If I were to ask Christians where they would want to improve in their discipline to the Lord, I would expect one of the commonly given answers to be the discipline of prayer. We are always looking for ways to improve our prayer life. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). John the Baptizer also taught his disciples how to pray. The need to be taught to pray implies that there are often difficulties when it comes to prayer. So how can we improve our prayer life? How can we have the courage to pray? Open your copies of God’s word to 1 Chronicles 17.
David’s Desire (1 Chronicles 17:1-2)
The first half of the book of 1 Chronicles has shown David settling and establishing the kingdom. Enemies are being driven out of the land and oppressors are being subdued. In 1 Chronicles 17:1 we see David is settled in his house and this troubles David. David notes that he lives in a nice cedar house while the ark of the covenant remains in the tent from the days when Israel was in the wilderness. David desires to place the ark of the covenant, which represents the presence of God, in a permanent structure. David’s concern is that his house appears greater than God’s house. So David wants to build a house for the Lord. Nathan is a prophet of the Lord (cf. 29:29) and he gives David the go ahead. Nathan tells David to do all that is in his heart because God is with him.
But it appears that Nathan is making an assumption. Nathan appears to assume that because the Lord has been with David wherever he goes, which we have seen throughout the book of 1 Chronicles, then whatever David will do for the Lord is right. But as we are going to see in a moment, God does not want David to build him a house. I want us to see this point because it is an important reminder. God being with us does not mean that we can presume to do what is in our hearts. The Lord is with David. David wants to do something for the Lord. David has a heart for the Lord. But what David wants to do is not God’s plan or God’s will. Just because something seems right does not make it right. We will see this point explored in God’s answer to David.
God’s Answer (1 Chronicles 17:3-15)
In verse 3 we see the Lord giving a message to Nathan to tell David. The message is that David is not going to build a house for God to live in. Now I want us to pay attention to God’s answer because it shows us more about God’s character. In verses 5-6 God says that in all the years that God has been living with his people he has never lived in a house. God has just gone from tent to tent and from place to place. God has not had any problem or issue with this. God asks where he ever told anyone to build him a house. God asks to consider if he ever asked anyone why they have not built him a cedar house. God’s point is that God does not care. God did not care that his presence was in a tent. God was not angry or bothered by living in this portable structure. God’s concern is not what kind of building we can construct for him. This really should make sense to us. Why would the Creator God who made all things and own all things be moved by us building him something extravagant?
Second, God says that he is the one who acts in David’s life. In verses 7-10 God reminds David of all that he has done for him. I took you from shepherding sheep to being a ruler over my people, Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone. I have defeated all your enemies before you. I will make your name great. I will provide a place for my people and I will establish them so that they will not be disturbed any longer. I will keep the wicked from harming my people. I will subdue all your enemies. What I want you to notice is God pointing all that he is doing for David and for his people, not what David is doing for him. This is the nature of God. God is always proclaiming what he is doing for the world, what he is doing for his people, and what he doing for you. False gods and idols are always billed as, “You do for me first, and then I will do for you.” So you see idolators doing all kinds of things to make the gods happy so that those gods will do something for the people. Of course, these are false gods who do nothing and do not exist. But God puts himself forward as completely different. God always shows what he has done so that we will respond to him. God set Israel free from Egyptian slavery. Then he gives them the law and tells them to obey because he rescued them. God offered his only Son while we were still weak, enemies, and sinners (Romans 5), then tells us to respond to him in faith and obedience (cf. Ephesians 2:1-10). So God is telling David that he is a God who works good of this people and for David. God is asking us to never forget and always be in awe of all that God has accomplished for us. This leads into God’s third point in his answer to David.
God says that rather than David building him a house, he is going to build David a house (17:10). God explains what he means by this in verses 11-14. God says that when David has passed away, he will raise up one of David’s offspring and establish his kingdom through him. He will be the one who will build God’s house and God will establish his throne forever. This is the point Jesus is making in John 2:19 that he would rebuild God’s temple, speaking of himself. God will be a father to him and this offspring will be God’s son. God will not take his covenant, steadfast love from him but will confirm him in God’s house and in God’s kingdom forever. This throne will be established forever. The ultimate fulfillment of this promise was looking to the coming of the Christ. Listen to what the angel told Mary when she was told that she was going to bear a child though she was a virgin.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33 ESV)
The angel’s point is that this is the one that God was promising would come. This promise made to David would be fulfilled in Jesus. He will reign forever and there will be end of his kingdom. This is also what the writer of Hebrews proclaimed. In speaking about Jesus, he said:
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? (Hebrews 1:3-5 ESV)
In speaking about Jesus, you will notice that the writer of Hebrews quotes this prophetic word. “I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me.” The fulfillment of this staggering promise of God establishing his people, not removing his steadfast love, and establishing his kingdom and throne forever would come through one of David’s future sons, which the New Testament makes clear was pointing to Jesus.
David’s Response (1 Chronicles 17:16-27)
Now what will David say to all these things? David wanted to build God a house. God tells David that he will not build him a house. God never asked for a house. God is the one who acts for his people. God is going to build David a house instead. Listen to the prayer of David to the Lord as it begins in 1 Chronicles 17:16.
David begins by simply asking, “Who am I that you have brought me this far?” Who am I and what is my family that you have done all that you have done? What a great way to begin your prayer! Look at all that you have done in my life. Look at how you have blessed me. Look at how you have carried me through. Look at how you have brought me to this point. If this were not enough, David praises God for what God says he is going to do in the future (17:17). You have more in store for future generations. Friends, God has not only brought us to this point in life, but has made great and precious promises about what it is to come in which we put our hope. There is more to come. We are only experiencing the down payment/guarantee of what is to ultimately come when Christ returns (cf. Ephesians 1:14). So what more can we possible say to God for all that he has done and all that he will do (17:18)?
Then David moves to proclaiming the greatness of God in his prayer (17:19-20). Who is like God? There is no one like him. Who is like God and who is like your people that you have redeemed (17:21)? You have done great things for your people so that your name would be great and awesome. You chose us, rescued us, saved us, and blessed us to show your greatness and goodness. This is exactly how the apostle Paul opened his letter to the Ephesians.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 ESV)
It is all for the praise of God’s amazing and glorious grace. God has shown his greatness to you. God has shown his mercy to you. God has shown his grace to you.
David ends this prayer by asking God to do all that he has said he would do. “Do as you have spoken” (17:23). Do what you have promised so that your name will be established and magnified forever in all the world (17:24). You, Lord, have revealed what you have done and what you will do. So we praise you. But now carefully notice what David says to the Lord at the end of verse 25.
“Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.” (1 Chronicles 17:25 ESV).
What gave David the courage to pray? Why is David coming into God’s presence in prayer? David has the courage to pray because God has reminded him of all he has done for David and made great promises of what he will do for David.
The Courage to Pray
The courage to pray comes from seeing all that God has done for you and knowing God’s great promises of what he will do for you. There are so many promises in the scriptures made to us for which we are awaiting for fully receive. There are so many that there is not time to present all of them as we conclude this lesson. But let me give you a few of them so that you can be in awe of God and have the courage to pray like David did.
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV)
We say, “Amen” in prayer because we know that all the promises of God are “yes” and not “no” in Christ.
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. (Titus 1:1-2 CSB)
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. (Hebrews 4:1 ESV)
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15 ESV)
Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 CSB)
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV)
God is not impressed by what we do for him. We are to be impressed by what God has done for us. If you see this God, then you will pray. Our awe of him drives our worship and our prayers. You may have fallen down. But the promises are still standing. Return to your God, seeing all that he has done for you and all that is promised for you, if you will be faithful to him.