1 Chronicles 22
McGeeCHAPTERS 2229THEME: David’s preparation and organization for building the templeFrom this point through to the end of 1 Chronicles, we have the organization, the gathering of the materials, and the enthusiasm of David for building the temple which God would not allow him to build. Let me remind you again that Chronicles gives God’s viewpoint, and to Him the temple is the most important project David had in mind. David had a housing projectwe saw that. He built many houses in Jerusalem; it was a great urban development. However, the important thing was the building of the temple. Why? My friend, until an individual or a people are right with Almighty God, all these subsidiary subjects must sink into insignificance. When a right relationship with him is established, then urban development is important. Then a poverty program is very much in order. It looked like David had a poverty program when, after he brought the ark to Jerusalem, he was handing out the groceries. Why? Well, because the spiritual part had been settled. Today we hear so much about urban development and about poverty programs. The news media puts such emphasis on these things and makes people think that if these material things can be solved then the problems of the world would be solved. My friend, man is far from solving the problems of the world because he hasn’t solved the major problem, which is his relationship with God. As a result, there is corruption in urban development; there is corruption in poverty programs. The temple speaks of that which is spiritual, of a right relationship with God. From God’s viewpoint that was the important thing that went on in David’s kingdomrather than the continual wars, the intrigue, the petty politics such as are considered newsworthy in our day. It is interesting to apply this to more recent history. Great Britain was the nation which ruled the world for many years. There was the saying that the sun never set on the British Empire. Great Britain controlled more of the world than any other nation ever has. They were not perfect, and one can find much to criticize, but it still is true that Great Britain had a tremendous influence for good on the entire world. The significant factors in her history did not take place at 10 Downing Street. They didn’t take place in Parliament under the tower of Big Ben. Probably the most important thing was when a young fellow by the name of John Wesley went upstairs in Aldersgate. When I was there, I had to pause a moment and thank God for that man and his work, because we are still reaping the benefits from it. Down the street from Aldersgate is the place where Wesley began his preaching. There is a graveyard there; and, when the state church put him out, he stood on the tombstones and started preaching. The result was a spiritual movement of such magnitude that even Lloyd George said that John Wesley did more for the British Empire than any Englishman who ever lived. Probably the newspapers and magazines didn’t think Wesley was important; yet he was God’s instrument for saving Great Britain from a revolution, and God enabled him to begin a movement which brought civilization throughout the world. We can belittle the colonial policy (and Great Britain bogged down under it with all the wrongs inherent in it), but the important thing is that this was a movement which sent missionaries throughout the world and brought a civilizing Christian influence throughout the world. Even the most prejudiced person in the world surely must admit that those days were better than the godless age in which we are livingwhich is getting nowhere. From God’s viewpoint, David’s preparations for the temple were more important than anything else David did.
1 Chronicles 22:1
David is determined that the temple is to be built there on the threshingfloor of Ornan.
1 Chronicles 22:3
The Zidonians were, of course, the inhabitants of Zidon (sometimes called Sidon). As we have seen, Hiram, king of Tyre and Sidon, was the one who provided the stone and timber for the construction of the temple.
1 Chronicles 22:5
Notice the word magnifical! As we see it from God’s viewpoint, David made abundant preparation for the temple. He knew that Solomon was young and inexperienced, and the temple of God must be exceedingly magnificent. This is my reason for saying it should be called David’s temple rather than Solomon’s temple.
1 Chronicles 22:6
Although the wars David fought were forced upon himhe was not the aggressorGod said that he was a bloody man. God is not for warHis name is not Mars. He is opposed to war. He wants peace, and His Son is the Prince of Peace who will bring peace to this earth. God would not allow David to build the temple because he was a man of war.
1 Chronicles 22:9
God said that Solomon would be a man of peace and rest because he would give peace to Israel in his days. But, as we shall see, the peace was not permanent. However, there was One who stood before the people of Israel when the religious rulers rejected Him, and said,“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden …” (Mat_11:28). He didn’t actually say, “I will give you rest,” as our Authorized Version has it, but “I will rest you.” He will do what Solomon was unable to do. He is great David’s greater Son. It is He who can bring rest and peace, solace and quietness to the human soul. God is merciful because His Son died for you. Won’t you accept His overture? He has moved heaven and hell to reach the door of your heart. He won’t come any further, but He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev_3:20).
