2 Samuel 7 is a well-known chapter: it is one of the most significant in the Old Testament. King David has reached the pinnacle of his life and his love for God has reached its highest point. It suddenly comes into his mind that he should build a Temple for the Lord where He can be worshipped permanently.

The prophet Nathan tells him to go ahead, “do all that is in your heart” (verse 3), but “the same night the word of the LORD comes to Nathan” (verse 4) and he is to tell David “I [God] have been with you wherever you went and have cut off your enemies from before you. And will make of you a great name …” (verse 9). Then there is a remarkable promise. “Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled … I will raise up your offspring after you … and I will establish his kingdom … and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (verses 11-13). There is a short term and a long term promise in these words from God. Solomon fulfils the short term promise of a son (who builds the physical house, the Temple in Jerusalem).

David is overwhelmed by the long term vision. He “went in and sat before the LORD and says, ‘Who am I , O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come … you have brought about this greatness, to make your servant know it’” (verses 19,21).

Note that the first words in the Gospel of Matthew are, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David …”. As with David, God was with the Lord Jesus wherever he went. Remember his personal prayer, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me …” (John 11:41,42). Those who belong to Christ and live with that realization have the same blessing, “so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9), and He will be with us wherever we go! Would that make us sometimes, maybe often, feel uncomfortable in the things we think, say and do? Let’s develop a really positive attitude every day, so that we truly “live through him”.

The Greek word translated “through” has no direct English equivalent, but it occurs in our chapter in Matthew. It is translated as “sake”, but look at the context. “There will be great tribulation … and if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved, But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” (24:21,22). This means that because there still exists a faithful remnant God will act, and then “as the lightning comes … so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (verse 27). May we truly “live through him” realizing the “great while to come” is almost upon us.