FOR CONTINUITY, NOT COMPETITION

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Reference text: 2 Samuel 7:4-16

Through the prophet Nathan, God speaks to David with a clear blueprint about the life of his own son. Interestingly, God seems to have transposed into the life of David’s son the very offer David himself made- to build a temple. For anyone without an idea about the relationship between God and David, we would expect a heart of anger and greed to take root in his heart.

But we get nothing like that as in the later days of His life, we see David tell Solomon

"I am going where every man on earth must some day go. I am counting on you to be a strong and worthy successor. Obey the laws of God and follow all his ways; keep each of his commands written in the law of Moses so that you will prosper in everything you do, wherever you turn (1 kings 2:2-3)

We realise that as much as God thought well about David’s offspring (who before conception was already known), about David himself God had said: ‘I have found David my servant, a man after my own heart’. In addition, before revealing anything, God told him ‘when you have fulfilled your days, then I will raise your son after you.

Therefore, it was not the jealousy of David that God was interested in, it was his heart as a father. He wanted the heart that will groom and prepare his son to stand in the full measure of God’s expectation for him. This is where we miss it

‘For what God desires in kingdom matters is not competition, but continuity -and that is why mantles are passed on.

#sly