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Have you ever noticed that things don't happen on their own? I'd love for my dishes to just clean themselves and put themselves away in the cupboard. I'd love for God to just download what He wants me to say without me having to agonize and pray over each Bible study. I'd be great if relationships and marriages could be wonderful without us having to put any effort into them. But that isn't reality.
It's that way with our relationship and service to God. If He is simply "the man upstairs" that we consult only when things get really bad, and then it's just to get us out of our jam, then we should not be surprised at the type of relationship we have-distant and formal. If we never put any work into our relationship we will get very few benefits from it.
Phil 2:12-13 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The word "work out" means "do something that results in something" (Thayer's). When it speaks of God "who works" the word is the Greek word where we get the English "energy" and it means to "be active" to "to effect." It's God that really "accomplishes" the work, but we have to enter into it.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God does the work, but we have to walk. So that's what we see here as 1 Chronicles concludes. David had a desire to build a temple for Yahweh, and a place for the Ark of the Covenant. And even though God tells him "no" that doesn't stop David from really putting his whole self into insuring that the project would succeed. We see his devotion to the Lord, and again his humbleness and awe at being allowed to be a part of God's plan.
Chapter 28:1 - 8
The handing over of David's kingdom and desire to build a house for God was not a private thing between father and son. David calls all the important people together and "in the sight of all Israel" (8) recites the promise of God. God "chose" Judah, the house of Jesse, and David to be king-but David was a man of war, so Solomon, his son would build this house.
It all centered on building "a house of rest for the ark of the covenant." (2). The ark represented the presence of God among His people, and represents Jesus Christ, who is "God with us," Emmanuel. (Isaiah 7:14). For the returning exiles from Babylon, the promise of rebuilding the temple rested on the promises and provision of David for his people, and the execution of those promises by Solomon.
One of the key verses is verse 8 "observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever." Judah was taken out the land for forsaking God, so as they return, they need to know that it is by loving God that they are where they are.
So now he charges Solomon specifically:
9 - 10
I really like how he starts, telling Solomon to have a "whole heart and a willing mind" towards serving God. God isn't telling Solomon to be perfect, but just to have allegiance to God and an open mind to being changed. God asks no more of us!
"Seek Him" David says, "and He will be found by you." Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV
Even Solomon himself "got it": Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
11 - 19
David gave Solomon the vision, the architectural drawings, the materials, and the operational plan for the temple. All Solomon had to do was love God, and He would do the rest. As David is a type of Christ, Jesus has laid out the plan of salvation, which is shadowed by the temple. He had the vision, laid out the plans, provided Himself as the materials, and now operates as the head of the church. All we have to do is love Him!
Verse 19 is pretty incredible. God actually gave David all the plans in writing! Didn't know God was an architect! We really don't know exactly what this means, was it through the prophet or something God literally gave him on parchment? Or perhaps God guided David's stylus as he wrote himself.
20 - 21
This reminds me of what Moses told Joshua (Deut 31:7-8, 23). I also like that David told Solomon that he was not alone. Sometimes we feel like it's all up to us and the weight of ministry or of serving God is heavy. But Solomon had many a "willing man" (21) just as we have others in the body of Christ to come alongside us and help encourage us and help us with the work God has called us to.
Chapter 29:1 - 9
I love this about David. Samuel warned Israel that wanting a king over them modeled after the nations would result in a taker-someone who took taxes, labor, and wealth from the people (1 Samuel 8:10-14). But a king modeled after God is one who gives. Here David empties what sounds like his entire treasury-his entire personal wealth-to do the work of worshiping God. 110 tons of gold and 260 tons of silver. So he leads by example, and doesn't expect anyone else to do something he is not willing to do first.
The Daric (vs 7) was a Persian coin first issued by Darius I a century before Ezra wrote this. The total comes to 190 tons, plus 375 tons of silver.
It is a wonderful thing to give freely (vs 9). This age wants us to hold on to our stuff as long as possible. God wants us to have a light touch on the things of this age. Giving it away is a great way to feel freedom from being "owned" by our things.
2 Cor 9:7-8 Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Luke 12:15 "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Now David prays a last prayer, pouring out his heart to his God.
10 - 22a
What a wonderful prayer. It gives me goose bumps just reading it. I like how David calls god "our father, forever and ever." (vs 10). Despite all the wealth just displayed, David sets it all in context: God gets all the glory, God owns it all anyway and we are just returning as an act of worship some of that which is already His. He prays for sincerity of heart in giving, and that the spirit would continue ("keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you." Vs 18). We are mere stewards of God's property. It would do us well to remember that!
22b - 25
This is actually the second anointing of Solomon. The first happened 1 Kings 1 after Adonijah, Solomon's older brother, tried to seize the throne by declaring himself to be king.
26 - 30
Ezra completes this first book by noting the written sources he used-kind of like a bibliography. We do have Samuel's books, but not those of Nathan or Gad.
Conclusions
So what is 1 Chronicles about:
Ezra used this to build a case against Israel's enemies that sought to keep them from rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. And he used it to build up the people and encourage them to do the work.
It's like Ezra is echoing David's words to Solomon: "I have prepared everything you need" so "be strong and courageous and do it." (28:20).
What are lessons we can learn?
I think we can rejoice as well, that despite the opposition around us that would say "it is foolish to follow Jesus" that God has provided everything we need to lead a life of faithfulness and worship of the Lord. We too can read 28:20 and make it our prayer.
Next, in 2 Chronicles, Ezra brings back the reality of what happened next, resulting in the exile from which they are returning-continuing the lesson that faith brings victory, but sin brings defeat. |
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