This chapter articulates God’s promise to David — a firm establishment of the kingdom belonging to his son, Solomon (2 Sam 7:12, 1 Chr 17:11), how His temple would eventually be built (2 Sam 7:13), and the blessings that would come unto David’s household. If we were David hearing this comforting promise by God, what would our first feeling be?
Shepherding until the end
If we were to hear that the generation after us would have such a promising future, both physically and spiritually, supplied by God Himself, our first innate human feeling would probably be a sense of relief. Perhaps, we might even think that there is nothing else required from our end. In contrast, 1 Kings 2 records David’s instructions to Solomon. David ‘charged’ Solomon to walk in God’s ways, commandments and statutes in his last days.
To ‘charge’ someone suggests the act of formally assigning them a duty, responsibility, or task. Here, David is not merely offering advice, but entrusting Solomon with the responsibility of faithful obedience to God’s law as the foundation of his kingship. In our lives today, how can we continue to shepherd others to walk the righteous path of God? How can we remind ourselves that following God is not based on occasional choices, but that of ongoing and dedicated commitment? What kind of life are we setting for others?
“Who am I, O Lord God?”
If we were to hear that the generation after us and ourselves would be greatly blessed by God, knowing that we have also walked the path God deems to be pleasing, our first innate feeling might be a sense of self-satisfaction, maybe with a view that such blessings are self-earned.
Here, David greatly praises God and even believes he is unworthy of such exaltation (1 Chr 17:16, 2 Sam 7:18). With such humility, he beseeches God to continue blessing his household only if it is pleasing in His sight, rather than treating it as a necessity or a guaranteed entitlement. Similarly, in our lives today, do we see God’s blessings as grace or entitlement? How can we work towards being truly God-pleasing?
