Whose House Is It Anyway

[Guest Theophilia]

Whose House Is It Anyway

About 2500 years ago in Behtlehem, God called the prohpet Samuel to go to annoint a new king for Israel. Samuel's vivist to Jesse's sheep farm was lengthy. The prophet was not satisfied with any of Jesse's sons but the youngets. He was only old enought to herd sheep. Yet, upon seeing him, Samuel heard the voice of God command him to anoint David as the new king over Israel.

David endured much in his early administration. He endured the prosecution of a mad king, who would not abdicate his throne. He endured the threat of losing his land to the hands of Phitstines. He endured hsame with his countrymen while the mark of their people - the Arg of God remained in another country.

However, God prevailed in David's life and this "man after God's own heart," became on of the most war-savvy kings to live. Through him, God not only deferred nations, but delivered the Ark, and His reuptation from the hands of others as well.

After some time had passed from the competion of these endeavors, David began to succumb to the pride of life. One morning David sat with Nathan, the prophet of God. The meeting was informal. David sat with his leg outstretched before hm, his elbow resting on the arm of an ornate high-backed chair and his sheek resting in his hand. "You know, Nathan, it's just not right." As he began speaking, he straightened in his chair. As he continued, he got up and walked across the room ot the window. "The Ark of God is among the people again. But, here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent." As he said this he looked at his surroundingd, gold, silver, fine linens, and scrolls. And then he looked outside - his eyes fell on the Ark. The tent flaps rustled in the wind. He looked at the soldiers guarding that which David threasured to be his soul.

Nathan rose and walked to the window, stood with David and gazed at the tene. He broke the silence. "What are you thinking?" But before David could answer, he said, "David, you know the Lord is with you. Whatever you have in mind to do, go ahead and do it." He grew quiet again and placed his arm on David's shoulder and looked the tent which held the most sacred elements of their people and themelsves.

As they continued looking, David expressed his desire to put the Ark in a temple. He discussed with Nathan the custom of the day in other land - other great kings placed their gods in temples. He reasoned that the Israelite God, greater than all the others ought to have a home.

However, deeply encrusted in the corners of his heart, the seeds of pride sprouted and began to grow. Althought his words conveyed sincere concern for the house of God, his thoughts betrayed him. In his mind he believed himself the greatest king on earth, a king owrthy of not only a palace, but of a grand temple to hid God.

That night Nathan awoke with a burning inside. He sat up in his bed, a mat on the floor. But the glory of God was in his room. As a prophet/priest he was accustomed to God' presence. Yes his mind rushed to and fro...he couldn't lay hold of what God could want. From within the fog and the night light - came a voice.

"Nathan, go. Go and tell my servant David that I know of his desire to build a palace for me - like the one in which I have given for him to dwell. Hathan ask him, Are you the one to build a house for me in which to dwell? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelited up out of Egpyt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers, whom I commanded to shpeherd my people Israel, Why have you not built a house for me? Truly, i have never said such a thing."

"Remind David that I took him from the pasture, and form following a flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with him wherver he has gone, and I, I , I Nathan have cut off Israel's enemies before his armies. Surely, I wil make his name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will prvide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so they will have a home of their ownand no longer be distrurbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, ad they did at the beginning and have done since the time I appointed leader over my people Israel. Tell him I will continue to give him rest from his enemies."

When morning came, Nathan dressed and hurried to tell David all this, also saying, "David, the Lord sair He Himself woudl establish a house for you." David cringed at that, - surely it was the Lord 0 for He knew his inner most thoughts.

Nathan continued, "The Lord said that when your days are over and you rest with your fathers, He will raise your offsrping to succeed you, who will come from your own bod, and will establish your son's kingdom." Daivd began to feel lowly, humbled at Nathan's words. "David," Nathan continued, "It will be your son who will build a house for God. God will establish your son's rule forever. God sid that He will parent your son, that He will be his father. Your son will be His son. God will punish him with the rod of men when he commits sin. Yet the Lord will always live him. He will never take away His love from your son as he did Saul."Nathan storde toward David and put his arm around him. "David you house and your kingdom will be endure forever before God. Your throne will be established forever."

As DAvid pondered these things, his soul grew exceedinly repentant for even thinking that he could build a house for himself and pretneding it to be for God. In his heart he once agian acknoledged that God had delvered the Philistines to him. God had brought back the Ark to Jerusalem. David was merely his intstrument. Humility filled David's heart.

He lef the palace and wne to the tent - the tent the Ark of God inhabited. Then he poured out his heart to the Lord, confessing his arrogance. He began, "Lord who am I and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far. And as it isn't enough in your sight, you ahve spoken now about the future of my family. Lord, I ahve to ask, is this your usual way of dealing with man?" David, thinking of how God had confronted him with his own thoughts, continued, "Lord, what more can I say to you? For you know me. Lord there is none like you - Nathan and I have heard our promises with our own ears. And Lord, who is like Israle, Your people? We are the one nation on earth, that You, Yourself, God Most High, have redeemed. You have performed awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods before us. You have established us as Your people forever." David, feeling profound desire inside, beseeched God to keep his promise. He said, "Lord do as You say, so that Your name will be great forever."

As the years progressed, God did perform his word. Solomon, David's son built a temple of splendor for the Ark of God. And althought Solomon struggled with his faith in God, seemingly searching under every rock for the latest and greatest experience, God never removed His love form him. God kept his last promise too. The great king begat a far removed grand son who went by the name of Jesus on earth and now reigns in heaven.

