2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-32
“A Dwelling Place for God”
“Where does God live?” That seems to be the question that ties together our Scripture readings this morning. When I noticed that was the key question, it made me think of a young child exploring the world and curiously asking their wondering questions: “Why is the sky blue?” “What are the clouds made of?” “How do the jack rabbits move so fast?” “What makes ice cream taste so good?” “Where does God live?”
I actually Googled, “children’s book” and the question “Where does God live?” and found a lovely picture book by Holly Bea about a little girl who asks that question, “Where does God live?” and gets all kinds of answers from different people and animals.
In our text this morning from 2nd Samuel, King David isn’t asking about where God lives because he believes that he already knows the answer. He knows that God has been with him over the last while because David and his armies have been winning battles and taking over territories. He knows that God is with him because he’s got the Ark of the Covenant in his possession – that beautiful box containing the tablets with the ten commandments, and the physical sign of God’s real and active presence.
Now, just like Jesus and his disciples needed a brief rest from their work of ministry, and just like we also need to take a rest from our work sometimes, King David was ready for a rest after a period of time out battling his enemies. So he went home to his house for a good break.
I can picture him… just lying down, with a sigh of relief, in a comfortable bed, and closing his eyes peacefully. But then his eyes suddenly pop back open and he sits up with a worrying thought: “What about God?”
Of course, he knew where God was – in the Ark of the Covenant in the tent outside. But I think that David was worried that maybe he was disrespecting God or displeasing God by not providing a more comfortable place for God to rest.
David brings his concern to Nathan, the prophet who was the king’s trusted advisor and spiritual guide. And, at first, Nathan doesn’t think it would be a bad idea for David to build a better house for God to live in.
But during the night, Nathan thinks better of it. You know how it is, when you wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, or a plan, or a second thought about something you were already planning. Whether God spoke to the prophet through a dream or simply helped him to draw upon his own gift of wisdom and theological insight, Nathan awoke with new advice for the king.
“This is God’s word on the matter,” the prophet said to David: “You’re going to build a ‘house’ for me to live in? Why, I haven’t lived in a ‘house’ from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I’ve moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’”
King David may have had good intentions, but God did not want to be confined to a house, no matter how beautiful and comfortable it might be.
Through the prophet, God continued to explain: Look, David, “I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I’m making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. And I’m going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they’ll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I’m going to give you peace from all your enemies.”
“Furthermore,” Nathan continued, “God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule permanently. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I’ll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I’m keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid.”
One way to interpret God’s message to King David is to understand that God didn’t want David to build some kind of structure to honour God, but that his son and successor, King Solomon, would have the task of doing that – building a temple, as Solomon ended up doing. Perhaps God just wasn’t quite ready to settle down and live inside a big, beautiful temple, but would eventually do so.
Another way to read it though, involves noticing that God is the one who intends to build a house for David, and not the other way around. God promises, not a big beautiful building, but a line of descendants who will always have the promise of God’s faithful love for them. In Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the text, God says, “I’m keeping my eye on them!” assuring David that God is not only with him, but God will be with his children and grandchildren for generations to come.
For God’s People Israel, that is good news, for sure. It does not guarantee that Israel will always honour God or do what is right, but God’s love for them will be like the unconditional love of a parent that will not be taken away even when correction and discipline are required.
But as Christians, we also read this text through the lens of our Christian faith and the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord, nearly a thousand years after the reign of King David. Those who came to believe that Jesus was the Anointed One, the Messiah, and the King of kings and Lord of lords understood that he was the fulfillment of the promise of God to build a “house” through the line of David.
The followers of Jesus in the first century, through the leadership of the Apostles like Paul, came to understand that the household God was building was being expanded to include both Jews and Gentiles in the family of God. It was not a replacement of God’s People Israel, but an addition to it… like a biological family that grows through the adoption of children or the addition of new “chosen” family members.
Writing to a first-century Christian community made up of mostly Gentile Christians, the Apostle explains that without Christ these non-Jews were far from God, and aliens and strangers in relation to the household of God. But now, through Christ, they have been brought near.
Paul writes: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.”
Perhaps someone asked the Apostle that wondering question, “Where does God live?” Is God’s presence found near the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holy of holies, in the temple? Is God found in the synagogues where the Jewish people gather for the reading of the law and the prophets?
Certainly, God is present where people worship, and pray, and study God’s Word and learn to walk in God’s ways of justice and love. And God is present, not only with a particular lineage of people, but with all who call on God’s name, with all who meet God in the person of Jesus Christ, with all who turn to God in faith and call God our loving parent.
