1. David & the Temple 1 Chronicles 17
David’s intent, and Nathan’s endorsement (1-2)
God’s correction of Nathan (3-15)
Solomon, not David would build the temple.
David’s acceptance of God’s will in the matter (23-24)
David’s explanation
(1 Chronicles 28:1-7), “Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the officers of the tribes and the captains of the divisions who served the king, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials, the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor. 2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 However the Lord God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler. And of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel. 5 And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 Now He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.”

2. Why did Nathan endorse David’s plan to build the temple?
David was a good king
1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 101
Declared by Samuel to be a man after God’s heart
(1 Samuel 13:14), [Samuel to the flawed King Saul], “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
The Self-declaration of a king determined to be righteous before God
(Psalm 101), “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. 2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. 8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.”

3. Why did Nathan endorse David’s plan to build the temple?
David was a good king
1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 101
David’s motivation was pure
1 Chronicles 17:1-2
No doubting his sincerity in wanting to do this for the Lord
(1 Chronicles 17:1-2), “Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.” 2 Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

4. Why did Nathan endorse David’s plan to build the temple?
David was a good king
1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 101
David’s motivation was pure
1 Chronicles 17:1-2,
A temple would benefit the people
Isaiah 56:7; 1 Kings 9:3
A House of Prayer for all the People
(Isaiah 56:7), “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
A fitting House for the Lord
(1 Kings 9:3), “And the Lord said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”

5. Why was Nathan’s endorsement a Mistake?
He was presumptuous!
1 Chronicles 17:2; Leviticus 10:1-2
David’s will was not God’s will
1 Chronicles 28:2-3; Jeremiah 10:23
God said otherwise!
Matthew 15:7-9; Revelation 22:18-19
(1 Chronicles 17:2), “Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
The Lord, in fact, was not “with” David in his desire to build the Temple.
Presumption always leads to sin!
(Leviticus 10:1-2), “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”
God didn’t want what David thought He wanted!
(1 Chronicles 28:2-3), “Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.”
(Jeremiah 10:23), “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”
It is always wrong to do what YOU want to do rather than what God says to do!
God said he didn’t want David to build the temple
(1 Chronicles 28:3), “But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.”
(Matthew 15:7-9), “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
(Revelation 22:18-19), “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

6. David pleased God because he Heard and Obeyed Him!
Conclusion
David pleased God because he Heard and Obeyed Him!
If David had determined to build the temple, not heeding God’s denial of permission, He would not have pleased God.
Lessons here:
We can’t know God’s will unless He tells us.
It is a mistake to presume that God wants what we want.
We are bound to God’s will rather than our own!