Conclusion

The lesson is not simple. The lesson is complicated for depraved humanity. The lesson is difficult for the sinner that sits in your seat and theone that sits here with me. Like Daivd, after victories great and small, we quickly lose perspective and reassign accomplishment to ourselves. We let pride fester and conure up things to do for God.

Yes God knows whether your sevice to Him is brought forth from His own heart, and communicated to you in yor relationship with Him or whther it was Your own idea. God also knows the motive behind each human idea put forth to do something for Him.

In the biblical text, we see DAvid known and exposed. It eh biblical text, God confronted Davd with the origin of his thought, saying, "I have never asked for ahouse of cedar."

When these words were spoken to DAvid the glory of God feel on the pride encrusted parts of David's soul. These areas were filthy with the obsession of his previous accomplishments. These parts conatined ideas of things David could do for God whilrling like sand in them

The presence of the thinking could have been disastrous for David and the people of Israel. God would have been cheated from having His true will accomplished wtih David. When David propsoed the agenda of his adminstration, the people would have been cheated, of thel blessing of having God owrk in their midst. OTher nations too, could have been cheated if Israle followed after building this temple and not engaging in work only God could compete, thereby furthering the glory of His name.

God knows in the stillness of the night, when we view our life this side of redemption and think how well we've gotten it together. He knows when - in the name of Jesus - we build empires for ourselves. He knows that in the same instant we choose to cheat Him and others of the blessing of knowing Him working among us and accomplishing His will.

All that needs to said as you are impored to get right with God, is that He knows you. He knows whether you seek Him to find out what your next move is, or whether you, in the business of life forsake the relationship with Him and contrive your own ideas for God. He knows whether your motives in service are pure, or whether you get affirmation in service that you get nowehere else in the world.

Let God tell you what He sees in you today.

Amen

[billie]

That was so awesome, Sara, such a humbling word. It spoke straight to my heart. I really, really needed that. Thank You, Jesus.

[David Giesen]

Yes, whose house and whose land?

Well, we could say truly that whoever built the tabernacle or masonic temple or yurt tent, to him (or her) it belonged. But the earth itself? That is the Lord's. God doesn't need a house for Creation is God's habitation, as is the heart of humanity. That story wonderfully reveals such a pure truth, namely that though we may build society and cities with an earnestness born of our desire to model God's Creation, we do not build for God for God has all and enough already.

David's task was to lead society in a way that reflected the harmony of Creation. That harmony included full, complete, unobstructed access to Creation on the part of the living beings part of Creation. For instance, there is no example in Creation of one member of a species, or of one species among other species, holding title to land/Creation based simply upon a piece of paper! No. It is by the constant effort of the individual to best use Creation (that's what evolution really means: to constantly respond to the circumstances of environment) that use of Creation is admitted. Only humanity, in its most broken tryst with God, claims private title to Creation based not upon response to environment (in this case society) but based upon paper title.

What a glory it is to God to treat Creation as the home of all people; that Creation is enough and to spare in meeting human needs, both the personal and the communal!

[Guest Theophilia]

I forgot to post this with the original post....but there is a song...a BEAUTIFUL praise song that reflects on this same question using the words of Isaiah 66:1

"Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?

Here is the song, Resting Place:

Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool.

Where is the house you will build for me?

Whom of you will hear the cry of my heart?

Where will my resting place be?

Repeat

Here, O Lord. Have I prepared for You a home.

Long have I desired for You to dwell.

Here, O Lord. Have I prepared a resting place.

Here, O Lord. I wait for You alone.

Repeat

Here, O Lord I wait for You alone.

This is excpetionally poignant as the thunder rolls across the sky this afternoon and the rain softly falls on the Knetucky hills. Truly, all the earthis the Lords and the fulness thereof.

Sincerely

Sara

Yes, whose house and whose land?

Well, we could say truly that whoever built the tabernacle or masonic temple or yurt tent, to him (or her) it belonged. But the earth itself? That is the Lord's. God doesn't need a house for Creation is God's habitation, as is the heart of humanity. That story wonderfully reveals such a pure truth, namely that though we may build society and cities with an earnestness born of our desire to model God's Creation, we do not build for God for God has all and enough already.

David's task was to lead society in a way that reflected the harmony of Creation. That harmony included full, complete, unobstructed access to Creation on the part of the living beings part of Creation. For instance, there is no example in Creation of one member of a species, or of one species among other species, holding title to land/Creation based simply upon a piece of paper! No. It is by the constant effort of the individual to best use Creation (that's what evolution really means: to constantly respond to the circumstances of environment) that use of Creation is admitted. Only humanity, in its most broken tryst with God, claims private title to Creation based not upon response to environment (in this case society) but based upon paper title.

What a glory it is to God to treat Creation as the home of all people; that Creation is enough and to spare in meeting human needs, both the personal and the communal!

[David Giesen]

I will revisit the scriptural verse inspiring that song and impress it upon my heart!

It is an anthem rallying us to treat the rent of land as a commonwealth, is it not? God's people paying the rent of Creation to community in order to use it for the duration of rent payment. And that rent funding community programs such as Bible study, schools, fire protection, health care, street paving, museums! How marvelous is the economy of the Creator!

[Floatingaxe]

Excellent teaching, Theo! Love you, sis!