1 Chronicles 22:10
As we have seen, the Lord Jesus Christ is the final fulfillment of this promise. It is my personal feeling that David was not much interested in having Solomon become king. Solomon was a sissy. Solomon was brought up in the palace, in the women’s court. He knew nothing of living and defending himself in the rugged terrain of that land as David his father had done. David and Solomon were far apart, and the explanation, of course, is their backgrounds. In effect, David says to Solomon, “You are going to build the temple. Oh, I want to encourage you and get you enthusiastic about it, because it is the desire of my heart to build a magnifical temple, and God won’t let me do it because I am a bloody man.” My friend, let me pause here a moment to remind you that David did not get by with sin. He was not able to do the thing he wanted to do above everything else on this earth, which was to build a temple for God. There is many a man whom God has not permitted to reach the goal he wanted to reach, because of sin in his life. Sin drags us all down. It dragged David down.
1 Chronicles 22:11
How David was encouraging this boyand he knew he needed encouraging! He has been brought up in the court of the women, and he’s not a very aggressive fellow. As we shall see, Solomon reaped the benefits of the reign of David. It can be said truly of him, as the Lord Jesus put it, “…other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours” (Joh_4:38). Solomon entered into the labors of another, and that was his father David.
1 Chronicles 22:12
David is urging his son to follow in God’s ways. I think David detected some of his weaknesses, and I am sure Bathsheba detected some of the weaknesses in Solomon. One of those traits was his weakness in the direction of women. This is David’s advice to Solomon which we are reading. If you want to read his mother’s advice to him, you will find it in the last chapter of Proverbs.
1 Chronicles 22:13
David knew that Solomon would get discouraged. He knew that Solomon was a weakling. He tells him to be a manbe strong and courageous.
1 Chronicles 22:14
David told Solomon that he wouldn’t have to stint in the building of this temple. He wouldn’t have to cut any corners. There would be no shortage of materials. David said that in the days of his trouble, the days in which he had attempted to build up the kingdom with all the labor involved, he had carried on the work of gathering the materials for the temple of God. God had taken note of that. God had seen what was in the heart of David. That is why David is called a man after God’s own heart. God wanted this heart attitude, this emphasis on the spiritual values, above everything else. My friend, what is really the goal of your life? What ambition do you have? We are told that today we have a generation of young people without any purpose or goal in life. They have been brought up in homes of affluence with no Christian direction. There has been no pointing to something that is worthwhile, something that is glorious and great. They haven’t had that direction in their homes, neither have they had direction in their schools. The schools are not doing their job. I may sound like a heretic and a real revolutionary, but I don’t think it would hurt to close up many of our schools today. I don’t think they are serving their purpose until they give moral training and direction and discipline to our young people. What is the purpose of living? Why are there so many suicides among our young people? Why are so many of them dissolute vagrants wandering aimlessly all over the world? My heart goes out to them because someone failed. Papa and Mamma have failed. The schools have failed. The churches have failed. May I say to you that David was giving his son some direction. He told him, “You have a worthy goalbuild God a house.” Let me pass on to you something that was given to me early in life. The catechism asks the question: “What is the chief end of man?” The answer is: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Oh, I wish I could get you enthusiasticnot about baseball or football or any kind of ball, not in the things around you, not even in church work (that may sound revolutionary also)but in the Lord Jesus Christ. I wish I could get you really interested in His person. My friend, Jesus Christ has promised me and He has promised you that we shall be with Him forever. Since He is God, His way is going to prevail, not yours or mine. He has something glorious in view. I don’t have it because I don’t know what is out there, but I am interested in what He has for me. We should all be able to say with Paul, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php_3:14). David is a man after God’s own heart because he had something high and noble and lofty in his heart.
1 Chronicles 22:15
You see, he had arranged with Hiram to take charge of all the building.
1 Chronicles 22:16
Get busy, young man! Here is a goal that is worthwhile.
1 Chronicles 22:17
David is commanding the leaders of Israel to become involved in this project also. Now, my friend, whoever you are (and I am speaking to you as a Christian), you may have sunk down to a pretty low level in your living. It may be that all the church work you do is gossip, or all you do is find fault with the preacher. Maybe you are not guilty of these things, but instead of “standing on the promises, you are sitting on the premises"you are doing nothing. I’d like to alert you, stick a pin in you, and say, wake up! Come alive and make a move toward Jesus Christ. Tell Him that you want to go along with Him, that you want a spiritual emphasis in your life. Do something definite; do something positive. Don’t just sit theredo it right now. That is what David is saying to his boy Solomon. He really put a pin in him!