065. Chapter 60: Obedience Toward God
------------ CHAPTER SIXTY ------------ Obedience Toward God The word obedience is a derivative from a word which means "to hear" -- which is also true in the Greek and Hebrew languages. "To hear" frequently means "to obey," "to listen to a voice," "to be pleased with a command and to execute it."
Obedience is the willing subjection of God’s child to God, as Lord and Father in Christ, in order to comply with His commands. The Object and Subjects of Obedience The object is God. All that obligates us to obedience and all that can incite us thereto is to be found in God. He is the First, and the One who alone is majestic, glorious, and holy. He is the Creator from whom man originates and through whom he exists in his motions. He is the One who is worthy to be obeyed and the only lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. Every man is obligated toward obedience by virtue of the nature of God and of his own position relative to Him. That obligation is upon everyone and is acknowledged and subscribed to by everyone -- even by the heathen. God requires it from His people in Scripture. This is not so because God has need to be served by man‘s hands, but because He is worthy, human nature mandates it, and it constitutes the well-being and felicity of man. It is a manifestation of God‘s goodness that He wills something in reference to man, issues him a command, and wishes man to do something toward Him. On the other hand, if God reveals Himself to man and causes him to behold His perfections, man cannot but subject himself to God with delight. Man needs no other reason nor any other incentive for obedience except that God is God. God is to be viewed here both as Lord and as Father in Christ. As Lord, as possessor, and as the most eminent One, He was the object of Adam‘s obedience prior to the fall. After the fall, however, God is to be viewed not only as Lord to His people -- that is, Jehovah who is, who was, and who shall be -- but also as their Father in Christ, so that both reverence unto God as Lord and love to Him as Father coalesce. "Obey the voice of the Lord your God" (Jeremiah 26:13). The subjects are the children of God. Christ is involved in every aspect of the covenant of grace; hence everything must transpire by faith in Christ. God does not want to be served by His enemies -- even if it were in a manner becoming to Him. In order to serve God there must first be reconciliation, which alone is accomplished through Christ and applied by faith. That faith is active in serving God as a reconciled Father in filial love. The law is not a burden to God‘s children but a delight; it is not a condition of the covenant of works, but a loving rule to prevent error. The partakers of the covenant are here not to be viewed as slaves who, for fear of being beaten, are compelled to work, but as children whose delight it is to obey their Father. The unconverted do not know God in that relationship, and even if they do something which God commands, they do not do so in the manner enjoined and with the required objective. Furthermore, they have no desire to obey God; they are neither willing, nor do they engage themselves to do so. God reveals Himself to His children, however, as the One who is worthy to be obeyed. He grants them faith to come to Him through Christ, as children to their father. He gives them both filial love toward as well as fear for Him, so that they only are the suitable subjects to render obedience to the Lord. This obedience is therefore referred to as the obedience of faith (Romans 1:15), and believers are called obedient children (1 Peter 1:14). The Nature, Goal, and Manner of Obedience The nature of obedience consists in subjection to God. Man, by his very nature, has been placed in subjection to God. Adam acknowledged this subjection with delight and joyfully subjected himself to the Lord. However, after the fall man‘s nature is rebellious toward God. "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). However, the man who has been born again and has received a new nature, does not only know and acknowledge the fact that he is naturally subject to God, but he willingly subjects himself to God, renders himself available to Him for service, and says with David, "O Lord, truly I am Thy servant; I am Thy servant" (Psalms 116:16). He surrenders himself with his entire heart. "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Romans 6:17). This subjection consists:
(1) In an actual knowledge of, and being exercised with, the majesty and other perfections of God which are worthy of the rendering of obedience. The obedient person reflects upon them and continues to focus upon them with his thoughts. He thus acknowledges that God is truly worthy to be obeyed by all creatures.
(2) In delight and joy that God is worthy of all service and obedience. He cannot get enough of observing, acquiescing in, or rejoicing in this.
(3) In acknowledging the relationship in which all men are toward God as Creator and creature respectively, who in every respect -- without exception -- are dependent upon God. As far as the believer himself is concerned, he not only acknowledges the obligation which devolves upon him as creature, but he also views himself as being in a Father/child relationship in Christ. He thus lovingly perceives how becoming it is to obey this majestic Lord and benevolent Father, so that his affections are ardently inclined toward obedience.
