Morning Light – November 5th, 2015: Participation in the Temple

Morning Light – November 5th, 2015
Today: [1 Chronicles Twenty-Nine] Participation in the Temple. In this chapter David opens his financial records to show the extent to which he personally has sacrificed for the preparation of building the temple. As an example of a godly leader he not only encourages the people to give toward the building of the temple but he openly and demonstrably participates himself. We also see that Solomon’s reign is established and that his brothers (the sons of David) eventually submit to his rule. David after 40 years of rule gives up the ghost and is gathered to his fathers.
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[1Ch 29:1-30 KJV] 1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, [is yet] young and tender, and the work [is] great: for the palace [is] not for man, but for the LORD God. 2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for [things to be made] of gold, and the silver for [things] of silver, and the brass for [things] of brass, the iron for [things] of iron, and wood for [things] of wood; onyx stones, and [stones] to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, [which] I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, 4 [Even] three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses [withal]: 5 The gold for [things] of gold, and the silver for [things] of silver, and for all manner of work [to be made] by the hands of artificers. And who [then] is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD? 6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly, 7 And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 And they with whom [precious] stones were found gave [them] to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. 10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be] thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
After appointing singers, porters, gatekeepers, administrators, and managers in anticipation of Solomon’s kingdom David makes an address to the entire nation. He points out that God has chosen his son Solomon to build the temple that will be located at Ornan’s threshingfloor. He stops short of yielding the kingdom to Solomon perhaps because he was very young at the time. Sources suggest that Solomon was 11 or 12 years of age when he eventually began to rule so at this point he may even have been younger. Realize now that David had many older sons and Solomon may have been considered by them to be disqualified because he was born of Bathsheba and resented for that reason. Even by today’s standards if a committee had been chosen from modern Christian culture to choose David’s successor it would have been highly unlikely that Solomon would have been their choice.
David declares to the people that he has prepared with all his might to lay aside the building materials, wood, stone, gold, silver and precious stones for the construction of the temple. He points out that he not only brought in the spoil of conquest taken by the army from their enemies but that he had deeply drawn from his own personal fortune to set aside for the promotion of the temple project. With this thought he then opens the opportunity for the nation small and great to give of their substance to the building of a house for the Lord.
It is fitting that a leader be conspicous in his giving. Jesus said unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees we shall in no wise enter the kingdom. For our part here at Father’s Heart Ministry we give 20 percent away from ourselves to ministers, ministries and in benevolence giving to the poor and needy. In our own personal giving we don’t tithe into our own ministry or church as many leaders do (which we find disengenous – like giving from your right hand to your left and calling it sacrificial). We give away from ourselves into kingdom purpose and we hope that sets and example for others.
We should give with a willing and a perfect heart. The motive leaders should provide people for giving is not out of manipulation but the example of their own giving as David does in this chapter. We should give both to the poor and to ministry purpose. Many people feel that the legitimacy of giving is found in the need that is met but in this case there was not a clear need – the temple was well supplied for. They were invited to give into the godly purpose of building a temple to the name of the Lord. We’ve seen people that would give deeply and generously if they felt the money met a drastic need – but then they hold back if they think the ministry was flush with resources. Remember the widow with the two mites. She gave of all her living into the temple that was certainly not in need and in fact being run by those who would conspire to crucify Jesus, yet Jesus stood by acknowledging her gift as honorable and that she would surely be recompensed for her faithfulness.
11 Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour [come] of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand [is] power and might; and in thine hand [it is] to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things [come] of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 15 For we [are] strangers before thee, and sojourners, as [were] all our fathers: our days on the earth [are] as a shadow, and [there is] none abiding. 16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name [cometh] of thine hand, and [is] all thine own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: 19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all [these things], and to build the palace, [for] the which I have made provision. 20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.
David prays openly to God and points out the irony that the people are giving only of that which God Himself has provided them. It is one thing to be willing and quite another to be able to give as one wills. Many times willingness to give without resources to do so constitutes wishful thinking. Better to will and to give of what you have rather than to will to give what you do not have. Do what you can with what you have in hand. Be led in your giving. Keep a God account. Give deeply and willingly. Do not forget the poor. The giving of the entire nation every seven years was to go to the maintenance of the poor. Giving to the poor validates giving to the anointing. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for giving to the temple and neglecting their elderly and those that were needy. This type of giving should be done personally if at all possible and through institutions only when time and opportunity to do so personally is not practical.
David asks the Father to give the people not only a willing and a perfect heart but an imagination to give. He asks the Father to prepare the people to give and to give liberally into his purposes. For New Testament believers we must also remember that we ARE the temple not made with hands. The early church did not give one shekel to the building of buildings yet they were known for radical and sacrificial giving. Where did they give? To one another’s needs and to the apostles and their work. They gave not into real estate but into relationships. If the religious, non-profit sector in the Western World gave as much into relationships as they have in building buildings how different would the world look in terms of promotion of the gospel and salvation of souls? In most communities filled with multi-million dollar church buildings there is pathetically little and insultingly small portions laid out locally for the needy. Churches and ministries that give millions to overseas efforts often completely ignore the beggars in their own streets.
21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after that day, [even] a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, [and] a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: 22 And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed [him] unto the LORD [to be] the chief governor, and Zadok [to be] priest. 23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. 25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him [such] royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. 26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time that he reigned over Israel [was] forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three [years] reigned he in Jerusalem. 28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Finally Solomon is anointed as king in David’s place. All of the remaining sons of David submitted themselves to him (after some intrigues that are covered in 1 Kings). The promise of God was that Solomon would be the wisest man that would ever walk the face of the earth. The wisdom that he gained was a gift from God not something that arose from his own natural abilities. Under Solomon’s riegn silver was so plenteous that they stored it opening in the streets it was so common. Wealth and riches were increased beyond measure. All of this was reckoned not so much for Solomon’s sake but for David his father’s sake – just as God does things for us not for our sake but for Jesus our saviour’s sake.
David dies in a good old age full of days, riches and honor. There is mention of the book of Samuel but also of books no longer with us written by Gad and by Nathan. David has lived his life as a type of Christ Himself and Jesus will not only come forth out of David’s line but the son of God will be called also “the son of David”.