David Charges the People Once More
As David
prepares to die, he calls the leaders of the Hebrew people to his side. He had already instructed the people to build
the temple. Once more David reminds the
people to make sure that the temple is to be built. David has gone to great pains and even
greater expense to collect the materials needed. This is a project that needs to be completed.
David
also reminds the people that God had forbidden him from building the
temple. It simply was not his to
build. I love David’s submission to God
in this fact. He wanted to build it. It
was not for lack of desire that it was left not built. It was because of David’s submission to God
that it was left not built. David’s
submissive obedience comes out of the identity that comes from God.
David Challenges His Son
After
speaking about the temple, David reminds the people that Solomon is God’s
choice to be king. Of course, we know
from the account told in 1 Kings that not all of David’s family appreciates the
choice of Solomon. However, we do know
that Solomon does reign and the kingdom remains united underneath his reign.
However,
David gives us a very interesting point to ponder here in these opening
verses. In verse 7 we have a conditional
promise. “If” Solomon continues to
remain strong in keeping the rules and commandments of God, then God will
establish Solomon. We know what
happens. Solomon prays for wisdom and it
is granted. Through his wisdom, his
prosperity increases. Other nations
desire peace with such a prosperous nation.
Soon Solomon has a harem full of foreign wives, full of foreign
gods. The worship of God begins to fall
back.
As much
as I praised David a moment ago for his obedience that comes out of his
understanding that his identity comes from God, I can’t help but hear the
challenge here in God’s words through David.
This is always the issue, isn’t it?
Submit to God and things go pretty well.
But as soon as we quit submitting to God and begin to seek after our own
desires we find ourselves falling away.
We begin to obey our desires because our identity is no longer coming
from our submission to the Father. It is
a recipe for disaster.
This idea
is strengthened by the opening verses of David’s personal charge to his
son. David tells Solomon that Solomon
needs to take up a position of serving God with a whole heart and a willing
mind. David reminds Solomon that if
Solomon seeks God, He will be found. But
if Solomon forsakes God, Solomon will be cast off forever by Him. Do you hear the covenant extended by
God? Can you feel the tension brought to
life by humanity’s free will?
Final Command
David
tells Solomon about all of the temple preparations. Then he turns to his son and tells him to be
strong and courageous. He tells him to
not be afraid. He tells him to remember
that God will be with him and He will be Solomon’s source of strength.
This is
vastly important advice. First of all,
Solomon’s temple would be no small undertaking.
It would take patience and wisdom as all building projects take. There would be many roadblocks to overcome in
the construction.
However,
I think there is more reason than that to be afraid. David has just reminded his son about free
will. So long as he follows God,
salvation is within his grasp. But
should he turn away, God will likewise turn away. It is a daunting thing to look ahead to the
length of one’s life and realize how difficult it will be to face the world day
after day and still follow God. It takes
strength and courage to follow God each and every day forward.
I think
this is a great place to again reflect back on the necessary nature of the
covenant that God extends to us. God
calls us to be family. He calls us to see
Him as our Father. He calls us to get
our identity from Him. He calls us to
submit in obedience to His will. That
takes courage. That is why David looks
to his son and tells him to be strong and courageous. So should we all.
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