(4) In an actual subjection, surrender, and offering of oneself to the service of the Lord. This is not an activity which subsides, but this act is repeated time and again, and is renewed on every occasion. He thus acquires a propensity and a submissive disposition, from which all actions proceed time and again -- and thus "his deeds ... are wrought in God" (John 3:21). The goal of submission is the carrying out of the Lord’s command. This sovereign Lord and Father in Christ also exercises chastisements toward His children which are distasteful to nature and are unpleasant when they are being inflicted. A child of God must not respond rebelliously to this; he must neither be sorrowful, murmur, stubbornly resist and harden himself against this, nor avoid the cross, and go astray by sinning. Rather, also in this respect he must have a pliable, submissive, and obedient heart, saying, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him" (Micah 7:9). We shall discuss this under the subject of patience; here our focus is upon submission in doing His will. The Lord is also King, the Lord is lawgiver, and the Lord makes His will known to His children. He teaches them His precepts, all of which are included in the ten commandments. It is His will that they walk according to this rule, without either deleting or adding something. These commandments contain all matters which are either to be performed or abstained from, the manner in which all these are to be adhered to, and the goal which is both the motive and the objective for the performance of or the abstinence from everything. There is no room here for human institutions or personal opinions. The obedient person commits Himself to the performance of these commandments. It is not sufficient for him to have an internal love and desire for this, but he also wants to perform them as commandments of the Lord, and because they are His commandments. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever. I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes alway. O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes! ... Teach me Thy statutes, etc" (Psalms 119:11
(1) A ready willingness of the heart. "My heart is fixed, [Note: The Statenvertaling reads as follows: "Mijn hart is bereid," that is, "My heart is ready."] O God, my heart is fixed"15 (Psalms 57:7); "So, as much as in me is, I am ready" (Romans 1:15).
(2) An offering of oneself for this work. "Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the Lord" (2 Chronicles 17:16); "Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:8).
(3) An asking for counsel if something needs to be done. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do" (Acts 9:6).
(4) A listening for an answer: "that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2); "I will hear what God the Lord will speak" (Psalms 85:8).
(5) The desire and the intent to do whatever is according to the Lord‘s wishes and is pleasing to Him. "Wherefore we labour, that we may be accepted of Him" (2 Corinthians 5:9).
(6) Immediately engaging in the duty which one knows that God presently commands. "I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments" (Psalms 119:60).
(7) Finding delight in and loving this duty. "Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight" (Psalms 119:35); "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments" (Psalms 112:1).
(8) Doing the work joyously. "I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. Thy statutes have been my songs ... for they are the rejoicing of my heart" (Psalms 119:14
(9) The zeal and ardor with which the duty is performed. "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4); "(Be) fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11).
(10) The fearless performance of the duty; that is, fearing neither the loss of honor, goods, relatives, nor life. "And many of the brethren ... speak the word without fear" (Php 1:14); "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13).
(11) Being courageous and bold in the performance of the duty. "For the Lord of hosts ... hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle. And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded" (Zechariah 10:3
(12) The steadfastness, determination, and commitment with which the work is performed. "Be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). A Convicting Question: are We Obedient Toward God?
We have thus held before you the nature of obedience. The truth is as a clear mirror to you, revealing whether you are obedient unto God. It is not necessary to prove to you that this is your duty. Man‘s nature teaches this sufficiently, the heathen will convince you, and God requires it in Scripture. "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me" (Exodus 19:5); "Only rebel not ye against the Lord" (Numbers 14:9); "Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do His commandments and His statutes, which I command thee this day" (Deuteronomy 27:10). Conclude this to be so and set yourself to it, saying, "I am under obligation and must be obedient to God." Then ask yourself, "Am I already obedient?" You will be able to answer yourself by reason of what has been said about the nature of obedience. An unconverted person is not obedient to God. He is also not capable of this for he does not know God, does not come unto God by faith, and his conduct is not motivated by obedience. Therefore, examine yourself attentively. Do you submit yourself to the Lord? Are you acquainted with the Lord‘s majesty and His worthiness to be obeyed? Do you know of conscious transactions with Christ as Surety and Mediator, thus to be reconciled with God by His suffering and death, and as a child to serve Him as a Father in filial love? Do you render yourself available to the Lord‘s service in all things -- doing so with a heartfelt willingness? And how do you fare relative to the performance of your duty? Is there consistency, tender carefulness, and zeal? Does all this manifest itself? If you wish to deal uprightly with yourself, you will perceive whether there is true obedience to be found with you. A Reprimand for the Disobedient
Give ear, all you who are disobedient; I will declare the word of the Lord to you. In order to do this more effectively, it is needful for me to first show who the disobedient are, since there is great diversity among them.
