Today I read 2 Samuel 7 where David wants to build a temple, or a house to the Lord. The Lord does not like this idea and has Nathan the prophet tell David to not build Him a house for the Ark. It is interesting to me that God did not want David to build a house, or a temple, but then He has Solomon build one. My curiosity can't help but wonder why God didn't want a temple built at this time but a little later it was ok. The most logical answer is that the people were not ready at this time.
As in so many things where God seemingly has changed, the truth of the matter is the people and situation have changed, not God. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change at all. So most likely the people were not prepared to have a house for the Ark, a temple, for whatever reason. The answer really isn't all that important. It is just an idle curiosity. The other interesting part to me is that David was focused on the things of the Lord. It is really interesting to be able to see pretty much his entire life and see how he was behaving at any given point in his life. He really did only make 2 mistakes as far as the Lord was concerned. He was always on the strait and narrow path otherwise. A good role model for the most part. Until tomorrow.
A careful reading of all the texts related to this matter suggests YHVH did not want a physical temple built at all. Though David interpreted the word of the LORD from Nathan to mean Solomon would build the temple, nothing in the text confirms this. The LORD said HE would build David's seed (not son) a house. David acted presumptuously by assembling the materials and even beginning work on the "temple" leaving Solomon to follow through with the project. David let his fame go to his head, and like others before him wanted the Ark near him.
ReplyDeleteThe last move of the Tabernacle authorized by YHVH was to Shiloh. In Genesis 49, Jacob gathered his sons to tell them what would happen in the latter days, and revealed the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh came, and the people would be gathered to Him. Though Joshusa/Yeshua gathered them for battle at Shiloh, that foreshadowed the spiritual gathering of the Yeshua to come.
Psalm 78 makes it clear the YHVH abandoned the Tabernacle and allowed the Ark to be taken by the Philistines. From that point on there was never any inquiry of the LORD about the Ark and holy vessels - everything in regard to them was done presumptuously.
When David asked the LORD if he should return to Judah, YHVH told him to go to Hebron. The people came there and made him king. Then they decided to take Jerusalem. Though there was a general order to subdue the land, there was no inquiry of the LORD at this time about going up against Jerusalem as David had done at other times. Nevertheless, the venture was successful.
Without inquiring of the LORD, David left Hebron and moved to Jerusalem, and it was then called the City of David. That he allowed that to continue suggests his fame had compromised him to some degree. He built a glorious house. Then, though YHVH had abandoned the Tabernacle, David decided others had been blessed by the Ark of the Covenant and wanted it with him. His first attempt proved fatal to Uzzah, then he sent Levites to move it properly into a tent he set up for it, though YHVH had not ordered such, and David never asked.
Thinking it deserved a better habitation, David presumed to build a house (not temple). In no uncertain terms the LORD told David HE would build a house for David's seed (not son). David was a man of war and bloodshed. Solomon's name means peaceful, but that is not the name YHVH gave him. The LORD named him Jedidiah (loved by the Jehovah).
David misunderstood what he was told because he was thinking in physical terms instead of understanding the messianic message he was given. In defiance of the word of the LORD, David made plans, assembled materials and craftsmen, and actually started construction on the temple, leaving Solomon to finish.
YHVH dwells in a temple "not made with hands." Just as he had given the people kings as a concession (even blessing them by putting His Spirit on them), He allowed the temple as a concession and blessed it with His Presence, but He never wanted a physical temple, and still doesn't.