2 Samuel 7 - WHEN GOD SAYS "NO"

2 Samuel 7

WHEN GOD SAYS "NO"

Writing for the New York Times Magazine, Mauren Dowd and Thomas L. Friedman describe a conversation that once took place between Secretary of State James Baker and President George Bush.

With Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak due to arrive for a state visit, Baker hurried into the Oval Office to brief President Bush, telling him what the sore spots were, what favors would be asked, and what aid would be sought.

“Mubarak is going to ask for money,” Baker warned Bush before the Egyptian leader entered. “You’re going to have to say no.”

“You tell him he can’t have any money,” the president replied. “Turning down money is dirty work. That’s your job, Jimmy. I want to do the good stuff.” Today in the Word, Moody Bible Institute, Jan., 1992, p. 21 http://www.bible.org/illus/n/n-16.htm#TopOfPage

One of the hardest things to do is to be a parent. One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to say "no" to our children. If we don't say "no" when "no" is a proper response, the child will in the long run hurt themselves, their friends, and their family.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

To train a child properly we must say "no" at times. Of course, if we always say "no" to what the child wants to do, we will break his or her spirit, and that wouldn't be good either.

If you look at the Ten Commandments, you will find that God also says "no" at times.

There's to be

No false God's

No idols

No taking the name of the Lord in vain

No work on the Sabbath

No disrespect for parents

No killing

No adultery

No stealing

No bearing false witness

No coveting

Not only does God say "no" towards wrong behavior, but there are times when God says "no" to our plans. It doesn't always mean that what we plan is wrong or bad, but it is not always in the perfect will of God.

One time Dottie and I visited a church as a guest speaker and were interviewed by the pulpit committee. There was a nice parsonage in a nice area with a reasonable salary. We were willing to go there. Yet, we prayed that if it wasn't the Lord's will that he'd close the door.

It turned out not to be the Lord's will. The Pulpit Committee said "no". The Lord said "no". Within a few weeks Dottie's Dad was bedridden. And the people of the church we were pastoring were of great assistance during Dad's 10 months in bed. God said "no", but there was good reason.

Tonight we find David in a similar situation. David wants to do something great for God, but God said "No!"

GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3

Vs. 1 - This was a time of peace. For what was a probably a long time, David had rest from his enemies.

One of the good things about times of peace is that they are times to think.

When I'm at peace I can plan better.

When I'm at peace I can meditate on God's will.

When I'm at peace I can appreciate with gratitude the fact that God has given me that peace.

When I'm at peace I am in a good position to do something for God.

When I am at peace I can appreciate what God has done for me.

Vs. 2 - We meet Nathan the Prophet for the first time. Nathan was a great man of God. Nathan would be the one to confront David when David sinned with Bathsheba. It is apparent that Nathan and David had a good relationship.

I believe that David was doing what I suggested a moment ago.

He was at peace and appreciating what God had done, was looking to show his appreciation.

David realizes that he, David was living in a nice house made of cedar, while God's house was a tent.

Remember the ark was a box containing the Ten Commandments, the rod of Aaron, and a jar of manna.

On top of the ark was the mercy seat. God made his physical presence known by dwelling above the mercy seat.

David's plan was to build a house for the Lord, and what better person to bounce it off of than the preacher!

David's desire was a good desire.

David's desire was a noble desire.

David's desire was not a wrong desire.

There are some desires that you might have to do things for God. Such desires are good.

What are some things that a Christian may desire to do for God? My list:

Be a preacher

Be a missionary

Reach a neighbor for Christ

Teach

Go to Bible School

Build something for God

Start a ministry

Find a way to help those in need

Be a full time singer of the Gospel

And there are many more things we can desire to do!

God does not always say "yes" to our desires. Sometimes he has another plan for our lives, and chooses to use us in other ways.

Psalm 47:4 - He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

Psalm 75:6-7 - For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. [7] But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Vs. 3 - Here's Nathan's response. "Sound's good to me! Go for it! God is with you.

There was nothing wrong with David's desire.

Nathan could see the value of a permanent house for God.

He did what we probably would do. He gave his blessing and even God's.

Perhaps he should have offered to pray about it before he gave an approval. But I can certainly see how and why it was easy for Nathan to approve.

GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3

GOD'S ANSWER - Vss. 4-6

Vs. 4 - I imagine that the message came from God to Nathan during a time of sleep. The important thing is that God had a different plan than David or Nathan. It was Nathan who got the word from God.

Nathan was going to have to return to David with a different answer than what Nathan had given the day before. He was going to have to rescind the blessing that he had given. He was going to have to humble himself to admit that he, the prophet of God, had been wrong.

One of the hardest things to do sometimes is to admit that we are wrong. Our pride keeps us from being humble enough to say "I blew it. I was wrong."

Nathan gives us a good example to follow. When Nathan realized that he was wrong, he went to David with the corrected message.

So when you're wrong, admit it!

Admit it to God and confess any sin involved.

Admit to those it affects and seek their forgiveness if necessary.

Vs. 5 - It is very important to see what God calls David.

He calls him, "My servant".

David was not in the proverbial "dog house".

God did not have a low opinion of David.

David was special in the eyes of God, even though God was not going to let David do what he wanted. In fact later it was stated that David's thoughts and desires were good.

