I Chronicles 22
by Pastor Mark Hudson
There are four major steps in David’s preparation for building the temple.
- 17 David accepts his commission to prepare for Solomon’s temple
- 18:1-20:8 David secures the nation and collects wealth for the temple
- 21:1-22:1 David discovers the site of the temple
- 22:2-19 David’s transfer of the temple project to Solomon
So this chapter we discover the last two steps of David’s preparation for building the temple. This chapter begins with finding the site and ends with David handing the construction of the temple to Solomon. What begins in chapter 17, as far as David is concerned, ends in 22ff.
David discovers the site for the temple but notice how David finds it. David finds the site because of God’s grace. David is punished in chapter 21 for numbering Israel. Of the three choices, David chooses to be disciplined by the Lord. At the end of chapter 21, David is at the threshing floor of Ornan. The angel of the Lord is there with a drawn sword as David pleads for the protection of the nation. God tells “the angel who was working destruction” to stay his hand (v. 15). God directs David to raise an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (v. 18). David pays full price for the property and all that he needs to sacrifice.
God is disciplining David and as God does, David discovers the future site of the temple. This is an amazing example of God’s grace. Who builds the temple? The son of Bathsheba and David before they were married. In our age, it would be suggested that baby be aborted. God not only loved the child but greatly used Solomon. God even used Solomon to build the temple that David planned and prepared for at the end of David’s life.
In 22, David declares the site of the temple at what was Ornan’s property. We are back where David collects material for the temple in vs. 1-5. David takes God prohibition to build the temple and turns it into a yes for preparing to build the temple. Then David charges Solomon in vs. 6-16. Notice that David keeps God’s Word close to his heart. David can quote God’s Word to others in vs. 8-10. In vs. 11ff, David reminds Solomon that the first and most important priority is “to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel.” This is first a spiritual work not merely a construction job. Yet, this is work so David exhorts Solomon to “Arise and work!” David also tells Solomon that just as David gave to the temple, so should Solomon in v. 14.
In vs. 17ff, David speaks to the leaders of Israel. This is not a work that Solomon can do alone. “Is not the Lord your God with you?” David reminds them that God has subdued their enemies so they are not to be lazy. “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord you God.” First, the spiritual part of the work is the foundation for the physical part. The people of God were to do what Paul observed in Macedonia. “. . . they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us” (II Cor. 8:5). Anything we do for God and for His kingdom is a spiritual work.
As we reflect on David’s response to God’s “no” to his desire to build the temple, notice the zeal David has for the construction of the temple. This will be called Solomon’s temple and we can assume David knows that. But David is not deterred. He spends the end of his life gathering not just wealth but workers (v. 15). David encourages others to give (22:14; 29:5) and work on this temple (29:21).
David sets up an administrative bureaucracy to further assist Solomon. In chapters 23-27, David is a first-class administrator. Some people think organizing or administrating is not a worthy endeavor or spiritual work. Tell that to David. He appoints musicians, gatekeepers, stonemasons, accountants to count the money, etc. David leaves this all to Solomon. The author is telling us that this temple is a joint venture between father and son. Yet, the son’s work is made so much easier by David’s extensive preparation and planning.
How much time did David save Solomon? Consider all the materials that were stockpiled for Solomon. Think about all the lumber waiting for Solomon’s builders. How many years would it have taken Solomon to gather the gold and silver. David had relationships with the nations surrounding Israel. Solomon would develop his own relationships but cultivating trust takes years. Solomon spent 7 years building the temple (I Kings 6:1, 38). Without David’s help, planning and various gifts, who knows how long it would have taken Solomon to build the temple?
David transferred the loyalty David has earned with his leaders to Solomon. He lets the leaders of Israel know that they have a role in this build (vs. 17ff). The King reminds them what God has done through him and that security should give them every reason to help build the temple and no excuse not to help. King David exhorts them to, “set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD.”
Dear Lord, help me to take Your “No” to my dreams with as good of an attitude as David. David had such zeal for Your temple and gave His last days in preparation for the construction of the temple he wanted to build but would never build. May You help us to understand Your unending and amazing grace. We see this in the site of the temple and how You use Solomon, the child of David’s sin against Bathsheba, to build the temple. May we stand in awe of Your grace and be humble as we ought to be. In Christ’s precious name. Amen.