the error. There was no way David was going to go on and build this temple to God because it wasn’t what God wanted but He didn’t abandon God.
Let’s admit our missteps, let’s help those who have likewise stepped into wrong roles and let’s all grow in our lives as Christians. This is the way we will determine God’s perfect will for us which will bring Him glory.
For Discussion:
1. Have people offer examples from their own lives in which they had an experience “similar” to David’s.
2. Discuss how some might react to such a disappointment.
3. Discuss the opposite where success came in attempts to bring God glory.
4. Discuss how sometimes we won’t admit we were wrong in our attempts.
5. Discuss different reasons people might not be willing to admit their mistake.
6. Discuss how people can know they are on the right track.
Upcoming Lessons
3-9-14 Son of David, Psalm 89:35-37, Isaiah 9:6, 7; Matthew 1:18-23 or Psalm 89:35-37
3-16-14 Peter’s Report, Psalm 110:1-4, Acts 2:22-27, 29-32 or Acts 2:22-36
3-23-14 Worthy is the Lamb, Revelation 5:5-13 or 5:6-13
3-30-14 Triumphant and Victorious, Zechariah 9:9, 10; Matthew 21:1-11
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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