The Regulatory Principle, 2 Sam. 7:1-11a

P. Dixon         7/18/10

7:1 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.

David was now installed as king over a united Israel.  He had captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made the city the capital of all Israel.  Furthermore, he had the ark of the covenant brought to Jerusalem.  The city is now the political and religious center of the nation.  David, the king, was a man after God’s own heart and he had come to fear the Lord in a fresh way, as he saw God’s outburst of anger upon Uzzah for disobedience to his law.  When that happens and when the religion is a religion of faith in and fear of the Almighty God, then we can expect good things to happen.  And, that is what occurred, as the Lord gave him rest from all his surrounding enemies.  This was also in partial fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel, as we saw repeatedly, and particularly in Deut. 6.

In response, David feels badly because while he had a house built for him by the king of Tyre, God had no place to live.  How interesting, for a thousand years later when His Son would come into the world, it would be said foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head (Mt. 8:20).   Isn’t it interesting that neither the Father nor Son had a dwelling place?  Of course, this refers to a dwelling place here on earth, as they both had a heavenly dwelling place from eternity past.  In the difficult times we are in these days an increasing number of people are losing their homes.  They can be comforted and encouraged by the examples of our heavenly Father and His Son.  This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, my treasure is laid up somewhere beyond the blue, as the song goes.  Nevertheless, David feels compelled to do something about this.  And, this is good.  When we see the house of the Lord in need of repair it is good when God’s people rise up out of love and devotion to its King.  So, David will return the favor to God and build a house for Him to live in.  He shares his thoughts with Nathan the prophet who encourages him to pursue his desire.  But, though David’s motives were good, God had a different perspective on the matter.  Let’s see what He says and does.

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?

The first thing God does in response is to send a word to the prophet Nathan.  He is to go to David and ask him a question, Would you build me a house to dwell in?  The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 17:4 shows the question expected a negative answer, for in Chronicles God says, You shall not build Me a house to dwell in.  According to 1 Chronicles 22:8 and 28:3, David was not chosen by God to build the temple because he was a warrior who had shed much blood.

But, according to Samuel’s account the first thing God does is ask David a question.  Asking a question is a good teaching device, and God has something to teach David.  If we stop and think about it, the question has some loaded implications.  Let’s consider a couple of them before looking at God’s explanation.  First, isn’t it rather interesting that David would consider he was qualified to build the Almighty God a house in dwell in?  I mean, a house for the Lord would have to be the best made thing imaginable and only someone with immaculate credentials and resources would be able to do so.  Well, maybe David figured he could.  It seems he was thinking more highly of himself, than he should have, and God’s subsequent explanation seem to confirm this.  But, a second and more intriguing consideration is that David would consider he had the right to do so.  Now, what is God’s response?

6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 

God says He has been living in a mobile home for the last 400 years, since the Exodus from Egypt.  Surely, He is not saying this to complain about it.  After all He had given specific instructions to the Israelites to build an ark for that purpose. 

7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

But, here comes the clincher.  In contrast to the instructions He had given regarding the mobile ark, God asks if He had even rebuked the people for not building him a house to live in.  The question implies something significant.  If He had never rebuked them, then He had never instructed them to build a house. So, David’s request, though well-intended, had no revealed basis for it.  Indeed, it would not be until later when God would instruct Solomon, David’s son, to build the temple as the house of the Lord.  

So, even though David meant well, his desire to build a house for the Lord had no revealed basis for it.  God had yet to say anything about it.  David just wanted to do it, because of his love for the Lord.  Yet, this speaks to an important point.  Our love for God is not to be based simply on our feelings.  It must be based on and formed by knowledge;  knowledge of the Word of God.  How are husbands to love their wives?  As Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:24).  Scripture says we love, because He first loved us and gave Himself for us.  This is the model of biblical love.  It also tells us we are to love others, as we love ourselves.  In short, the scriptures tell us what love is and how it works.  This is why Paul the Apostle would say, this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment (Phil. 1:9).   Biblically, if we love God, we will keep his commandments.  Jesus said in Jn. 14:15, if you love Me, keep my commandments.  So, obedience to God is the first fruit and evidence of our love for Him.  This means, of course, that the Word is critical to learning to love the Lord properly, as the Word tells us what He instructs and prohibits.  

All this speaks to a larger question in scripture.  How do we know what we should do and should not do?  Let’s be careful here.  Our initial response is to say, we should do what scripture commands, and we should not do what it prohibits.  That is certainly true.  But, what about those areas scripture does not address, neither by prescription, nor by prohibition?  Are we free to do or not do these things?  For example, in David’s time, the Lord had yet to command that the temple be built.  But, neither had He prohibited it to this point.  Was David then free to build it?  Both he and Nathan seemed to think so.  But, God then forbade his doing it and reminded David that God had never rebuked anyone for not building it.  The clear implication is that God had not wanted anyone to build it, at least, not until He said so.

