A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 2 Samuel · Chapter 7
2 Sam. CHAP. VII.
THIS Chapter contains David's Counſel and purpoſe to build the Temple allowed by Man, but diſſallow'd by God; Remarks are
Firſt, The moving cauſe of this Counſel was the Peace God had given him now round about, v. 1. this ſublime tranquillity he look'd upon as an happy opportunity, reflecting with a pious mind, how himſelf dwelt in an Houſe of Cedar which Hiram had built for him, Chap. 5.11. but God and his Ark dwelt in a meaner, unhandſom, and unſetled Tent, compoſed only of ſeveral Curtains, and covered with Skins of Beaſts; this he thought very unſuitable, that his Houſe ſhould be better than God's, and more coſtly; this was his word to Nathan, v. 2. 1. Chron. 17.1. &c. Hag. 1.4. So declares his pious purpoſe of building the Temple as a fit retribution to the Lord for all his former famous favours, Pſal. 116.12. the doing of which he not only Voted, but alſo Vowed, Pſal. 132.2. this was more than Ahab would do, who, tho' he dwelt in a Palace of Ivory, 1 King. 22.39. yet had no thoughts of heart for God and his ſervice, but ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, 1 King. 21.25. ſo durſt not devout David do.
The Second Remark is, Nathan's over haſty approving of David's purpoſe, v. 3. before he had well conſider'd it in his own mind, or conſulted with God about it. This was Nathan's Private Opinion, but not by Divine Revelation, which ſheweth, that the Prophets did not always ſpeak by Prophetical inſpiration, but ſometimes as private Men by an Humane Prudence, ſo came to be miſtaken in ſome matters, as 1 Sam. 16.6. 2 Kings 4.27. yea ſometimes like frail ſinful Men, as Moſes ſpake unadviſedly, Pſal. 106.33. and Jeremy, Jer. 20.14. thus Nathan was under a miſtake here, ſaying [The Lord is with thee] who hath put this motion into thy mind, and will be with thee in this Sacred Enterprize; 'tis a wonder Nathan did not add [So far as I now ſee or know] but he raſhly ſpoke it, and was puniſhed for his raſhneſs, being conſtrained to a Palinody, or Recantation.
The Third Remark is, God ſuffers not his Servants to lye long under miſtakes, He comes to Nathan that night to rectifie both his and David's Errour, v. 4, 5, 6, 7. from whence,
Mark Firſt, Becauſe this miſtake aroſe from a pious mind, therefore God ſoon diſcovers it, and reveals his will therein, Phil. 3.15. yea, and the ſame perſon that had confirmed David in his miſtake by a miſtake of his own, muſt now rectifie it.
Mark Secondly, David thought, becauſe God had promiſed, [there ſhould an Houſe be built him, when Iſrael was once ſetled in Canaan] Deut. 12.10, 11. that now the time was come, and he was the man whom God had deſigned to do this great work; God therefore tells him by Nathan, he had rightly gueſſed at the thing, yet miſs'd he both the Man and the Time.
Mark Thirdly, God took this pious purpoſe of David ſo well, that he accepted of the will for the deed, 1 King. 8.18. & 2 Cor. 8.12. nay God doth not only graciouſly accept it, but he doth bountifully reward it, v. 10, 11, &c. here, as if David had done the deed; ſaying to him, [I will ſee thee well ſatisfied for the ſame, but I have other work for thee to do.] 1 King. 5.3.
Mark Fourthly, This Divine acceptance of David's pious purpoſe (as if it had been a performance) was ſignified by God's calling him twice over [My Servant David] v. 5.8. For at another time afterwards when he had diſpleaſed the Lord, it was then but plain David, Chap. 24.12.
Mark Fifthly, The Reaſons God rendred to David why he was refuſed to build the Temple, as
Firſt, He was a Martial Man, and had ſhed much blood, 1 Chron. 22.9. & 28.3. not becauſe he was defiled thereby, for Fighting the Lord's Battles againſt his Enemies is a Sacrifice pleaſing to God, Iſa. 34.6. Jerem. 46.10. but becauſe the Temple was a Type of the Church built by Chriſt that Prince of Peace, Iſa. 9.6. therefore ſaith God, I reſerve this piece of ſervice for thy Son Solomon, whoſe Name ſignifies Peaceable; 'tis more ſuitable to his peaceable Reign, wherein the Righteous ſhall flouriſh in abundance of peace, Pſal. 72.7.
N. B. 'Twas meet the ſhadow ſhould be ſuitable to the ſubſtance.
A Second Reaſon is rendred by Solomon, 1 King. 5.3. that God had deſign'd David ſoon after this tranſaction to wage war with the Nations round about Iſrael, as is expreſſed in the next Chapter, therefore could he look for little leiſure to carry on ſo great and glorious a Fabrick.
