more than a view of past mercies: we may require a prospect of good tbin"'S to come. God graciously provided David with both. He intimated to him throuih Nathan that he was intending to do great things for him. He would (1) con~lidate the k!ngd?m of Isr~el BO t~at it should become str~mg ~nd safe (ver. 9); (2) multiply his v1ctones over hlS enemies (ver. 10); (3) establish his dynasty (vers. 10, 14); (4) "ive his son the privilege which he was withholding from him (vers. 11, 12); (5) sho,~ to this son of his a fatherly patience (ver. 13). These were very great promises, amply sufficient to compensate for one disappointment. What large promises does God make to us 1 "Exceeding great and precious" they are (2 Pet. i. 4). They begin with his guidance and presence through life, and they culminate in everlasting joy and glory at his right hand. We often need to have recourse to the promises of our Divine Saviour. \Vhen we do resort to them, and do draw upon them, we find a bountiful sufficiency for all our need.-C. Ver. 10 (latter part).-The Divine response: its righteousness and riches. I. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE DIVINE RESPONSE. David had it in his heart to build God a house, but he did not actually do so. Yet God honoured his intention, and met it by the response intimated in the text: "The Lord will build thee an house." In this we can recognize the act of a righteous God-righteous because (1) the essence of any act is in tbe intention of the agent; (2) the intention of the human mind is often defeated by irresistible obstacles. We are not responsible for the event. With David, in this instance, the direct Divine prohibition was interposed. With us, insuperable obstacles o[ten intervene, and the result is not ascribable to anything hut the limitation of our faculties. Our righteous God accepts, approves, honours, not indeed barren and worth- less sentiment, but an earnest desire and honest intention to please and serve him. 'l'his may be in our personal, family, or Church relations. II. THE AMPLITUDE (oR RICHES) OF THE DIVINE RESPONSE. David desired to build for God a house. God replied to his servant, "I will build thee an house." 'l'he house which David wished to build was one of stone and wood, of silver anu gold; but that which the Divine Giver purposed to build was far more precious. It was a human house; it was the elevation of the king's children and of their children to honour and power and influence; it was a bestowment of II kind and character which in its uaturo far outweighed the gift which the servant of Jehovah proposed to present. God's response had a Divine largeness, amplitude, wealth, answering to his beneficent and bountiful nature. Thus does he meet his children now. He makes us to know tho length, and breadth, and depth, and height of his responsiveness in the gospel of Christ. He acts toward us in the spirit of the promise in Mark x. 28-30. He responds (1) to our penitence with free forgiveness and full reconciliation; (2) to our trust with constant guidance, provision, guardianship, "all our journey through;" (3) to our prayer with the indwelling of his own Divine Spirit; (4) to our faithfulness during the brief period of time with everlasting glory.-C. Vers. lG-18.-0ur relation to God. The attitude which David assumed and the words of devotion he uttered on this occasion are suggestive of the relation in which wo stnnd to our Creator and Redeemer. ,ve gather- I. THA'l' WE CANNOT BE LED to A BETTER STATE THAN A DEEP SENSE OF OUR NOTHING- NESS AND THI'! DIVINE GREATNESS, When Nathan had delivered bis message Dnvid placed himself in the posture of deliberate reflection (vcr. 16), and, thus sentc<l, ho became possessed of a profound sense of his own unworthiness. "Who nm I, 0 Lor,!, nnd what is my house?" etc. (ver. 16). He soon passed on to cherish a deep feeling of God's supremacy. "0 Lord, there is none like thee," etc. (ver. 20). This is II most suitable end to any transaction between our God and ourselves. 'IV e aro then arriving at the truth, reaching a place of spiritual safety, in an attitude that is most becoming, when we are impressed with our own nothingness and with the absolute greatness of our God and Saviour. II. THAT Goo NOT ONLY CALLS us TO SONSHIP, BUT TREATS us AS ms OHILDimN, "'l'hou hast regarded me according to the estate or a man of hi~h dc~rco" (vcr. 17). This probably means that, in David's thought, God had treated him as one who was mnst exalted, and who might on that ground look for the largest thing~. At any rato 286 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [oH, xvn. 1-27
it was true-if this be not the exact thought of the obscure passage-that God wns treating David in a way which corresponded with the exalted position to which ho had called him. And this truth has its illustration in the Divine dealing with all his sons. In the gospel we are all called to be the sons of God (John i. 12; 1 John iii. 2). And having reinstated us in this filial position, our heavenly Father treats us as the recon- ciled_ sons and daughters we have become. 1. He confides in us; not laying down a multitude of precepts in detail, but giving us a few living principles to apply for our- selves. 2. He gives us constant access to his person; whensoever we will we may approach and address him. 3. He chastens rather than punishes us (Heh. xii. 5-11). III. THAT GoD HAS CONFERRED ABOUNDING HONOUR ON us IN JESUS CHRIST. David felt that God had put so much honour on him that he did not know how he could ask for more (ver. 18). The utmost desires of his heart were fulfilled. And what more of honour and position could we have asked of God that he hll.s not given us in the gospel of his grace? We are even said to be "kings and priests unto God" (Rev. i. 6). 1. We are children of the heavenly Father : "now a.re we the sons of God." 2. We a.re heirs of God (Rom. viii.17). 3. We are the friends of Christ (John xv.14, 15). 4. We are fellow-labourers with the living God," workers together with him" (1 Cor. iii. 9; 2 Cor. vi. 1; Acts xv. 4). What could we speak more for the honour of his ser- vants ?-C.