Reading 45 | The Bible in 100 Passages

Tuesday, October 28, 2025  

Today's Scripture
2 Samuel 7:4–17

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 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 and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; 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 ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth 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 a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (NRSV)

Reflection

King David, at last resting safely in his palace, wanted to build a grand temple for God. But through the prophet Nathan, God revealed a greater plan: God didn’t want a house of cedar but would instead build David a house of people, a lasting family line. This promise, the Davidic Covenant, is one of the most significant covenants in the Old Testament.

In her first sermon at Fourth Church, Pastor Camille read the opening words of the New Testament — the long list of names in Jesus’ genealogy that proclaims Jesus as the Son of David. In Jesus, God’s promise is fulfilled: God builds not a temple of stone but a living house — the church, our spiritual home.

How wonderful that through faith in Jesus we are grafted into this family tree. How comforting to know that, when life feels shaky and the future uncertain, we can rest knowing we have a permanent place in God’s eternal house. And how humbling to remember that God’s plans are always greater than ours. Just as God replaced David’s plan for a temple with something eternal, God often transforms our smaller dreams for grander purposes. When our plans fall apart, we can trust God’s vision never does.

Prayer

Eternal God, thank you for your unending faithfulness. You took David’s desire to build a house for you and instead built an everlasting house for him, fulfilled in Jesus. Help me to trust your purpose when my plans change. Strengthen my faith to rest in your bigger, better vision. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Sarah Younger, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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