David is Not Allowed to Build the Temple
To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.
To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.
Introduction
Last week we talked about David moving God’s Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and how we can boldly worship God by following his instructions. Take some time to discuss how everyone applied this in their lives this week.
After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.
Connect
- How do you react when things don’t go according to plan? Why do you think this is your reaction?
- When someone makes you a promise, what factors affect your ability to trust they’ll keep their word?
- If you feel comfortable sharing, what in your life caused you to feel this way?
Opening Thought
People make plans every day, from what we want to do on the weekend or what shirt to wear or what do I want for dinner. Sometimes this plan-making isn’t really that big of a deal, but other times we can try to make our own plans for our life when God is trying to tell us something different. This can cause tension in our relationship with God and . Through this week’s story of David and his desire to build God a temple, we can see that God’s plans are not always the same as ours and that is a good thing.
This leads us to our main idea for this week:
Main idea for the week
We should rely on God’s vision for our lives more than our own plans
The Story so Far
David is now the second king over all of Israel and Judah, just like he was promised would happen by God. Now that David is king, he wanted to bring the ark of the covenant into the center of his capital city of Jerusalem so that the physical sign of God was once again at the center of the Israelite people. The journey to bring the Ark of the Covenant was more difficult than originally intended by David, but when it finally arrived David showed that he worships the Lord humbly and freely by dancing before the Ark as it came into the city. This was not only a sign to the people of Israel but to other nations that David follows God and God is with the people of Israel.
Here’s where we are this week
Now that David is king, he tells the prophet Nathan that he wants to build a temple so that the Ark of the Covenant, or the dwelling place of God, wasn’t just in a tent. At first, Nathan approves of the idea until God talks to him in a dream. God then instructs David not to build a temple, because God said he doesn’t need it. Instead, God will build a house (meaning a royal dynasty) from David’s offspring that will last forever.
Unpack
*Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:
Read
1 Chronicles 17:1-6
1 Chronicles 17:7-15
1 Chronicles 17:16-20
Unpack
- Why do you think David wanted to build God a temple?
- Why didn’t God want David to build him a “house to dwell in”? What point do you think God was trying to make?
- What do you think God meant when he said he would build a house for David?
- Who do you think God was referring to?
- How does knowing Jesus was God’s ultimate plan of redemption help us trust God’s plans for our lives?
- How was this a better plan than David’s hope of building a temple?
- Who do you think God was referring to?
- What was David’s response to Nathan’s vision from God?
- How do you normally react to God moving your life in a different direction than you planned to go? Why do you think that is?
- How often do you seek God’s will when you make plans in your life?
- How would this change your perspective on what to put your confidence in? What positive things have come out of God’s plan being different than your own?
Read
1 Chronicles 17:25-27
1 Chronicles 22:5-13
Unpack
- What do you think made David trust in God’s plan and promise to establish David’s dynasty?
- Why do you think that David made all the preparations for the temple if he trusted that God would keep his promise?
- Do you think God ever wanted a temple to be built, or do you think he simply made a concession for the people of Israel?
- If you feel comfortable sharing, when is a time that you have tried to take control of God’s plan for your life? What happened in that situation?
- What do you think would have happened if you hadn’t tried to intervene?
Apply
Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:
- What steps will you take this week to be more confident you are following God’s plan? What is one situation in your life you will prayerfully seek God’s direction for this week?
- What is one way you will choose to let God work in your life this week, without getting in the way?
- How will we as a group support each other in our attempt to seek and trust God’s plan for our lives this week?
Closing
Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section:
When God shows us his direction for our lives, it can be difficult to trust and believe that his way is better than ours. We can see the needs and goals we have right in front of us, but God has a much fuller understanding of our needs and where he knows we should go in our lives. We should trust in God’s good plan for our lives and be faithful to follow it so we can dwell in the future he has for us.
**Join us next week as we go through the wisdom book of Ecclesiastes.
Prayer and Verses
Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.
Thematic Reflection Verse
*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.
1 John 3:2
“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”
**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.
Daily Devotional Verses
Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.
Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well.
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read?
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read?
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.
Day 1: 2 Samuel 7:1-17
Day 2: 2 Samuel 7:18-29
Day 3: Isaiah 40:31
Day 4: Proverbs 3:5
Day 5: Philippians 1:6
Day 6: Psalm 33:11