The Third Reaſon of God's refuſing David for this work is found in this Divine Oracle to David here, ſaying [There is no neceſſity or preſent haſte for building me an Houſe, ſeeing a Tent hath given me content to dwell in, ever ſince Iſrael's coming out of Egypt, and ſo will be ſtill till my time be come; yet as I have been hitherto allſufficient unto Iſrael, ſo will be as efficacious for them from the Ark of my preſence in the Tabernacle, as if it were magnificently fixed in the Temple.]
The Fourth Reaſon, The Oracle of God ſecretly taxeth David for being too prepoſterous in his zeal, ſaying all the Judges of Iſrael were willing to wait for a Divine Warrant to this great work, none of them durſt undertake it for want of my Commanding Warrant, and wile not thou wait alſo? Zeal muſt be rightly timed, 1 Chron. 17.6.
N. B. Learned Interpreters obſerve here, that ſeeing 'tis the uſe of the Scripture not always to relate the whole (that is occaſionally ſpoken) but gives only the Sum thereof in brief, as in Acts 2.40. with many more words did he teſtifie, &c. Therefore they think God ſpake much more to Nathan (that he might declare to David) not recorded here, but muſt be gathered up elſewhere in Scripture, ſeeming to be ſpoken at the ſame time, as that,
Firſt, Nathan did render the Reaſons to David why God would not admit of his building the Temple, which are not related here, but in other places, as 1 Chron. 22.7. & 28.9. and
Secondly, The Conditional Promiſes Recorded, 1 King. 2.4. 1 Chron. 28.7. were of the ſame nature with that of 1 Sam. 2.30. and
Thirdly, Other Paſſages found in 1 King. 8.16.18, 25. & 1 Chron. 22.8, 9. & 28.6. all which were ſpoke at the ſame time and place.
After this Divine denial of David's building the Temple, the two following parts are, Firſt, God's Oracle to David altogether Conſolatory, that he might not be diſcouraged at this denial, &c. And the Second is, David's Oration or Prayer to God, partly Gratulatory, and partly Supplicatory, as followeth.
Remarks upon the Firſt Part are,
Firſt, That David might not be too much daunted, and become doubtful of his intereſt in Divine love, becauſe of this flat denial of his devout deſign to build the Temple; God comes here to Comfort David againſt all his diſcouragements, by a commemoration of the many kindneſſes both Temporal and Spiritual to him for time paſt, and of thoſe to come alſo; that as he had not, ſo he would not grudge to give unto David as eminent Evidences of his ſpecial favour with God.
Remark Second, Particularly, God minds him (1.) Of the Temporal Favours he had heretofore conferred upon him, not only in changing his Shepherd's Staff into a Royal Scepter, &c. v. 8. but alſo I have delivered thee out of all thy dangers hitherto, from Goliah, Saul, Doeg, and in all thy Battels, yea, and I have made thee both famous like the Grand Potentates of the World, and formidable to all Nations round about, v. 9. So that thou needeſt not doubt of my love to thee, tho' I do deny thee this thy deſire of building me a Temple. (2dly.) Moreover God tells him for his further comfort and encouragement, I have more Temporal Favours to beſtow upon thee for the future, beſides the former that are paſt; namely, I will felicitate as well as facilitate thy Reign with both publick and private Bleſſings, v. 10, 11, 16.
Secondly, God minds David of the Spiritual favours he had alſo to give him, as a ſufficient Seal of his complacency in him.
The Third in the General, God Crowns David's Throne with the promiſe of Christ, whereby it was made an invincible Throne indeed; but more particularly ſome of thoſe following promiſes, v. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. be peculiar to Solomon, and ſome unto Chriſt, and ſome to both, as to the Types and Antitypes.
Firſt, [I will ſet up thy Seed after thee] v. 12. this belongs to Solomon as the Type, 1 Chron. 28.6. and to Chriſt, who is oft call'd the Son of David, as the Antitype.
Secondly, He ſhall build an Houſe for my Name, v. 13. belongs to both, for as Solomon built the material Temple, ſo the Meſſiah doth build the Myſtical Temple; that promiſe Deut. 12.11. was literally performed by Solomon, to whom David gave the pastern, and for whom he prepared the materials only, 1 Chron. 22.14. & 28.11. but Spiritually, Chriſt builds the Church (call'd God's Houſe) Heb. 3.3, 6. 1 Pet. 2.5. whereof the Temple was but a Type, Luke 1.32, 33, &c.
