1 Chronicles 17:22
For You have made Your people Israel Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.
Sermons
David's PrayerF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 17:16-27
A Model of Devout ThanksgivingJ. P. Lange.1 Chronicles 17:17-22
God's Relation to His PeopleC. Simeon, M. A.1 Chronicles 17:17-22
Pleas in PrayerW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 17:19-24
God IncomparableJ.R. Thomson 1 Chronicles 17:20-22
The Eternity of David's KingdomR. Tuck 1 Chronicles 17:22-24














It seems quite evident that the term "for ever" is used in the Scripture as a figure of speech, and one which carries wish it several distinct suggestions. It is a condition of human thought that we must set things in the order of time; and it is usual for us to estimate the value of things according to the time they will last. The words "eternal" and "for ever" and "everlasting" often stand for long continuance. Mountains that outlast the generations are called "everlasting hills." Canaan was given to Israel as an "everlasting possession." So here, in these verses, God promises a throne to David, an eternal kingdom, a posterity that will never be extinguished; and the first idea we should attach to the promise is that David and his descendants' empire should be of long duration, and of a stable character. It is a further truth, embodied in the expression, that the material kingdom of David should by-and-by pass into the spiritual kingdom of David's greater Son, and that in him should be established that spiritual theocracy which could be, and should be, absolutely eternal, enduring as long as there should be a God to rule, and creatures of God to be ruled. Taking the Old Testament term "for ever," we may see what thoughts are properly suggested by it, and consider them in their advancing order.

I. "For ever" means LASTING THROUGH MANY GENERATIONS. Matching the idea concerning "length of life" is the idea of "continuance and permanence of dynasty." To live long was, to the Jewish mind, the direct reward of virtue, a sign of the Divine recognition of personal goodness. And so the pious king who founded a kingdom passed the thought on to the life of his race. Its prolongation through many generations would be the proof of Divine favour and acceptance resting upon it. Show how the writer of a book seeks fame in the continuity of its influence. The rich man, nowadays, hopes to found a family which shall outlast the generations. And this desire for permanence of influence is found, in various measures, influencing all men. So still God can promise to us that noble living and faithful working shall be made to bear the "eternal" stamp. In this first sense the good man never dies; on earth he may be said to live "for ever." David lives on to-day. He influences men now, rules hearts and lives, more truly than ever.

II. "For ever" means UNDER CHANGED FORMS LASTING THROUGH ALL HUMAN GENERATIONS. We must find what is the very essence of David's kingdom, for the notion of its eternity can properly only be applied to that. The essence is this - God's immediate rule of men through the administration of man. David's kingdom was this - the theocracy practically realized. Then all that belonged to the mere human form and order may change to meet the exigencies of changing ages; the essence would remain, and by-and-by appear in the theocracy of the Church, in the administration of the exalted Man Christ Jesus. We now are members of David's everlasting kingdom; since Christ's kingdom is essentially David's. In its central principle - its spiritual principle - of direct governmental relations with Jehovah, David's kingdom must last absolutely for ever and ever.

III. For ever has this limitation - IN ITS EARTHLY FORM IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE ALLEGIANCE OF DAVID'S DESCENDANTS TO THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE. So far as their earthly features are concerned, God's promises are always conditional. And the condition is always the same. It is loyalty, full loyalty, the obedient service of the truehearted. This point David anxiously impressed on his son Solomon (ch. 28:9, 10). Work out the conditions of perpetuity still. "He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." And show what is the assurance of our earthly and our heavenly "for ever." We shall live on here, we shall live on yonder, in what we have been for God, and done for him, in his grace and strength. - R.T.

And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord.
I. OVER WHAT HE REJOICES.

1. Over great blessings received.

2. Over yet greater blessings promised.

II. IN WHAT SPIRIT HE REGARDS THESE FAVOURS.

1. As utterly undeserved by himself.

2. As the gift of God's sovereign grace.

(J. P. Lange.)

Consider

I. — THE RELATION GOD BEARS TO HIS PEOPLE.

1. He has chosen them out of the world.

2. He has given Himself to them in a peculiar way.

3. He avows that relation to them before the whole universe.

II. WHAT UNDER THAT RELATION WE MAY EXPECT AT HIS HANDS.

1. The care of His providence.

3. The communications of His grace.

3. The manifestations of His love.

4. The possession of His glory.

III. WHAT UNDER THAT RELATION HE IS ENTITLED TO EXPECT FROM US.

1. That we be a people to Him.

2. That we give ourselves to Him.

(C. Simeon, M. A.)

People
David, Israelites, Nathan
Places
Egypt, Jerusalem
Topics
Age, Appoint, Becamest, Forever, Hast, O, Yea, Yours
Outline
1. Nathan first approving the purpose of David, to build God a house
3. after by the word of God forbids him
11. He promises him blessings and benefits in his seed
16. David's prayer and thanksgiving

Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 17:22

     1235   God, the LORD
     7032   unity, God's people

1 Chronicles 17:20-22

     7135   Israel, people of God

1 Chronicles 17:21-22

     6721   redemption, in life

Library
Amasiah
'Amasiah, the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the Lord.'--1 CHRON. xvii, 16. This is a scrap from the catalogue of Jehoshaphat's 'mighty men of valour'; and is Amasiah's sole record. We see him for a moment and hear his eulogium and then oblivion swallows him up. We do not know what it was that he did to earn it. But what a fate, to live to all generations by that one sentence! I. Cheerful self-surrender the secret of all religion. The words of our text contain a metaphor naturally
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Promise in 2 Samuel, Chap. vii.
The Messianic prophecy, as we have seen, began at a time long anterior to that of David. Even in Genesis, we perceived [Pg 131] it, increasing more and more in distinctness. There is at first only the general promise that the seed of the woman should obtain the victory over the kingdom of the evil one;--then, that the salvation should come through the descendants of Shem;--then, from among them Abraham is marked out,--of his sons, Isaac,--from among his sons, Jacob,--and from among the twelve sons
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Divine Jesus.
Jehovah-Jesus: John 1:1-18. the intimacy of John, John 13:23. 19:26. 20:2. 21:7, 20. "with Jesus," John 18:15.--John writes of Jesus--- when he wrote--getting the range--his literary style--the beginning--the Word--this was Jesus--the tragic tone. God's Spokesman: the Creator was Jehovah--- Jehovah is Jesus--the Spokesman--Old Testament revelations, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the elders of Israel, Isaiah, Ezekiel,--Whom these saw--various ways of speaking--John's Gospel
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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