David’s Plans for the Temple – 1 CHRONICLES 28
v1 David told all the officials of Israel to come to Jerusalem. All the leaders of the tribes and of the 12 groups that served the king came to him. Also, there were the officers who were over groups of 1,000 or 100 men. Also, there were the men who were responsible for all the property and animals of the king and his sons. And the king’s officials, the powerful men and all the brave soldiers were there.
v2 King David stood up and he spoke to them all. He said, ‘Listen to me, my relatives and my people. In my heart and mind, I wanted to build a temple. It would be a place to keep the ark of the LORD’s special promise. This temple was to be a place for our God to rest his feet. And I made plans to build it. v3 However, God said to me, “You shall not build a temple for my name. You must not build it because you are a soldier. And you have killed many people.”
v4 But the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family. He made me to be king over Israel for all time. He chose Judah as leader. And from the tribe of Judah, he chose my father’s family. And from my father’s sons, he took delight in me. He made me king over all Israel. v5 The LORD has given to me many sons. And from those sons he has chosen Solomon. He will sit on the throne of the LORD’s kingdom and he will rule over Israel. v6 The LORD said to me, “Your son Solomon will build my temple and the yards that will surround it. I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. v7 But he must continue to obey my laws and commands, as now. If he does this then I will make his kingdom strong for all time.”
v8 Now I say this to you in the sight of all Israel, the people of the LORD. And God is listening to what I say. Be careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God. Then you will possess this good land. And you will leave it to your children after you for all time.
v9 My son Solomon, know the God whom your father serves. Serve God with all your heart and mind. Love him and obey him willingly. The LORD sees what is in our hearts. He knows every thought that is in our minds. If you look for him, you will find him. But if you turn from him, he will always refuse you. v10 Now be careful, because the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as his holy place. Be strong and do the work.’
v11 Then David gave to his son Solomon the plans of the temple. There were the plans of the entrances and all the buildings. There were plans for the rooms for stores and valuable things. There were plans for the upper rooms and the inner rooms. And there were the plans for the most holy place where God would forgive sins. v12 He gave to Solomon all the plans that the Spirit had given to him. There were the plans for the yards at the LORD’s temple and all the surrounding rooms. These included rooms for the valuable things of the temple and the valuable gifts from the people.
v13 David gave Solomon instructions about the groups of priests and Levites. He told him about all the work that they would do in the LORD’s temple. Also, he spoke about all the objects that they would use in the service there. v14 He said how much gold to use for each gold object. He said how much silver to use for the silver objects. v15 He told his son the weight in gold for each gold lamp and its base. He told him how much silver to use for each silver lamp and its base. (Whether the lamps were gold or silver would depend on their use.) v16 He told him how much gold to use for each table on which to place the holy bread. And he told him how much silver to use for the silver tables.
v17 He told him how much pure gold to use to make the forks, bowls and jugs. He told him how much gold to use for each gold dish. He told him how much silver to use to make each silver dish. v18 And he told him how much pure gold to use to make the altar for incense. Also, he gave Solomon the plans for the gold chariot of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the ark of the LORD’s special promise.
v19 David said, ‘I wrote all this as the LORD guided me. He caused me to understand all the details of the plan.’ v20 David also said to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong and brave. And do the work. Do not be afraid. Do not allow anything to scare you, because the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not disappoint you. He will not leave you. He will be with you until you have finished all the work for the LORD’s temple. v21 The groups of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work of God’s temple. Every willing person who has skills in any trade will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will do what you tell them to do.’
COMMENTARY
VERSE 1
All this happened in the last year of David’s rule. It was in 970 BC. All the leaders of the people and of the army came to David. All his officials were there.
VERSES 2-3
David was now quite old and weak (1 Kings 1:47). But he made the effort to stand up when he spoke to the people there. The desire of David’s heart was to build a temple for the LORD. The temple would be a more permanent place for the ark of God’s special promise. The ark was at that time in the tent that David had made for it in Jerusalem (16:1). The temple would be the place where God would rest his feet. This refers to the gold cover over the ark. God’s seat was between the cherubim, which were at the two ends of the ark. This was where the cloud of God’s glory came. It was here that God met with Moses.
David had made the plans for the temple. He had provided all the materials for the work to begin. But the LORD would not let him do it. David was a man of war and this task was for a man of peace. In other words, God wanted a peaceful king (and not a soldier) to build the temple.