First, all of you who do not manifest the nature of obedience as delineated above, all your deeds, however good you may esteem them to be, are but apples of Sodom and grapes of Gomorrah. They are but splendid sins which have an appearance of being good -- however, not in truth.
Secondly, there are those who do not even want to hear the voice of the Lord. "Therefore they say unto God (if not in words, then with the heart and in deeds), Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him" (Job 21:14-15).
Thirdly, there are those who, while hearing, are not willing to be obedient. "And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them" (Ezekiel 33:31).
Fourthly, there are those who have intentions and make promises; however, it comes no further than this and nothing comes of it. "Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest" (Matthew 8:19); "He answered and said, I go, sir: and went not" (Matthew 21:30).
Fifthly, there are those who do something, but only as far as it is consistent with their interests -- no more than that. "When he (Herod) heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly" (Mark 6:20). Saul said, "I have performed the commandment of the Lord" (1 Samuel 15:13), but in the meantime he had destroyed that which was despicable and had kept the best for himself, the pretense being that he was going to sacrifice it to the Lord.
Sixthly, there are those who only comply in an external sense and make much ado about this. Such compliance, however, is void of internal obedience and faith in Christ. They intend to get to heaven by reason of that activity, and are as the Pharisees who cleanse the external, but allow the internal to remain unclean (Matthew 23:27). They are like graves which appear beautiful from the outside, but within are filled with stench and dead bones (Matthew 23:27).
Seventhly, there are those who reject obedience, are recalcitrant, rebel, and indulge in sin -- be it in secret or in open manifestation of ungodliness. "Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us" (Psalms 2:3); "Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you" (Deuteronomy 9:24); "For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. He runneth upon Him, even on His neck, upon the thick bosses of His bucklers" (Job 15:25-26).
Eighthly, there are those who are obedient to the devil, the world, and their own lusts. Whatever the devil wills, they do willingly. "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:26). Whatever the world dictates, they desire likewise. If the world dictates that one adhere to such and such a fashion, they comply immediately. If the world dictates that one use vain language, dance, gamble, and fornicate together with her, they willingly participate. If they are able to gain someone‘s favor, no sin is too gross. They fear nothing, except that the world were not to acknowledge them as belonging to her, were to despise them, and perceive them as one of those strict ones. "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). They yield, with delight and with all their heart, to whatever lust arises, and they are thus the servants of sin (Romans 6:17). "(They) do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness" (Romans 2:8).
I address the Word of the Lord to you and declare to you your abominable condition as well as the dreadful judgments which will come upon you. May it be a means to your conversion.
First, it is a most abominable condition, for it is a departing from God, a separating yourself from God, and an ignoring of God. Shall a creature, a worm of the dust, and one who is dependent in all things depart from God, the living God, the Fountain of Life, his Maker -- that God who is majestic, all-glorious, and most worthy of obedience? Shall he divorce himself from God and reject Him? Yes, disobedience is recalcitrance, rebellion, opposition to God, striving with God, and whatever else one can denominate as evil. "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Samuel 15:23). It is not a being disobedient to parents, a rebelling against authorities, and a transient sinful deed, but it is a disobedient disposition of the heart -- a heart which is averse, resistant, and recalcitrant. If you could observe this disobedience in its true nature, you would be frightened of yourself. Scripture calls such a heart an evil heart, and such persons are regarded as abominable and unto every good work reprobate. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12); "... being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16). Oh, that this would sink into your heart!
