Perhaps you have heard or used the saying that refers to putting the cart before the horse. We use it when we refer to someone doing things out of the normal or accepted order of events.
2 Samuel 7 presents God’s great promise to David concerning his offspring (Jesus!) and God’s presence with his people. We refer to it sometimes as the Davidic Covenant. Yet the covenant demonstrates how God seems to put the cart before the horse, or better said puts a House (David’s) before the House (his). This act shows that sometimes, our own normal or accepted order of things is wrong. God knows better than us, and knows which way the cart and the horse should go, to bring glory to himself.
After the events of Chapter 6, the Ark of the Covenant rested in Jerusalem. Also, “the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies” (v.1).
This troubled David. He lived “in a house of cedar” but “the ark of God dwells in a tent” (v.2). David wanted to fix that oversight. After all, if the earthly king gets a nice house, shouldn’t the Great King have a better one?
Nathan the prophet, who heard David’s intentions, told him “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you” (v.3). After all, this positive intention toward God seemed reasonable and right.
Yet in God’s eyes, David was putting the cart before the horse. That night the word of God came to Nathan, to tell him to speak to David: “Would you build me a house to dwell in?” (v.5). In other words, roll up the blueprints buddy, it’s not time to break ground yet!
But it wasn’t building consents holding up construction. Rather, it was God’s humility. “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. 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?” (vv.6-7).
Israel had not had settled arrangements. They had wandered in the desert, then they had entered Canaan, but had endured the unsettled times of the Judges. God identified with his people by sharing their unsettledness, continuing with a tabernacle rather than demanding a house.
The main substance of the message unfolds from this point. God had dealt graciously with Davd in the past. He had chosen him from all the men of Israel to rule, even though he was not the worldly default (v.8). God had been present with David wherever he went and had “cut off all your enemies from before you” (v.9).
God had future plans too. He was going to make David’s name great (v.9). He would “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 no longer be afflicted like they were during the Judges (v.10). He would give David rest from his enemies too (v.11), because this would make Israel secure.
Finally, he would “make you a house” (v.11). Not a physical house, but a dynasty. A line of rulers to follow after David. One of them would construct the temple (more on that next time). God would build David’s house before God’s house.
The cart before the horse from a human perspective, perhaps. God has done good things for us. We should do good things back in response, to ensure his continued good favour. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. But that is not how God works.
God’s response to David’s desire may seem odd. After all, what David wanted for God seemed reasonable and right; Nathan thought so. But it was not God’s will. The two are not the same. While generally when we do things for God’s honour it is good, its success may not actually be God’s will. We must always seek to follow God’s will, not what we humanly think it might be.
Part of doing that is remembering God’s attitude towards his covenant people is humble and gracious. God does not need the corner office, he is happy in the open plan with his people. Experiencing the same difficulties as his people. Identifying with them in their troubles. Blessing them whether or not they have repaid the favour.
That same humility and graciousness led to Christ’s coming, born in humble circumstances, living a humble life, suffering a humiliating death. To satisfy God’s wrath, and show God’s love and graciousness to us. Despite what good or bad we may have done or will do. And to glorify God.
Because despite what we think is the accepted order of things, God delights to put the house before the house.
