Read
David Gives Solomon
1David called a meeting in Jerusalem for all of Israel's leaders, including the tribal leaders, the government officials, the army commanders, the officials in charge of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, and the brave warriors.
2 After everyone was there, David stood up and said:
Listen to me, my people. I wanted to build a place where the sacred chest would be kept, so we could go there and worship the Lord our God. I have prepared all the supplies for building a temple, 3but the Lord has refused to let me build it, because he said I have killed too many people in battle.
4The Lord God chose Judah to be the leading tribe in Israel. Then from Judah, he chose my father's family, and from that family, he chose me to be the king of Israel, and he promised that my descendants will also rule as kings. 5The Lord has blessed me with many sons, but he chose my son Solomon to be the next king of Israel. 6The Lord said to me, “Your son Solomon will build my temple, and it will honor me. Solomon will be like a son to me, and I will be like a father to him. 7If he continues to obey my laws and commands, his kingdom will never end.”
8My friends, you are the Lord's people. And now, with God as your witness, I want you to promise that you will do your best to obey everything the Lord God has commanded us. Then this land will always belong to you and your descendants.
9Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever. 10The Lord has chosen you to build a temple for worshiping him. Be confident and do the work you have been assigned.
11After David finished speaking, he gave Solomon the plans for building the main rooms of the temple, including the porch, the storerooms, the rooms upstairs and downstairs, as well as the most holy place. 12He gave Solomon his plans for the courtyards and the open areas around the temple, and for the rooms to store the temple treasures and gifts that had been dedicated to God.
13David also gave Solomon his plans for dividing the priests and the Levites into groups, as well as for the work that needed to be done at the temple and for taking care of the objects used for worship. 14He told Solomon how much gold and silver was to be used in making the sacred objects, 15including the lampstands and lamps, 16the gold table which held the sacred loaves of bread, the tables made of silver, 17the meat forks, the bowls and cups, 18the gold incense altar, and the gold statue of a chariot for the winged creatures which were on the lid of the sacred chest.
19David then said to Solomon:
The Lord showed me how his temple is to be built. 20But you must see that everything is done according to these plans. Be confident, and never be afraid of anything or get discouraged. The Lord my God will help you do everything needed to finish the temple, so it can be used for worshiping him. 21The priests and Levites have been assigned their duties, and all the skilled workers are prepared to do their work. The people and their leaders will do anything you tell them.
Reflect
In the end, the glory is always and only God’s. But the Bible is clear that honour is appropriate and right among his people. David introduces his son Solomon to the people and lets them know that God has chosen him to build a temple of worship in Jerusalem. There is not one iota of jealousy in David but a recognition that God calls each of us to our own task and we should serve God well in our calling but give honour to those whose call is different and perhaps even greater in some ways than ours. Solomon is encouraged to obey, serve and live out his calling by fulfilling the task God has assigned him.
Solomon is called to both glory and honour. He is called to serve God first and most and best. He is also called to honour David by using the plans and preparations he made so God’s plan for the temple could be completed.
The lesson here is obvious. Let us live so our lives give glory to God. Let us also live recognizing the value of others and be quick to honour them. We often think well of others but we are slow to say it to them or others. Somehow when we honour others we live without jealousy and find a wonderful sense of contentment and fulfillment in our own calling.
Respond
Glorious Lord,
I confess you are God and you are all things. You have wonderfully made us and created us to be your workmanship. Help me to live for you in such a way that I give glory to your name, your person, your work and your salvation. At the same time, let me see you in others so I may honour them for your calling in their life. Please take away any trace of envy in me. Also, God, if and when I am ever honoured by others, let me accept the honour in humility and at the same time direct all glory to you. May it be so Lord Jesus.
William Morrow
William Morrow currently serves as an associate pastor at Evangel Church in downtown Montreal. Before that he was president of Master's College & Seminary in Peterborough Ontario. He also served as General Superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (12 years), Superintendent of the Western Ontario District (6 years) and pastored in Montreal, Smiths Falls and Sarnia. He spent five years teaching at the college where he now serves as President. He is a husband, father and grandfather and has given his ministry life to mentoring a new generation of leaders and pastors.