In reformed theology we talk about the Regulatory Principle of Worship. What this means for those who don't know, is that whatever is not explicitly commanded by God in Scripture for use in worshiping him is implicitly forbidden.  From the Westminster Confession of Faith:

The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and does good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshipping [sic] the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped [sic] according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture. - Chapter 21, paragraph 1.

As applied to worship services today, this means we should seek to conform our worship strictly to the directives and prohibitions of scripture.  We are not free to go where scripture does not go.   There is plenty of instruction in scripture concerning how we are to worship and not worship, and these we must be content to focus upon.  For example, our worship is to be God-focused and Christ-based.  It is not man-focused and man-based.  Worship is also for the edification of the saints, not primarily an outreach for the salvation of the lost.  Worship includes the public readings of scripture; prayers of many kinds, including prayers of confession, adoration, supplication, and thanksgiving; the proclamation of the Word; the singing of hymns and spiritual songs; and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and communion.  No one should come to worship when his brother has something against him regarding sinful behavior.  No one should partake of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.  Only men are to lead in worship.  And so forth.  The Word makes all these things clear.  And, just doing these things would eliminate a lot of improper worship today.

It is when we go out on our own that we get in trouble, just like David did.   Many churches today, for example, have live, dramatic performances as a means to get nonbelievers into the church.  Or, they might even have musical or dance concerts as essence elements of the worship service.  Initially, this may not offend people too much, perhaps not until they begin to replace the elements of public reading of scripture and preaching.  But, by then it may even then be too late.

If the regulatory principle works for worship, it should also work for the believer whose life is continually to be an act of worship, inasmuch as his body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  In short, the lesson we can learn from this story in David’s life is that our love for the Lord must first be in line with the prescriptions and prohibitions of God’s Word, and secondly, that we must not go beyond what the Word directs or prohibits.  Where scripture is silent, we must we learn to be the same and not go beyond those boundaries.

It is so important for us to wait upon the Lord, to seek to ascertain what he has already said, and to comport our lives and plans accordingly.  The prayer requests as printed in the bulletin are things we know are God’s will for us.  Let us focus on them in our prayer life.  The beautiful thing about doing so is we know he will hear and answer such prayers, for they are according to his revealed will (1 Jn. 5:14-15).

8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you.

God does something here somewhat unexpected.  He reminds David of his lowly background and of God’s gracious dealings with him.  Why do you suppose he does this?  Apparently, David’s actions were not in line with this.  Attempting to do something for God beyond what God had commanded or instructed was rather presumptuous.  He was probably thinking more highly of himself than he ought to have been thinking, so God puts things in perspective.    David needed to be reminded it was not God who needed David’s help; rather, from the git-go it was David who needed God’s help and will continue to need it.  No, God does not need us to do things for him.  We need God and will always need and depend upon his grace.

Rather, our attitude in service to God should not be of doing things to help God out, but that of grateful servanthood.  I have done what I should have done, as a servant of the Lord.  In Luke’s gospel account he records the following story: 7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

All this is the backdrop for the issuing of the Davidic covenant, which we will get into next week in its entirety.  But, as a preliminary introduction, let’s examine verses 9b-11a.

And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

God here issues a remarkable unconditional promise to David regarding: the greatness of his name, the appointed place for His people, and of blessings to David personally throughout his lifetime. 

First, God promises David his name will become great, like the name of the great ones of the earth.  Who were the great ones of the earth God had in mind?  Men like Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation, Moses, the meekest man who ever lived and the man who lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt, Noah, a preacher of righteousness to an evil generation that perished unrepentant, Joshua who led the nation into the promised land, Solomon, David’s son and the wisest man who every lived, etc.  These are the great names that stand out for Israel, even to this day.  David’s name would become great, just like theirs.  And, so it came to pass.

Secondly, God said he would appoint a place for His people Israel, and plant them there, so that they would dwell safely and be disturbed no more.  This pertains particularly to the time of David’s reign, as we see such things fulfilled for Israel during those years.  The outside nations during David’s reign were never able to gain victory over Israel.  It was only when war arose within that the kingdom suffered.  Ultimately, however, this promise looks forward in the chapter to the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant when the true Israel is back in the land and eternally safe and secure in the new Jerusalem in the new heavens and new earth, Rev. 21-22.

Thirdly, God promises David personal deliverance from his enemies during his reign on earth.  And, this too, came to pass. 

In conclusion, David had a heart for God and it was demonstrated in his desire to be with the Lord, as symbolized by his bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, but also as reflected in his desire to build a house for the Lord.  Yet, this desire of David’s went too far, as it was not based upon revelation, but upon David’s feelings alone.  David learned through this that God had a purpose and plan He was bringing to pass, according to His sovereign grace and mercy.  David must learn that though his zeal was commendable, it was unbased and he must learn to wait upon the Lord, who does not need our help, but is the One who helps us, both presently and eternally.  To Him be the glory.  Amen.