Mark's Blog

Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-17

¹ After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ² he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

³ Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you.”

⁴ But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying:

⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ⁶ I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. ⁷ Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

⁸ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. ¹⁰ And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning ¹¹ and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: ¹² When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵ But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me^[b]; your throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁷ Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

I wonder how many people have wanted to be the Messiah? History records a pretty good number, but I wonder how many men and women have longed for The Coming so desperately that they convinced themselves that they could actually deliver Israel or save the world?

While some—perhaps most—may have been power seekers or deluded with visions of grandeur, I wonder how many people after God’s own heart like David were motivated to build a temple because they loved God and wanted to honor Him above all else?

One of the most important, hardcore facts to know and understand deep within your soul—and I’m speaking to those of you who love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength—is that you are not the Messiah—and your birth is not The Coming!

In practical words, just like for David, it means that in spite of your very personal history with God, in spite of the fact that He has raised you up, blessed you richly, delivered you from your enemies—perhaps even made your name great, in spite of all of this, you are not going to build the temple. You are not the Messiah!

“The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you.”

It’s not that David didn’t have the resources; it’s not that David was less worthy than others; it’s not that David did not love God enough.  As St. Paul would say a thousand years later, “God does not dwell in temples made with hands!” It is not your place, it is not in your power to be the One Who Comes. You cannot be Emmanuel—God With Us!

You may be like me, however, and feel a great sense of relief that you are not the One Who Comes! You do not have to restore everything, you do not have to level all the mountains! Not that you don’t want to, but you know you can’t! Only God can do those things.

God certainly uses us to accomplish His will. David gathered materials for the temple; Solomon ordered the construction of the edifice—but it wasn’t the dwelling place of God until God came down!  It is our task to serve and to act according to His instructions, but it is not Christmas until He comes.

Mary and Joseph did not make it happen; the shepherds did not make it happen; the magi only followed a star.  Nothing happened until God Himself came down!

And then it happened!

So I give up any illusions of bringing peace and good will to earth, of creating streams in the deserts, of saving the world.  I am not the one to build the temple and establish the kingdom. I am not the One Coming!

I will be eternally happy if He just starts any sentence with, “Tell my servant Mark . . .

Come, Lord Jesus.