1 Chronicles 17:1-6 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, See, I dwell in an house of cedars… A very pleasant picture is here presented to our imagination. We see the King of Israel sitting in his house, "the Lord having given him rest round about from all his enemies" (2 Samuel 7:1), with a happy and grateful sense of prosperity and security, not wrapping himself in the dangerous robe of complacent self-congratulation, but rather clothed with humility and thankfulness. As he surveys the stateliness and elegance of his palace, he thinks of God's goodness to him in placing "his feet in a large room" (Psalm 31:8), and his thought naturally passed to the place where the ark rested - the ark with which the presence of Jehovah was so closely connected (Exodus 25:22). We do not wonder at the thought which then occurred to him. We see in these verses those truths which are not upon the surface, but which we have no difficulty in recognizing beneath it. I. THE SOUND SENTIMENT AT THE HEART OF DAVID'S DESIRE, David felt that there was an impropriety in himself dwelling "in an house of cedars" while "the ark of the covenant of the Lord remained under curtains" (ver. 1). Was it for him to be in better and more costly surroundings than was the manifested presence of God himself? Should he be more honoured in his dwelling-place than the ark of the covenant of the Lord? There is a sound sentiment here; one that was and is worthy not only of respect but cultivation. We are always to give God the very best we can offer him; the less costly we may expend on ourselves, the best we should reserve for him. We should be ashamed to lay out large sums of money on our own homes while the house of God needs renovation or repair; to expend a large proportion of our income on our own honour or gratification when the cause of Christ is languishing for want of funds, when the treasury of Christian benevolence is empty. Not most for ourselves with a very small fraction for God and his kingdom, but enough (or even more than enough) for ourselves and the most and best we can furnish for him and for his. That is the true thought of the reverent mind, Hebrew and Christian. II. THE TRUE THOUGHT AT THE HEART OF NATHAN'S COUNSEL. "DO all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee." The prophet's encouragement of the king's desire proved to be mistaken, but the thought at the heart of his words was true and sound. Nathan spoke as one who believed that the man with whom God dwelt was likely to come to right conclusions. So he was; and David was only wrong in wishing that he himself might be the instrument of carrying out a praiseworthy project. If God is with us as he was with David, it is most likely we shall be guided to right decisions. It is not the very learned, nor the very clever, nor the very "practical" man, but the very godly man, who is likely to have the true sentiment in his mind respecting the things of God. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him," etc. (Psalm 25:14; see John 7:17; John 15:15). The man who walks with God and with whom God dwells may fall, now and again, into a mistake, but he is not likely to be "greatly moved" flora the path of wisdom. He is in the way of being led in the paths of wisdom, of being "guided into all truth." III. THE VALUABLE TRUTH CONTAINED IN THE DIVINE DECLARATION. (Vers. 3-6) God declared that he had never demanded of his people that they should make other provision than that of the simple tabernacle or tent. He had been pleased hitherto to manifest his presence in connection with this humble fabric. He would remind his servant David that as there could be no structure, however grand and stately, which the art of man could raise that would be a worthy home of him whom the heaven of heavens could not contain, so, on the other hand, there was no covering, however humble, within which he was not ready to abide if hearts were true and lives were holy. The precious and vital thought of the passage is that God does not require the elaborations of human art or the expenditure of human wealth to vouchsafe his presence and make known his power. Let there be (1) the contrite heart, (2) the childlike, believing spirit, (3) the obedience of the pure and loving life, and then God's abiding home will be found. Whom the costly cathedral will not hold, the cottage roof may shelter. He may desert the breast which is covered with the priestly garments to dwell in the heart of him who is "clothed in camel's hair." - C. Parallel Verses KJV: Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. |
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