VERSES 4-7
God chose the tribe of Judah. From that tribe, God chose the family of Jesse. From the family of Jesse, God chose David (1 Samuel 16:10-12). God made David king over Israel. From the many sons of David, God chose Solomon to be the next king of Israel. None of this was the result of David’s skill or choice. It was all God’s plan.
God chose David to be king for all time. Of course, David would not live for all time, but one of his descendants would always be king. Both Mary and Joseph had David as their ancestor (Luke 3:23-31 and Matthew 1:6-16). Jesus the Son of God is sometimes called King David’s greater son. That is because he is both a descendant of David, and David’s Lord (Psalm 110:1; Mark 12:35-37). And Jesus’ kingdom shall never end (Isaiah 9:7). This kingdom includes all who accept Jesus as king.
Solomon was the LORD’s choice and he would rule over Israel. Therefore, the Israelites had to accept him as their king. They had to serve him and they had to obey him. But Solomon had to serve God and he had to obey God.
Solomon started well but later he did not obey the LORD. God made Solomon’s kingdom strong while he lived. But later it became weak because of his sin and the people’s sin. God chose Solomon to build the temple. And God promised to help him as a father helps his son.
VERSE 8
David gave a serious appeal to the people who were present. The witnesses to what he said were the LORD and His people. He told them that they must obey the law of the LORD. This was essential to the future of the nation. The LORD gave to them the country called Israel as long as they obeyed him. If they did not obey the LORD then he would force them out of that country. But if they did obey the LORD, the country would pass to their descendants.
VERSES 9-10
David gave good advice to his son. Solomon needed to know God with all his inner person. David told Solomon to serve the LORD with all his heart and mind. This is good advice for us and for all people. Jesus said, ‘Love God with your whole person – all of your heart, all of your inner person and all of your mind’ (Matthew 22:37).
The LORD knows each person. He knows their thoughts and desires. Nobody can hide anything from the LORD. All people are like open books to him. But the LORD will let them find him if they look for him. So, David told his son to look for the LORD. If Solomon looks for the LORD, he will find him.
David warned his son not to turn away from the LORD. If a person turns away from the LORD, the LORD will turn away from that person. The LORD chose Solomon to build the temple. Therefore, Solomon must be strong and he must do the work.
VERSES 11-18
David gave to Solomon the plans for the temple and its rooms. He had received these plans from the Holy Spirit and now he gave them to his son. Then he described to Solomon the work of the priests and Levites. Also, David gave to him the details of all the things that Solomon had to make for the temple. He said how much gold to use to make the gold things. And he told him how much silver to use to make the silver things.
In the LORD’s tent, there had been only one table for the holy bread. In the temple, there would be 10 such tables. These would be 10 gold tables. There would be other silver tables but these would not be for the holy bread.
The gold chariot of the cherubim was probably not the cherubim at the ends of the ark. Those two smaller cherubim were already on the ark. In Psalm 18:10 the LORD rode on the cherubim. Ezekiel saw 4 cherubim and the throne of God was above them. The 4 cherubim and the 4 wheels moved as the chariot of God (Ezekiel chapter 1).
In the inner temple, there would be a pair of large cherubim. The workers would make them out of wood and then they would cover them with gold. The cherubim would be about 15 feet high. Their wings would reach about 30 feet across the room. They would touch each other in the middle. And each of them would touch the wall at the side. So, with their wings, they would make a shelter over the most holy place. They would cover that room, which contained the ark of the LORD’s special promise (2 Chronicles 3:10-13). Their purpose was to show that the LORD was there. The LORD sits on his throne between the cherubim (Psalm 99:1).
VERSE 19
The LORD showed to David the plan of the temple. David did not design any part of it. God gave him all the details and David wrote them down.
VERSES 20-21
David’s final advice to his son was that he should be strong. He should have courage because the LORD will not fail. Solomon should have no fear because the LORD is with him. The LORD has given to Solomon the task to build the temple. The LORD will be with Solomon until he has completed the temple. And with the help of the LORD, he will succeed.
David had organized the groups of the priests and Levites. They were ready to do their work in the temple. He had arranged already for the workers who would build the temple. The people and the officials would all do what Solomon told them to do. They were ready to build the temple for their LORD.
So, David encouraged his son to do the work. He gave Solomon confidence to trust in the LORD. He had done all that he could do in order to prepare Solomon for the task. He had provided all the materials that Solomon would need.
|
|
