2 Samuel 7:1-17

7:1 Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." 3 Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you."

4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. 15 But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. 17 In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (2 Samuel 7:1-17, NRSV)

After “all the elders of Israel” make David king over all Israel (2 Sam. 5:3, cf. vv. 1-5), he conquers Jerusalem (vv. 6-11), and decisively defeats the Philistines (vv. 17-25), and he brings the ark to Jerusalem (chap. 6)–thus effectively making Jerusalem both his political capital and his religious capital–He is given the promise of an everlasting kingdom (7:13, 16). The more immediate concerns are resolved, at least for the moment, and there is opportunity for the long-range view. In the seventh chapter of 2 Samuel the word beth “house” is used in four meanings. David now lives in his “house” (palace) (7:1, 2) and wants to build the LORD’s “house” (temple) (vv. 5, 6, 7, 13). But the LORD will establish David’s “house” (dynasty) (vv. 11, 16, 19, 25, 26, 27, 29), which honor’s David’s “house” (family status) (v. 18) (cf. William F. Stinespring, NOAB, 2nd ed., on chap. 7). David’s son will continue David’s dynasty. “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom” (v. 12). God will “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (v. 13). Even “when he commits iniquity,” though God “will punish him” (v. 14), God says, “I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you” (v. 15).

The covenant with Israel under Moses was conditional. “If you will diligently observe this entire commandment that I am commanding you, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and mightier than yourselves” (Deut. 11:22-23). “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, to follow other gods that you have not known” (Deut. 11:26-28).

If we look ahead to the summary of Solomon’s life (1 Kings, chap. 12), it would seem that he fits the pattern of rejecting God anticipated by Deuteronomy. To David the LORD says, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever” (1 Sam. 7:16). David’s house includes Solomon, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Josiah, and the other kings of Judah. And though his dynasty appears to come to an end in the sixth century B.C. with the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its inhabitants, hope lives on in the fate of King Jehoiachin (2 Kgs. 25:27-30), in Zerubbabel (Hag. 1:12, 14; Zech. 4:6-7). For Jews this hope remained alive in the Messianic expectations, and Christians see David’s dynasty as extending to the kingdom of Christ, who “will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

Titus 2:11-3:8a

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

15 Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.

Maintain Good Deeds

3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is sure. (Titus 2:11-3:8a, NRSV)

Much of Paul’s instruction to Titus in Titus, chapter two, is about what to teach. Before his exhortation to “declare these things, exhort and reprove with all authority” (Tit. 2:15), he provides a theological basis for such living in “the grace of God” which “has appeared, bringing salvation to all” (v. 11). The people are “to renounce impiety and worldly passions,” but “to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly” (v. 12). Due to Christ’s redemption of us “from all iniquity” (v. 14), we may “wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (v. 13).

As the reading continues in chapter three, I will repeat comments here from Saturday, February 12, 2005::

William Barclay finds “six qualifications for the good citizen” in Titus 3:1-2: The good citizen is (1) law-abiding, (2) active in service, (3) careful in speech, (4) tolerant, (5) kind, (6) gentle (Titus, The Daily Study Bible, 296-7). “Qualities like these arm only possible for the Christian,” says Barclay, “for they are only possible for the man in whose heart Christ reigns supreme. The welfare of any community depends on the acceptance by the Christians within it of the duty of demonstrating to all the world the nobility of Christian citizenship” (297-298). Paul directs Titus to remind the people of Crete that they were once like their non-Christian neighbors, “foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures” and so forth (Tit. 3:3). But God has “saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (v. 5). Barclay lists seven “outstanding facts about the work of Christ for men [and women]” in this passage (vv. 3-7):

(1) What Jesus did for us is that he put us in a new relationship with God.

(2) This love and grace of God are gifts which no man could ever have earned or achieved; they can only be accepted in perfect trust and awakened love.

(3) This love and grace of God are mediated . . . through the church.

(4) . . . but the essential power behind it all is the power of the Holy Spirit.

(5) The effect of all this is threefold. It brings forgiveness for past sins.

(6) But the effect . . . is also present life.

(7) And lastly, there enters into life the hope of greater things. . . . The Christian is the man [or woman] who knows the wonder of past sin forgiven, the thrill of present life lived with Christ, and the hope of the greater life which is yet to be. (299-302)

After a reminder that believers should “be careful to devote themselves to good works” (v. 8) and a warning against opponents (vv. 9-11), Paul turns to his concluding travel plans and instructions and greetings, with which he closes the letter.

Luke 1:39-48a (48b-56)

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. (Luke 1:39-48a, NRSV)

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. (Luke 1:48b-56, NRSV)

In the reading from Luke, Mary comes to visit Elizabeth and is greeted by a blessing. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk. 1:42). When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, “the child in my womb leaped for joy” (v. 44). She concludes by summing up Mary’s response to Gabriel. “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord” (v. 45). The reading continues with the opening lines of the “Magnificat”:

            My soul magnifies [magnificat, first in Latin word order] the Lord,

               and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

            for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. (Lk. 1:46-48a NRSV)

This reading from Luke was used by the Presbyterians yesterday, with the option of completing the Magnificat (through v. 55) and concluding with verse 56. Since both traditions come together on Christmas Eve, moving on to the “Benedictus,” we might point out here that Mary’s “Magnificat” has been compared to Hannah’s prayer (1 Sam. 2:1-10), which has been called a community song of thanksgiving.

            He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

               and lifted up the lowly;

            he has filled the hungry with good things,

               and sent the rich away empty. (Lk. 1:52-53 NRSV)

            The bows of the mighty are broken,

               but the feeble gird on strength.

            Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

               but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. (1 Sam. 2:4, 5a,b NRSV)

Comments are repeated here with supplement and adaptation from Thursday, December 23, 2004 (where the reading stopped with Lk. 1:48, but with an optional continuation–parenthetical reference–through v. 56, thus finishing the Magnificat).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com