Secondly, consider furthermore that you are in a condition in which you cannot perform any religious duties. Whatever you do, even your prayer, is an abomination before God. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" (Proverbs 28:9); "Ah sinful nation ... they have forsaken the Lord. ... When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread My courts ... your appointed feasts My soul hateth: they are a trouble unto Me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you" (Isaiah 1:4
Thirdly, since you are disobedient toward God, depart from, and are rebellious against Him, God has also departed from you and is therefore also your enemy. You thus belong to the devil. "If ye forsake Him, He will forsake you" (2 Chronicles 15:2); "With the froward Thou wilt show Thyself froward" (Psalms 18:26); "... the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). Yes, by reason of this disobedience you are, so to speak, trapped in a prison. You cannot escape it, you are given over to it, and you cannot but be disobedient. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief" (Romans 11:32). You even stumble over Him in whom alone there is salvation, namely Christ. "... unto them which be disobedient, ... a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence" (1 Peter 2:7-8).
Fourthly, furthermore, take to heart the judgments of God which will come upon you. If you could but perceive what they were, your hair would stand up straight in terror. This God whom you disobey is stronger than you are. As great as His goodness is to the obedient, so great is His hatred and anger against the disobedient. Where will you flee when He will avenge Himself upon you? "The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies. The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm" (Nahum 1:2-3); "Thy children have forsaken Me, and sworn by them that are no gods: Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this" (Jeremiah 5:7
I will now turn to God‘s children to whom the Lord has given an obedient heart. They have the old nature still within them, however, and thus also a principle of disobedience. This frequently exhibits itself strongly and manifests itself in many deeds through negligence; that is, neither giving heed to God as Lord nor to God‘s command given to them. The Word goes past them and is forgotten; they transgress without noticing it. There can be carelessness, as if they were not surrounded by enemies, and before knowing it, they are caught in a snare. If obedience would have more of an effect, they would neither be so careless nor proceed so thoughtlessly. There can be a resistance toward obedience. At times disobedience manifests itself in a more powerful and sinful manner. The desire to commit a sin can at times be so strong that the sin breaks through, even when the obedient heart manifests itself, and, while not striving much against it due to weakness, it nevertheless groans under it. It can even go so far that for a long time a believer goes about with a disturbed heart, and cannot come to a lively, earnest, and perfect intention and determination to fully and permanently abstain from that sin. Sometimes it even goes further, so that the will, for a time, seems to dominate. It is as if he is not willing to come to such a resolution. Upon engaging in prayer the sin can become so lively that the conscience says, "Now you ought to make a complete resolution before the Lord." The will is silent, and one can even come so far that it is as if he is not willing to pray for strength against this sin and for a complete determination and intention to abstain from it. This is due to the lust being so strong and spiritual life being in a stupor. If he progresses to the point that the entire will has been won over and that he comes to full resolution, praying with the entire heart for strength, then he will yet be unstable, since sin has retained too much of its strength. Not long thereafter he will again fall into the same sin. This is a very dismal condition, and it reveals that our old nature yet remains inclined toward disobedience. Believers ought to acknowledge, mourn over, and confess their disobedience, and, time and again, restore themselves by faith in Christ. On the other hand, however, they ought to be on guard against unbelief and the rejection of their state, as if they, as others, were entirely concluded under disobedience. They can perceive from that mentioned above that it is in truth with them and that they have an obedient heart. This is manifested by the many motions and deeds of obedience which it brings forth -- by the fact that there is a hatred for and displeasure toward the disobedience of the flesh, and that the regenerated man within strives against, groans under, and prays against it.
Engage in all earnest therefore in this battle, for you know:
(1) That the devil, the world, and the flesh are masters which are too despicable than that you, who are of divine origin, are partakers of the divine nature, and are gifted with a princely spirit, should subject yourself in obedience to those foul, despicable, and hateful monstrosities.
(2) That they are hard and cruel taskmasters who never say, "It is enough." They always demand more. Whether you are weary or no longer find delight in it, you have to yield again when the opportunity is there. They will give you no time to calm down, to think about God and His sweet service, and to be obedient to the Lord in any matter. Rather, they want your entire heart, all the members of your body, and all your time -- and even then they are not satisfied.
(3) How detrimental it is for you to be obedient to them! This yields nothing but a restless heart, an anxious conscience, bondage, terror, and fear. It makes life too fearful for you and death too dreadful. "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed" (Romans 6:21); "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11). An Exhortation to Obedience
Find delight in obeying the Lord. In order to stimulate you to do so, consider thus the preciousness of obedience from every perspective.
