◄ 1 Chronicles 17:6 ►
In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people, 'Why haven't you built Me a house of cedar?'
Sermons
Truths Under the SurfaceW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 17:1-6
David Forbidden to Build the TempleG. T. Coster.1 Chronicles 17:1-10
Our Inspirations Require to be RevisedJ. Parker, D. D.1 Chronicles 17:1-10
The King's ProposalJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 17:1-10
God's Message to DavidF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 17:3-15
God's Earthly Dwelling-Place a Tabernacle, not a HouseR. Tuck 1 Chronicles 17:5, 6














Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
God's Earthly Dwelling-place A Tabernacle, Not A House
1 Chronicles 17:5, 6
R. Tuck
In the Divine reply sent to David it is made an important point that God had hitherto dwelt in a tent, and had expressed no desire for a more permanent form of habitation. As the message is given in 2 Samuel 7:6, God had "walked in a tent and in a tabernacle; "the term "tent" properly indicating an erection of curtains and ropes, and the term "tabernacle" a somewhat more stable structure of boards. In either case the point of comparison is the movableness of the building God had hitherto used, and the fixity of the one which David now proposed to raise. The verses indicate that permanency in the symbol of the Divine presence is not offered by God, but sought by man. It would seem that there is some peril in the settledness of things - even in the thought of the Divine presence - for sinful man. His conditions and his associations had better be changing and transitory. Permanence can only belong to that which is "perfect" and "holy." Again and again this reproach has rested on men: "Because they have no changes, therefore they forget God." It may also be shown that elaboration of the external, artistic form and beauty in the house itself has always for man this peril, that it may satisfy him, and take away his thought from that spiritual reality of which it is the expression. Religious symbols assume a certain amount of religious culture and sensitiveness to the spiritual; if they become of value to us for their own sakes, they are mischievous as was the old brazen serpent, and spiritual reformers may well call them "Nehushtan," worthless brass. None seem to have valued the old tabernacle for its own sake, but in after days men thought the temple sacred, and assumed the peculiar acceptableness of prayer offered within its courts, when the Shechinah glory had passed away from its holy place.

I. A TABERNACLE BETTER REPRESENTED MAN'S BODY THAN A HOUSE COULD DO. See St. Paul's figure in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3. Illustrate such analogies as these: A tent is frail; easily taken down, and removed; seriously affected by storms, and manifestly decaying swiftly.

II. A TABERNACLE BETTER REPRESENTED MAN'S LIFE. Especially in its lasting but a little while -

"Brief life is here our portion;
Brief sorrow, short-lived care;"

and in its changeableness. The shepherd's tent is set up but for the shelter of a night; journeying on to find fresh pastures, he knows not where he may be on the morrow. So in our life on earth we can seldom gain the security that we may rest. Again and again, so unexpectedly, the moving pillar-cloud bids us be up and away.

III. A TABERNACLE WAS MORE SUGGESTIVE OF DEVINE ADAPTATIONS TO MAN'S CIRCUMSTANCES. As an easily movable thing, it could be where it was most wanted: sometimes in the centre of the camp, while the people tarried in one spot; at other times in the front of the camp, when the people journeyed; and at another time in the midst of the divided Jordan, holding back, as it were, the waters until the people passed over. Yet in this there was a peril of misuse, for, in their wilfulness, the people sort for the ark to their camp, seeking to make it a mere charm to ensure their victory, and in consequence the symbol of God's presence fell into the hands of the enemy. No one would have thought of taking the ark away from the fixed and permanent temple.

IV. A TABERNACLE WAS LESS LIKELY TO TAKE ATTENTION OFF FROM GOD HIMSELF THAN A HOUSE WAS. For this, which may be the lesson to impress in conclusion, see passage in the introduction to this homily, and also the previous sketch on ver. 1. - R.T.

Biblical Illustrator
Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant.
1 Chronicles 17:23-27
True prayer
J. Wolfendale.
It is —

I. GROUNDED ON GOD'S PROMISE.

II. IT REGARDS GOD'S HONOUR SOLELY (ver. 24).

III. IT ASCRIBES ALL TO GOD'S FREE GRACE.

IV. IT APPEALS TO GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.

V. IT RECEIVES THE FULNESS OF GOD'S BLESSING.

(J. Wolfendale.)

That Thou wilt build him an house
Domestic piety
W. G. Barrett.
I. THEY WHO HAVE CHARGE OF FAMILIES SHOULD CHERISH AN EARNEST REGARD FOR THEIR WELFARE.

II. Those who have the care of families should make it their chief anxiety TO IMPART TO THEM RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. Seeking their spiritual welfare we shall —

1. Strive to be the means of their conversion to God.

2. This we should do because converted families are scenes of harmony and love.

3. This only can impart abiding consolation under bereaving providences.

4. It will be thus we shall provide the means in our religious households of future usefulness to the Church and the world.

(W. G. Barrett.)

People
David, Israelites, Nathan
Places
Egypt, Jerusalem
Topics
Build, Built, Cedar, Cedars, Commanded, Feed, Israelites, Judges, Keepers, Leaders, Moved, Places, Saying, Shepherd, Spake, Speak, Spoke, Spoken, Walked, Wherein, Wheresoever, Wherever, Whithersoever
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 17:1-6

     5089   David, significance
     7306   ark of the covenant

1 Chronicles 17:4-14

     5467   promises, divine

1 Chronicles 17:5-6

     5427   nomads

1 Chronicles 17:6-7

     5509   rulers

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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