Passing the Torch

1 Chronicles 22-28

Seek God and ask Him what He wants you to be doing, then commit to follow Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind. Do not fear or worry, and do not get discouraged. Then, bring the next generation along and teach them to do the same.

David, like Moses before him, received the plans for God’s house, and was told how to set up the government. But it was not in God’s plan for him to build the Temple or live out the plans God had for it. This job was for his son, Solomon. David lived out his purpose and taught his son to do the same, relying on God until the very end.

David Makes Plans for the Temple -1 Chronicles 22

After David conquered Jerusalem, he built his own home and brought the ark there. But he felt guilty that he had a safe, stable home when the ark of God was in a portable tent. So, he decided to build God a house. But the Lord didn’t want David to build it because he was a man of war. He had served a great purpose by ridding Israel of her enemies, but God wanted a man of peace to build His house. So, He told David that he would have a son who was a man of rest, and he would be the one to build His Temple. His name would be Solomon, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning peace. God would give him the kingdom after David died, and He would also give Israel peace and rest from all her enemies, at that time. (2 Samuel 7).

David was old and assumed he wouldn’t live much longer when God revealed the location of the Temple to him. But Solomon was still young and inexperienced and building the Temple was a big, highly important job. So, David began making plans and preparations to make the job easier for his son. First, he recruited the foreigners who lived in Israel as masons to prepare the stones for the project. Then, he started gathering supplies like bronze and iron for nails and clamps, and he ordered large amounts of cedar from Sidon and Tyre. These were highly wooded areas in modern-day Lebanon that provided much of the cedar for building in those days.

Then, David told Solomon that he had wanted to build the Temple, but that God wanted him to do it instead. He encouraged his son saying that God would be with him and help him complete this project. He told him to be strong and courageous, and to carefully follow the commands of Moses so that he would be a successful king. Then, he began telling his son about the preparations he had been making for the Temple. Through plunder of war and other means, he had gathered 3,750 tons of gold and 37,500 tons of silver for the project. He also had more bronze, iron, timber, and stone than he could weigh or measure. This was a good start although Solomon would need to add to it because it was a big project. Solomon would also have an abundance of stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and various other craftsmen who were skilled in building and creating what was needed.

David also charged Israel’s leaders with the task saying that God had given them peace and He would be with them. Then, he commanded them to set their hearts and minds on God and work to build a house for the ark and the rest of the holy things of the Lord.