2 Chronicles 6:8 - But the Lord said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

And when God doesn't let you do what you want, if your heart and motives are pure, God could very well be pleased with your plans and desires. He just may feel however, that it is not part of His plan for your life.

And remember this. When God says "no" to His children, we are still His children!

1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

And when God says "no" to his servants, they are still very precious in His sight.

Ephesians 1:3-6 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Vs. 5 - Nathan was to go and ask David, "Are you going to build me a house?" In a parallel passage, 1 Chronicles 17:4, it says, - Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

Vss. 6-7 - God makes His point. He has dwelled in tents since they left Egypt. He never asked for anyone to build Him a house.

Vss. 8-9 - David was to realize just how much God had blessed Him. God had taken him from being a humble shepherd to being a great king with a great name. David was being blessed of God, in spite of the fact that God did not want him to build a temple.

When God says "no" to something we want to do, it would do us well to remember all the ways God has blessed us and has used us.

Also, remember that God has different jobs for each of us.

David was told later by God that because David was a soldier, a man of blood, he would not build the temple.

1 Chronicles 22:8-9 - But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. [9] Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

We need to remember that God will not give us every job.

He has not qualified us for every job.

But whatever job God has given us we should do well for Him.

1 Peter 4:10-11 - As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NAS

Vs. 10 - God gives David another assurance. There will be a day when Israel will be secure. That day is yet to come, but it is coming. God had given David so much! God has given us so much! When God says "no" we can still relax.

GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3

GOD'S ANSWER - Vss. 4-6

GOD'S ALTERNATIVE - 11-17

Vs. 11 - David wanted to build God a house.

God tells David that instead, He, God, would build

David a house!

Vss. 12-15 - The promise was that Solomon would build the temple.

Vs. 16 - There will be a time when David's Kingdom will be established forever through one of his descendents. This of course will be the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel in Luke 1:30-33,

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. [31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

What a wonderful promise for David, there would be an everlasting Kingdom!

This is so much like God. We want to do something for God, and well we should. But God wants to do so much more for us.

John 14:12-14 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. [13] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

God has a work for us to do, even though it is not the work we think it is.

Theodore Epp and his wife wanted to be missionaries, to serve the Lord in a foreign land. They took training to be missionaries, and then the Lord led them into a pastorate, which they thought was temporary. A mission board accepted them, but their surprise, they were told "no" by the Lord.

Then came radio ministry, and they thought that this too was temporary, and after a few years, they were approached about going to Africa to manage a Christian radio station. They thought that this might have been their opportunity to go to the mission field, and again, God told them "no".

Instead, for the rest of their lives, Theodore Epp was primarily a radio preacher. Eventually monies through this radio broadcast set up missionary outreach throughout the world.

But instead of going to one place, Theodore Epp sent the Gospel around the World through the ministry of Back to the Bible Broadcast.

This ministry is still going strong today under the leadership of Woodrow Kroll. And one more thing Mr. and Mrs. Epp's son and daughter both went to the mission field. Theodore Epp, David, A Man After God's Heart, ©1965 by The Good News Broadcasting Association Inc., Back To The Bible, Lincoln, Nebraska, Pages 124-126

GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3

GOD'S ANSWER - Vss. 4-6

GOD'S ALTERNATIVE - Vss. 11-17

GREAT ACCEPTANCE - Vss. 18-29

David accepted God's plan for his life with joy.

Vss. 18-22 - David was overwhelmed with what he had been told. He saw that what he was given was out of the grace of God. And he was grateful.

David was allowed to focus on what he had and not on what he didn't get. My friend, we should certainly do the same.

Now, I don't know what God has said "no" to you about.

But I do know that He has a plan to use you in His way.

Why not ask God to show you what it is, and accept it, even if it was not what you planned on.

Maybe God will let you prepare or help someone who will fulfill the dreams that you have had, but God has said "no" to. David did this.

1 Chronicles 22:2-5 - And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God. [3] And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight; [4] Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. [5] And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

Chuck Swindoll tells of Dr. Richard Seume, "a man of God, who to me, emulated what a pastor was all about. For over twelve years he pastored at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. God blessed him. He was a member of a number of mission boards and was extremely gifted as a pulpiteer and as a writer. When he left the pastorate in Virginia, he became pastor of Wheaton Bible Church.

"He was not there long, however, before he was stricken with a rare kidney disease, which meant he had to live on a dialysis machine six hours a day, three to four days a week. At the Zenith of his career, the rug was cut out from under him. He could no longer take the rigors of the pastorate, and as a result, some misunderstood; a few criticized. He left, almost a broken man. But instead of giving up, he accepted Dr. John Walvoord's invitation to return to his alma mater and become the chaplain at Dallas Theological Seminary, a position he held until he died in a car accident several years ago…

"This man whose dreams of his own life had been shattered, chose to invest his last years in the lives of younger men, the Solomons of the future, to build the temples he would never see built. He embraced God's alternate plan with all his might. Empty-handed and dependent on his God, he invested himself in hundreds of younger ministers, who are now engaged in fulfilling some of the dreams he once hoped to accomplish."

WHEN GOD SAYS "NO":

GOOD ATTITUDE - Vss. 1-3

GOD'S ANSWER - Vss. 4-6

GOD'S ALTERNATIVE - Vss. 11-17

GREAT ACCEPTANCE - Vss. 18-29