The Divine Response: its Righteousness and Riches
W. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 17:10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all your enemies… 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 the 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 often intervene, and the result is not ascribable to anything but the limitation of our faculties. Our righteous God accepts, approves, honours, not indeed barren and Worthless sentiment, but an earnest desire and honest intention to please and serve him. This 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." The house which David wished to build was one of stone and wood, of silver and 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 a kind and character which in its nature 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 the 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 10:28-30. 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 trust with the indwelling of his own Divine Spirit; (4) to our faithfulness during the brief period of time with everlasting glory. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house. WEB: and from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that Yahweh will build you a house.