giving ~ to the wisdom of the counsel he had given to t~e ~ing ; 11.nd (in prayer) the same night (before &ny steps could be taken to carry 1t mto effect) he received a Di\"ine communication which he faithfully &nnounced. The chief significance of this communication lies in the promise it contained with respect to" the house of David." But it was primarily &nd directly 1L prohibition of the king's resolve. "Thus saith the Lord, Thou sh< not build me a house to dwell in" (1 Chron. xvii. 4), 'l'he purpose of IL good man is often" broken off" (Job xvii. 11; xxix. 18); not alwnys, however, because of the clearer knowledge of the mind of God vouchsafed to him, but more commonly because of the difficulty and opposition he meets with in seeking its ILCComplishment, and his inability to overcome them. Of the purpose of D11vid (as illustrative of that of others) observe that- ' I. ALTHOUGH FORBIDDEN, IT WAS NOT ALTOGETHER DISAPPROVED, "Thou didst well th&t it was in thine heart " (1 Kings viii. 18) ; spoken of: 1. The spirit in which his purpose WILS formed-grateful devotion and sincere desire of honouring God and bene- titing men. This is always the chief thing "in the sight of God, who searches the heart." 2. And the ol>iect toward which it was directed. It was not in itself displeas- ing to God, but received his sanction (Deut. xii, 10, 11; ver.13). Yet: 3. How seldom is a human purpose, though in the main good, entirely unmingled with human imper- fection! The language in which the purpose of David was forbidden seems to indicate that "his generous impulse was outrunning God's commandment, and that his ardour to serve was in some danger of forgetting his entire dependence on God, nnd of fancy- ing that God would be the better for him" (A. Maclaren). Il. JT WAS NOT FORBIDDEN WITHOUT SUFFICIENT REASON (vers. 7, 8) 1 viz.: 1. The dealings of God with hu people in past time ; showing that it was his pleasure that his dwelling-place should be adapted to their unsettled condition; and that" a house of cedar" was not indispensable to his presence and blessing. He was satisfied to share their wanderings. 2. The absence of a Divine direction to build n. permanent house. " It was not because of any negligence on the part of the former leaders of the people that they had not thought of erecting a temple" (Keil). Until the "word" should be. spoken, no one might enter upon such an undertaking. 3. The unsuitableness of the present time-the still disturbed and warlike state of the kingdom (ver. 11). "Inas- much as these wars were necessary and inevitable, they were practical proofs that David's kingdom and government were not yet established; and therefore that the time for the building of the temple had not yet come, and the rest of peace was not yet secured." 4. The inoongruity of hu career with the nature and design of the building.. An abode of peace should be erected by a man of peace. "Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and bast made great wars; thou shalt not build a house to my Name," etc. (1 Chron. xxii. 8; xxviii 3; 1 Kings v. 3). "From whence could so sublime a precept descend, amidst a people constituted as the Jews were, unless from the Father of love and mercy?" (Milman). "War, however necessary it may be in certain circum- stances for the kingdom of God, is' only something accidental, the result of'human corruption. The true nature of the kingdom of God is peace" (Hengstenber~). Still other reasons appear in what was promised to David (vers. 11, 12), without which the accomplishment of what he purposed in his heart was impossible. IIL IT WAS FORBIDDEN IN THE IIIOBT GRACIOUS 111.ANNEB, (Vere. 8-11.) For God: 1. Assured him of the regard in which he was held by him. "David is here called God's servant, who is King of king~-the fa.irest flowerin any king's crown, and highest title he can claim" (Guild). 2. Reminded him of the great things which he had Glready done for him; and which were an earnest of "still greater things than these" (Ps. lxxv-ili. 70--72). 3. Informed him of the safety and stability, the peace and prosperity, which (in continuance of his former mercies) he was about to grant to his people under his rule. 4. Promised to him rest from all his enemies, and an endurin_q dynastu (eh. i. 1, 2). " Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house " (Ps. cn:xii. 11). What an abundant compensation was thus afforded for any dis- appointment that might be at first experienced I " Our own plane, though well intended, ere often fit for nothing but to be laitl aside to make way for the Lord's purposes respecting us, of which perhaps we had no conception" (Scott). JV. lT WAS FORBIDDEN ONLY THAT IT MIGHT BE IIIOBE EFFECTUALLY FULFILLED. (Yers. 1~, 13.) "' 'l'hou shalt not build a house for me' (vers. 6-7); but I, who have I
en. v11. 1-20.J 1'11E SECOND BOOK OF SAMUltt. 20i