Thirdly, [I will be his Father] v. 14. ſo God was to Solomon (the Type) by Grace and Adoption, but to Chriſt the Antitype by Nature and Eternal Generation (which no Man can declare, Iſa. 53.8.) and by Perſonal Ʋnion alſo, Heb. 1.5. Pſal. 2.7. Joh. 1.18. Acts. 13.33. & 1 Joh. 4.9.
Fourthly, [If he commit iniquity] as Solomon did, but ſo never did our Lord Jeſus, no guile or ſin was found in him, Iſa. 53.9. 1 Pet. 1.19. & 2.22. Heb. 4.15. tho' all our ſins were laid upon him by way of imputation, Iſa. 53.4. 2 Cor. 5.22. and tho' he was a Sinner likewiſe by way of Reputation, as he was reputed or reckoned among Tranſgreſſors, Iſa. 53.12. So that Solomon was no Type of Chriſt in his ſin proper to himſelf.
Fifthly, [I will Chaſten him, &c.] Thus God did to Solomon for his Idolatry in his Old Age, 1 King. 11.9, 14, 23, 26. and thus the Chaſtiſement of our peace was upon Chriſt, Iſa. 53.5. but it was for our ſins, and not for any of his own, as Solomon's was, Chriſt ſuffered to procure our Pardon and Peace, thus was there diſparity as well as congruity.
Sixthly, But my mercy ſhall not depart, &c. v. 15. So Pſal, 89.30, 31, 32, 33. God chaſten'd Solomon only with the rod of weak Men (as Enoſh ſignifies) like a tender Father to break his Child's ſtubborneſs, but not his bones, he chaſten'd him only with Rods, and not with Scorpions.
Seventhly, [Therefore thy Kingdom ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever, &c.] v. 16. Solomon's Kingdom continued 'till Shilo came, Gen. 49.10. but Chriſts is for ever; and tho' his diſpenſatory Kingdom ſhall be delivered up when Sin and Death and all his Enemies end, 1 Cor. 15.24. yet his eſſential Kingdom abides for ever, &c.
The Second and laſt part, is David's Oration or Prayer to God, being the bleſſed Effect of God's Oracle to him,
Remarks (1.) upon the Gratulatory part thereof.
Firſt, When Nathan had delivered God's Oracle to him, v. 17. he doth not fall foul upon him, for unſaying what he had ſaid, v. 3. but preſently goes to God in the Tabernacle, and having firſt vilify'd himſelf as one leſs than the leaſt of God's Mercies as Father Jacob had taught it him, Gen. 32.10. he then makes a thankful acknowledgment of God's matchleſs mercy, &c. v. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. where,
Mark Firſt, Being raviſh'd with joy he praiſeth God for beſtowing upon him ſuch undeſerved honour and happineſs, as if he had not been a poor Man's Shepherd, but a Son to ſome Mighty Monarch.
Mark Secondly, He admires the extent of God's Promiſe to him [for a long time to come] for ſo far as Chriſt's time, and for all Eternity alſo, ſaying, as if all thou hadſt done already were too little for me.
Mark Thirdly, He in a rapture advances the kindneſs of God above the manner of Men, who think it kindneſs enough to give their Servant a Penſion for Life only, not for Poſterity too.
Mark Fourthly, He confeſſes that he was non plus'd [What can David ſay more] had he the tongue of Men and Angels he might admire better than expreſs all God's Praiſes.
Mark Fifthly, He acknowledges all this kindneſs of God to him, not for any merit of his own, but for his word ſake, that is, for the ſake of Chriſt the eternal word, or for his promiſe ſake.
Mark Sixthly, Then by an Emphatical Apoſtrophe he extols God's great goodneſs to Iſrael, whom Elohim (all the Three Perſons in the Trinity) Redeemed from Egypt, fed in the Wilderneſs, brought to Canaan. &c.
Remarks Secondly, upon that part which is Supplicatory.
Mark Firſt, He prays God to perform his Promiſe, both as to his own Temporal Kingdom, and as to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, v. 25.
N. B. [Do as thou haſt ſaid] is a ſpecial ſpeeding Argument.
Mark Secondly, He confirms his faith in praying over God's Promiſes, that God's performing them would be for his glory, ver. 26. and would demonſtrate the unchangeableneſs of his Nature in word and deed, v. 27, 28.
Mark Thirdly, He concludes his Oration, making moſt both of God's Mercies and of his Promiſes, ſucking earneſtly thoſe Breaſts of Conſolation, Iſa. 66.11. not with Lip Labour, but Heart Prayer, ver. 27. and with full aſſurance of God's faithfulneſs, ver. 29. being perſwaded that tho' he did not build God an Houſe (as he deſired) yet God would build for him an Houſe for ever.