Emily Stuart: Dwelling

~Other~

In modern culture, a house is simply the dwelling place of a family or a small group of people. It can be made of brick, stone, or wood, but all in all it is a place of physical residence. However, when the word ‘house’ is used in 2 Samuel 7:1-16 it is meant to be much more than a simple shelter that protects from the wind and rain. The Hebrew word, ‘,’ used several times though out the passage, has a double meaning (Westminster Leningrad Codex). When David says, “See now, I dwell in the house (יוֹשֵׁ֖ב) of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent,” ‘יוֹשֵׁ֖ב,’ literally means that of a structure in which one lives (2 Samuel 7: 2). However, when Nathan later speaks the word ‘יוֹשֵׁ֖ב,’ saying, “Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house (יוֹשֵׁ֖ב)” it is meant to be dynasty—a line of royal hereditary rulers of Israel directly leading to the Messiah (2 Sam 7:13). The word play on the Hebrew word ‘יוֹשֵׁ֖ב’ is meant to not only employ David’s future generations, more specifically Solomon, into building a new tabernacle for the Lord’s presence to dwell in, but also deliver a Messianic promise.

            As we talked about early in this class, the act of dwelling is very important to our relationship with our place, our topos. The habitat, or the place of dwelling, must be compatible with the habitus, or the way we dwell in our chora, with rituals, myths, etc. Heidegger, in his Origin of the work of Art, says “the manner in which we humans are on the earth, is Buan, dwelling. To be a human being means to be on the earth as a mortal. It means to dwell” (147).  Therefore, the 2 Samuel 7 passage is not only telling David, and the Israelites, that they will be gaining a habitat to reside in forever, but also a new habitus; an honoring, worshiping, and believing in the messiah that is to come in the form of a mortal man to fulfill the laws of Yahweh.

            From a Christian perspective, God rejects David’s idea of a new temple to prepare the way for his Son, Jesus Christ. The Lord, using the mouthpiece of Nathan the prophet, declares the word play of dwelling place/dynasty, and seed/son with the motive of proclaiming the work of His redeeming plan. God promises, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Jesus Christ was to build the gospel temple, a house for God's name, and the spiritual temple of true believers: a habitation of God through the Spirit.  The establishing of His house, His throne, and His kingdom forever can be applied to none other than Christ and His kingdom. The committing of iniquity stated in 2 Samuel 7:14-15 cannot be applied to the Messiah himself, but to his spiritual seed; true believers have infirmities, for which they must expect to be corrected, though they are not cast off. 2 Samuel 7:1-16 promises a Son of David that will establish the ‘house’ of the Lord forever in the physical world and the hearts of men. This allows the habitus to be drawn from the habitat, creating a partnership with the promised dwelling place, and the promised messiah. Therefore, the habitat will not become scenery when the New Jerusalem extends down to this earth and Jesus comes back because He will make all things new, including our relationship with the world.  Our topos will become our chora.