When God Says, "NO!" - Pt 4

And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come 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 to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:11-16 ESV).

When God says no to our dreams, He often bridles our disappointments with wonderful blessings, greater than any we could have anticipated or expected. Look at our reading again. God says to Nathan, And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house (v. 11). God instructs the prophet to tell David that he can't build God a house. Instead, God was going to build David a house. God's purpose was larger than David could have imagined. David simply wanted to build a house for the ark of the Lord, but God had a bigger purpose. God's purpose involved something larger. David's plan involved building a temple. The temple was a temporary structure. When Solomon did wind up building the temple, it would eventually be destroyed. It became a ruin. God's plan involved something much more lasting than a stone structure. It involved the plan of salvation for the world. God speaks through Nathan with this great prophesy: "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom" (v. 12). After his great confession of faith, Jesus said to Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-20 ESV). This is that bigger purpose; this is the eternal kingdom God was raising up through David. This is the establishment of David’s eternal throne through his lineage. That house can never be shaken; it can never be overcome by any enemy. Whatever “no” you have been given, please hear the everlasting “yes” that God spoke through the work of Jesus. Whatever you may feel you have been denied in this world will be nothing compared to the eternal home that is guaranteed and waiting for your occupation. When God says “no,” respond with, ”thank you.” His yes has already been given; and, it is much better!