FRAMEWORKS:
1 Chronicles 28: David's
plans & instructions for the temple
[Introductory
Notes: This penultimate chapter sees David speaking to
all his officials about his plans for Solomon to build the new
temple, but it come with challenges to both the people and to
Solomon to be faithful to the Lord, and he then hands over details
of the plans and materials he has provided, and goes on to charge
Solomon with the task.]
v.1
David calls all his officials together
v.1
David summoned
all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers
over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service
of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,
and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock
belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials,
the warriors and all the brave fighting men.
v.2
David explains what his intentions had been
v.2
King
David rose to his feet and said: ‘Listen to me, my fellow Israelites,
my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of
rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.
v.3
He explains how God had stopped him
v.3
But
God said to me, “You are not to build a house for my Name, because
you are a warrior and have shed blood.”
v.4
He explains how the Lord had chosen him
v.4
‘Yet
the Lord,
the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over
Israel for ever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe
of Judah he chose my family, and from my father's sons he was
pleased to make me king over all Israel.
v.5-7
He explains how the Lord had chosen Solomon
v.5
Of
all my sons – and the Lord
has given
me many – he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne
of the kingdom of the Lord
over Israel.
v.6
He
said to me, “Solomon your son is the one who will build my house
and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will
be his father.
v.7
I
will establish his kingdom for ever if he is unswerving in carrying
out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.”
v.8
He challenges the people to follow the Lord
v.8
‘So
now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly
of the Lord,
and in the hearing of our God: be careful to follow all the commands
of the Lord
your God,
that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance
to your descendants for ever.
v.9,10
He challenges Solomon to follow the Lord
v.9
‘And
you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve
him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the
Lord
searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him,
he will reject you for ever.
v.10
Consider
now, for the Lord
has chosen
you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.'
v.11-18
David gives Solomon the plans for the temple, the priests &
the utensils
v.11
Then
David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple,
its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms
and the place of atonement.
v.12
He
gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind
for the courts of the temple of the Lord
and all the
surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and
for the treasuries for the dedicated things.
v.13
He
gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites,
and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord,
as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.
v.14
He
designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be
used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for
all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service:
v.15
the
weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the
weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver
for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use
of each lampstand;
v.16
the
weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight
of silver for the silver tables;
v.17
the
weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers;
the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for
each silver dish;
v.18
and
the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also
gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold
that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant
of the Lord.
v.19-21
He commsssions Solomon to perform the task
v.19
‘All
this,' David said, ‘I have in writing as a result of the Lord
's hand on
me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.'
v.20
David
also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do
the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord
God, my God,
is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the
work for the service of the temple of the Lord
is finished.
v.21
The
divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work
on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any
craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the
people will obey your every command.'
Continue
to Ch.29