REDIRECTED NOT REJECTEDSample

David is who we would be examining next, who had a specific request that God seemed to have turned down; are you ready?

So the Bible said God had raised him to be king over Israel, but he was a warrior king, a victorious soldier, and in His love and appreciation for God, he decided he wanted to build a temple for God. The Prophet Nathan had thought it was a good idea, but God visited the prophet that evening.

Again, what many teachers have called a “No” was an “Instead”. As God reminded Him of the grace with which He had raised him up, not once scolding or rebuking Him, but goes on to tell him of His future & Israel’s future. What David said about shedding blood and being unable to build the temple was in reference to him being a warrior king and Solomon being a king who, in peace, would carry out the role.

On the surface, it seemed God was only speaking of Solomon, but by the principle of double reference in Bible interpretation, we know now that God introduced David to the Christ here (Hebrews 1:5); the one who would build the house of God, that we believers all are. For the rest of the Chapter, David becomes excited and full of thanksgiving just like Paul because He sees His request in a new light. The “Instead” where the focus & favour of God was directed was that rather than producing the temple as he desired, he would produce the one that would produce the temple. Eventually, we would find that David became the one who provided both the material & spiritual knowledge/direction that his son Solomon would require in building the first temple—he was instrumental in its building.

That is not a No! It’s a different kind of Yes!! Only God can replace one’s desire with something far greater. This gesture is eternally remembered of him, and later God promises to raise again the “Tabernacle of David”—see! His house of God is permanently reckoned.

But many have their minds so set on what they want that often they count Divine redirection as losses & unanswered prayers, missing the bigger picture.