Are We Better than They – Not at All

David had recently finished building a house for himself. “The Lord had given him rest from his enemies all around.” He told Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.” Nathan encouraged him. [1]

However, that night the Word of the Lord came to Nathan. Think about that! How many of us have desired that somebody higher up the leadership chain than us would come to us? When God’s Word comes to you or me that is JESUS, King of kings and Lord of lords coming to us. Jesus is the Word of God. “For You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name.” [2] So, as you read Scripture, as a verse comes to your mind, or as you hear someone quote it, you just had the highest of all highest come to you. That’s pretty awesome!

“It happened that night that the Word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ‘Go and tell My servant David, thus says the Lord...’” [3] God spoke to Nathan. God gave Nathan a word to share with someone else. What a wonderful gift! What a blessing!

Part of God’s Word to David was a reminder of who is providing for who. “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.” God conquered his enemies. God made David’s name great. God made him king. Was David going to house God? [4]

Not to minimize those who build and sustain houses of worship for God. I thank God for people who give to local churches to ensure that their community has a lighthouse from God. But let us always give the glory to GOD.

God’s servant Nathan had a prophetic word for David. A descendant of his would have an everlasting kingdom. The Lord said, “I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son.” [5] In the Gospels, Jesus continuously speaks of Himself as God’s Son and of God as His Father. In doing so, Jesus was declaring Himself to be the fulfillment of Nathan’s prophetic word.

David said to the Lord, “For Your Word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.” “You are great, O Lord God. There is none like You. There no God besides You.” “Let Your Name be magnified forever!” “You are God, and Your Words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.” [6]

David believed God’s Word. Therefore, he had joy to praise and serve Him. He knew that God was the source of blessing so he prayed to God often. He wrote, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” [7]

David loved the Word of the Lord because it fed his soul peace. “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His Word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” [8]

David’s son, Solomon also gloried in God’s Word. He wrote, “Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.” [9]

The Lord helped Sherry and me set good priorities for our marriage early on via His Word. “Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches — feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the Name of my God.” [10] Through His Word, He has kept us chasing after Him rather than after the wind.

God made David great through His Word. Paul asks us a question. “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.” [11]

The Jews got God’s Word! What a blessing! They did not earn or deserve it, just as we don’t. It is a gift that God speaks to us through His Word. God speaks to and through broken people so that the listeners will know that the power is of God and not of the person.

Paul asks his readers, “ What then? Are we [Christians] better than they [the Jews]? Not at all. ...all are under sin.” “There is none righteous, no, not one.” “All are unprofitable.” [12]

There is one source of righteousness for all humanity: GOD. The righteousness of God is imputed and imparted to us through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the propitiator of our sin by His blood. God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Where is boasting then? Only in God via faith in Jesus Christ! Wisdom is of God, righteousness is of God, profitableness is of God, salvation is of God, and eternal life is of God. Not of us! To God be all glory! [13]

[1] 2 Samuel 7:1-3
[2] Psalm 138:2
[3] 2 Samuel 7:4-5
[4] 2 Samuel 7:6-11
[5] 2 Samuel 7:12-14
[6] 2 Samuel 7:21-23, 26, 28
[7] Psalm 55:16-17, 22
[8] Psalm 56:3-4
[9] Proverbs 30:5
[10] Proverbs 30:7-9
[11] Romans 3:1-2
[12] Romans 3:9-10, 12
[13] Romans 3:22-26