First, look unto the Lord. By virtue of being God, He is indeed worthy of all obedience. You acknowledge this with delight, and you have frequently wished with your whole heart that all that exists in both heaven and earth would be subjected to the Lord in obedience. It has indeed grieved you when you observed that God was not obeyed by men. Shall you then not render obedience to this great God, saying, "Behold, here I am. What wilt Thou have me to do?" Furthermore, "Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee? hath He not made thee, and established thee" (Deuteronomy 32:6). When you did not exist, He created you and made you to be a man. He has given you food and clothing until now, and by His oversight has preserved your breath. He has granted you His own Son, drawn you with lovingkindness, placed you among His children, and chosen you to be His heir. Shall not all this obligate you to obey Him as Lord and as Father, and cause you to say, "Surely, I am Thy servant, surely I am Thy servant"?
Secondly, obedience is a very sweet work. The Lord does not impose a hard service upon His children, nor does He cause them to serve Him with hardness. "His commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3); "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:30); "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Romans 7:22); "Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them" (Psalms 84:5). They are smooth and delightful ways. "Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psalms 119:165); "It is joy to the just to do judgment" (Proverbs 21:15). Your own heart chooses this way, and you yourself find delight in it. What Paul says of himself, you say likewise: "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man" (Romans 7:22). Therefore lift up your heart in the ways of the Lord, embrace the will of God, and incline it toward obedience, for "her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:23); "Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble" (Proverbs 3:23).
Thirdly, the Lord is extraordinarily pleased with an obedient heart, and with the deeds proceeding from such a heart. Even if they are imperfect, in Christ He will overlook the deficiency. David was a man after the Lord‘s heart by reason of having such an obedient heart. He stumbled many times -- yes, even fell deeply -- and yet the Lord says concerning him, "Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite" (1 Kings 15:5). No work -- however holy it may be in and of itself -- can please God if it does not proceed from an obedient heart; God demands the heart. Yes, even we demand the heart of those who serve us; only then do we delight in their service. If there is an obedient heart, God will then be pleased with our work. "To obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22). God delights in sacrifice, for it is written concerning Noah‘s sacrifice, "And the Lord smelled a sweet savour" (Genesis 8:21). If, however, we place sacrifice and obedience side by side, then God is more pleased with obedience. A righteous child delights to please his father, and thus it is also with you: delight yourself in rendering to the Lord a service pleasing to Him. You will do so in the way of obedience. Shall the Lord fulfill your desire (Psalms 145:19), and should you then not fulfil His desire?
Fourthly, it is, furthermore, not in vain to serve the Lord. Let that be the opinion of the ungodly who obey God in an external sense to obtain temporal blessings. If they do not obtain them, then with sorrow they leave the service of the Lord. Upright ones, you know, however, that the Lord is a good and benevolent God who richly rewards His faithful servants. "I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain" (Isaiah 45:19); "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on Mine altar for nought" (Malachi 1:10). God promises all manner of temporal blessings to the obedient: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19). Yes, obedience has the promise of salvation in Christ. "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). Even though the benefits are not the basis for obedience, we must nevertheless be stimulated by them. Moses "had respect unto the recompence of the reward" (Hebrews 11:26).
Fifthly, the examples of others are suitable to stir us up; therefore take note of the examples of the obedient. The Lord Jesus is the most perfect example of obedience. He has left us an example, so that we would walk in His footsteps. He, the servant of the Lord, "humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Php 2:8). The holy angels are obedient servants of the Lord. "Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word" (Psalms 103:20). The saints upon earth are examples for us; obedience was their delight and activity. Noah was obedient to the Lord in all things. Even though the entire world mocked him when building the ark, he heeded the Lord‘s command. Abraham -- the father of the faithful, whose footsteps we must follow -- how obedient he was! He did all that God said and went wherever God sent Him. He obeyed blindly and left everything, went out not knowing whither he went, and did not spare his son. Moses is generally denominated as the servant of God. "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house" (Numbers 12:7). The measure of David‘s obedience toward the Lord is abundantly conveyed by the history of his life recorded in the books of Samuel and in his Psalms -- particularly Psalms 119:1-176. If mention is made of a godly person elsewhere in the Word, you will at once observe his obedience. Focus upon the godly, be desirous to walk in obedience as they did, and together with them you will glorify God in your life and be glorified of God -- both here and in eternity. May the Lord incline your heart toward His precepts, so that you may serve Him with a willing soul. I conclude with David‘s exhortation to his son Solomon, "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind" (1 Chronicles 28:9).