The house that God built
by Pastor Fraser Pearce
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And now, O Lord God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised (2 Samuel 7:25).
For those living in Commonwealth countries, we are used to talking about royal houses, such as the House of Windsor. We know we aren’t talking about an actual building, such as Buckingham Palace, but about a family whose royal power is passed on through the generations.
As it happens, King David wanted to build a literal house for the Lord – a permanent place for the Ark of the Covenant. We can read about this at the beginning of 2 Samuel 7, just before the reading for this devotion. But David was assured through Nathan the prophet that the Lord did not need David to build him a house. Instead, the Lord promised David that he would make him a royal house. More than this, the Lord promised David:
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me (2 Samuel 7:12–14a).
In our reading today, David thanks the Lord for his gracious promise to build him a house that will continue forever. As God’s people today, we can join with David in giving thanks to God, as we know that David’s Son, Jesus, is the true heir to the throne, who has made himself our King by shedding his blood for us on the cross. More than this, Jesus has built the house of the church, the true temple of the Holy Spirit. We know that Jesus is the King who wills to bring all people together under his just and gentle rule. Praise him!
Lord Jesus, Son of David, Son of Mary, God’s own Son, by your Spirit-filled word, bring all the people of the world together into the house you build, your holy church. Let all your people live together in love so that the name of your Father may be glorified. Amen!
Fraser Pearce is pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Flinders Street, Adelaide. He grew up in Sydney, where he attended St Mark’s Lutheran Church, Epping. He was ordained in 1997 and served at St Paul’s Box Hill, Victoria, and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Bendigo, Victoria. Fraser has been married to his wife, Margaret, since 1995, and they have four children.
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