When God Says No

Introduction

A. Most of us like to be trusted. In fact, we probably consider ourselves worthy of the trust of others. We like to think of ourselves as people who will do what we say we will; that we are people who care through with tasks; that we give our best. We like to be trusted on the job, in our homes, and in our relationships. ILL. “Trust.” Have you ever thought about trusting God in the same way that you like to be trusted? When our children are growing up, they ask us to trust them. They want us to trust them with how they manage time, the friends they choose, and their activities. But at the same time, we ask our children to trust us. Because there are some things that we know by experience better than they, we ask them to trust us to do what is right for them. We are like children to God. We ask him to trust us with time, choices, and activities. And God asks that we trust him. That there are times in which he may step in and because he knows so much more than we do, he will intervene and do what is right for us. In those times, he asks us to trust him. We ask our children to trust us and while they may do as we say, it may be done grudgingly. And when God asks us to trust him, maybe we do so grudgingly? Tonight we are going to look at what it means to trust God not grudgingly but willingly.

David’s Dream

A. David is living in the lap of luxury. He is king of Israel. He is living in a fine palace. There is peace in the land. His enemies have left him alone for the time being. Notice in 7:1 that God is responsible. He is the one who has brought an end to the wars at least for the time being. David is beginning to feel that he has something which God doesn’t have. With all good motives and every good intention, David speaks to Nathan about building God a house. If he can have a beautiful palace, it only seems right that God have one as well. Nathan gives David permission to go forward with his dream. But that very night, God interrupts Nathan’s dreams to tell him that he doesn’t want David to build a house for him. Instead, God is going to build a house for David. And God’s house has nothing to do with the palace. God will get a house but it will come from David’s offspring not from David himself.

B. We are told in 1 Chronicles 22 that David is told that he will not be allowed to build God’s house because he has too much blood on his hands. But in this text no reason is given for God’s refusal to allow David to build God’s house. Instead the rest of the text deals with God’s promises to David about his house will rule for generation to generation. And then the latter part of the chapter is David’s praise toward God for his promises and for his love. So what are the lessons for us in this text. I think there are at least two.

Lessons

A. First, man’s desires and God’s desires are not always the same thing. David wants to build God a house. There is nothing in the text to suggest that his motivation isn’t right. Yet, God stops him. Why? Doesn’t David just want to honor God? If the motivation is right shouldn’t we do whatever we want to do to express ourselves? Obviously not. God says in 7:7 that he has never asked for a house (permanent residence) and implies that he easily could have if he wanted one. We shouldn’t assume that God never wanted a house built for him, but the point is that it is God’s prerogative to have the house built when he wants it built not when someone else wants to build it. Man’s desires and God’s desires are not always compatible. There are times that we make the erroneous leap that if our motives are right and we believe it will honor God then we ought to do it. If we want to honor God this way, then he will be pleased with it. 2 Samuel 7 teaches that such is not the case.

1. Notice that Nathan did not inquire of God. He accepted David’s heart and motives as validation enough. While our hearts and motives must be right in order to honor God, these are not the means by which we judge the rightness of an act. We must either follow God’s explicit command or we must wait for him to show us the direction to go.

2. Jumping ahead of God is spiritually presumptuous. Can we learn to trust him? Trusting God means waiting for him to show us where he wants to go. Sometimes we jump into the middle of something without inquiring of God or if we ask not waiting for an answer. We don’t always give our children immediate answers. We may want to consider possibilities; we may want to teach our children the value of waiting; maybe we want to make sure that our children know to trust us.

3. Don’t you think God is capable of the same thing? He doesn’t have to ponder the possibilities but he does want us to learn how to trust him and to wait for him. David didn’t wait on God. He acted without inquiring of God. And God stepped in to stop his dream.

B. Second, notice David’s reaction to God’s intervention. He didn’t get mad at God. He didn’t fuss about the decision. Notice in verse 18 he not only accepts the decision but praises God for it. This is evidence of trust. David admits the truth about God and in doing so learns to trust him even more. What is the truth about God? He is sovereign. He knows what is best. He knows about the possibilities. He knows what is going to happen before it does. He knows that David’s son will build his house before David even desired to build one. The truth is that when God says “no” to a dream, it is because he knows what is best for us. Instead of being upset with him, we need to praise him for his faithfulness and love for us to provide exactly what we need.

C. Notice in verses 10–11 that God has been providing exactly what Israel needed and bringing it about as the time was right. That’s what it means to be sovereign. Can we trust God the way we ask our children to trust us? Can we thank God for saying no at times? The chapter begins with David’s plans and the chapter ends with the praise of God. That alone is significant. In recent weeks we have been reminded that this life is not about what we desire but about God and what he has planned. One of our tasks is to discover his purposes. One of our tasks is to be patient and listen to him and to wait for his leading. There is nothing mysterious about this.

D. Consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed asking for God to reveal his final and ultimate direction. Didn’t God do that? And Jesus praised him by his death? Consider Paul who wanted to go northward to preach and was turned to the west instead. God revealed his ultimate intent and Paul praised him for his direction. Trusting God means to patiently wait for him to lead us and then to praise him for his sovereignty. Let’s not jump ahead of God. He is aware of all the possibilities and he knows what is best. Prayer.

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