And God is present, not only with us, but in us… in our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit, in our lives as we share God’s love with one another and with our neighbours, and in our communities as we embody Christ’s self-giving love for the world in our ministries and mission.
“Where does God live?” That’s the question of the day. Let’s ponder that question along with a little girl named Hope in a story written by Holly Bea.
This is Hope. She’s a lot like you.
She loves her puppy and the colour blue.
She likes to laugh and play and sing,
but asking questions is her favourite thing.
Where does the sun go? Why does it rain?
Why don’t snowflakes all look the same?
There were so many things Hope wanted to know,
such as “How many colours are in a rainbow?”
She’d ask her friends and her mom and dad,
her grandmother Rose and her big brother Brad,
the mailman, the grocer, and nice Mrs. Ying.
She’d ask anyone about any old thing.
One day a new question popped into her head,
and she asked her mom who was making the bed,
“Where does God live? Does God live nearby?”
“Hope, God lives in heaven, way up in the sky.”
Now, Hope hadn’t heard about heaven before,
but she knew that she wanted to learn a lot more.
So she went to the meadow to have a few words
with sweet Mrs. Peep, her favourite bird.
“Have you ever seen heaven, way up in the sky?
Have you ever seen God when you fly far and high?”
“I’ve seen the clouds and stars and skies of blue,
the moon, and rainbows, and lightning too.
I’ve never seen heaven, though I’ve flown far and near.
But the sky is so lovely, God has to live here.”
Hope thanked Mrs. Peep and went down to the stream
to see Mr. Frog who was chubby and green.
“Where does God live?” she asked Mr. Frog.
He looked up and smiled as he sat on his log.
“Look at the flowers, the wide open spaces,
the trees and the butterflies, these beautiful places.
To me, this is almost like heaven, you see?
That’s how I know that God lives here with me.”
All of a sudden, as quick as a flash,
Mrs. Fish jumped up high and came down with a splash.
“Oh no, that’s not true. It can’t really be.
I know that God lives in the stream here with me.
This crystal blue water is lovely, I know.
God lives here with me in the waters below.”
Hope thanked her friends and went on her way
to hear what her grandmother might have to say.
Her grandma was wise, and her heart very pure,
and she’d know the answer. Of that, Hope was sure.
“Does God live in heaven or down by the stream?
Does God live in the water, or is that a dream?
Tell me, where does God live? I really must know.
Oh please, won’t you tell me, my sweet Grandma Rose?
Her grandmother smiled, as grandmothers can,
and softly she reached out for Hope’s little hand.
“I know you’re confused, and I’m glad that you came.
Now listen real close, and I’ll try to explain.
“You know, God made everything seen and unseen,
the wind, and the sun, and the meadows so green,
flowers and stars and oceans of blue,
trees, birds, and rocks, and all people too.
“And when God makes a person, a star, or a wave,
part of God stays with whatever God’s made.
So God lives in the sky and the meadow and stream.
God lives everywhere, and God isn’t a dream.
“God lives in the frogs and the birds and in you.
When you’re looking for God, it’s easy to do.
God lives in all things that you see, hear, or touch.
God lives in all people. God’s in each of us.
“And when you meet people who are loving and good
they’re letting God out, just as everyone could.
And if you meet people who seem hateful or bad,
they’ve forgotten God’s here, and that makes God sad.
“God is gentle and loving and cares for us all.
God gives us the strength to get up when we fall.
God is always around to help us find truth
whether we’re old or still in our youth.
“God’s your best friend, Hope. God really cares.
So make sure every day to take time for your prayers.”
“How should I pray, grandma? What should I say?
I want God to hear me. What’s the best way?”
Her grandmother hugged her and said, “Precious You,
Just speak from your heart, Hope. It’s easy to do.
Tell God your wishes, your fears, and your dreams,
and thank God for all of your favourite things.
Ask God to guide you in all that you do,
and be thankful for all of the love God sends you.”
Hope kissed grandma Rose, and went on her way.
She asked no more questions, at least for that day.
And on her way home, she saw God in all things,
in the clouds and the flowers and in nice Mrs. Ying.
And later that night when Hope went to bed,
she closed her eyes slowly and bowed down her head.
“Dear God, thank you so much for this wonderful day.
Thanks for the friends who showed me the way.
Please help me tomorrow in all that I do,
and don’t forget, God, how much I love you.”