God Calls Solomon to Build the Temple

5 And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

2. Compare and contrast the attitudes and behavior David challenged Solomon to display with the attitudes and behaviors the New Testament commands for Christians.

One day my dad decided to add a bedroom and porch to the back of our small house. It was a good idea, because my sister and I were reaching our teenage years, and we needed separate bedrooms.

The only problem was that Dad was not a builder. He was a very good sawmiller and mechanic, but he was not a builder. Yet we could not hire people to do such work because we were poor by the standards of America in the 1950s. So we did it ourselves.

When we were finished, it looked good. But the first substantial rain proved all visual satisfactions to be false security. That roof never stopped leaking. So Dad covered the entire back part of the roof with tar, tar, and more tar. That finally stopped the water leaks, but in really hot weather it leaked tar!

Neither my dad nor I ever became builders in the fullest sense of that word. Today I can safely say that God has called me to be a teacher and preacher, and I try to utilize every facet of my abilities in those directions. It is very satisfying. The few times I have tried to remodel our house have ended in frustration. So now whenever I have such a project to do, I hire others to do it. I know my limitations and my calling.

King David recognized that God had called him to carry out certain tasks, but the task of building the temple was reserved for his son Solomon. King David’s limitation was not (unlike mine) one of skill, but one of divine restriction (last week’s lesson). David thus encouraged his son to complete the task of building the temple. David had an important calling to fulfill, but building the temple was not part of that calling.

In the first two lessons of this quarter, we have seen our texts from 1 Chronicles paralleled in 2 Samuel. But today’s lesson text from 1 Chronicles 28 has no parallel in 1 Kings 1–2, where we would expect to find such a parallel if it existed. The reason seems to be that the author of Chronicles had a particular interest in recording the beginnings of the temple that the author of Kings did not have. We see much emphasis in Chronicles on the skilled craftsmen who participated in this project.

God had chosen Solomon to see this task through (see 1 Chronicles 28:5, 6, 10; 29:1). No other person was to launch this project. Even though David wanted to build the temple and had collected materials for it, God forbade him because he had been a man of war and had shed blood (1 Chronicles 28:3).

David undoubtedly was aware of the divine choices that God had made through the centuries. Judah had been elevated above his brothers (see Genesis 49:8–10), and David himself had been elevated above his own brothers as well (1 Chronicles 28:4). In a sense, Solomon was elevated above his father, David, in being privileged to build the temple. The temple had to be built by a man of peace, which is the meaning of Solomon’s name. Solomon’s lengthy reign was characterized by peace (1 Kings 4:24, 25).

5. And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

David had six sons born from six different wives during his seven and one-half years in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:2–5; 1 Chronicles 3:1–4). When David made Jerusalem his capital, he took more concubines and wives, and more children were born (2 Samuel 5:13–16; 1 Chronicles 3:5–9; 14:3–7).

Indeed, God gave David many sons. But of all these it is Solomon (who is not David’s firstborn) who is chosen to sit on David’s throne. This is a major theme in this text.

David is very conscious of God’s promise to him of an everlasting dynasty (see 2 Samuel 7:16; 1 Chronicles 28:4a). David was overwhelmed by this promise when it was given many years before (2 Samuel 7:18–29). It is through the Davidic dynasty that God chooses to accomplish His plan for the world. Somehow God’s reign in Heaven is to be expressed through this kingdom on earth.

So God’s throne in Heaven and the Davidic throne on earth are interconnected. The author of Chronicles uses an unusual phrase to communicate this idea: the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. This throne is “a faithful witness in heaven” (Psalm 89:37); and even though one day God will “cast [David’s] throne down to the ground” (Psalm 89:44), He will never take away His promise concerning David’s everlasting dynasty.

Perhaps David may think that Solomon is the “Lord” to sit at God’s right hand until all his enemies are made a footstool for his feet (see Psalm 110:1; compare 1 Kings 5:3). We now know that only Jesus fulfilled and fills that role and position (see Luke 1:32, 33; Hebrews 5–7).

6. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

Even though the author of Chronicles does not mention it, there has been a long and bitter struggle among David’s sons to attain the kingship. It took great court intrigues to have Solomon anointed king (see 1 Kings 1–2).

It was by divine direction that David announced Solomon as his successor (1 Chronicles 22:5–13) and the future builder of the temple that David himself so much wanted to build (1 Chronicles 22:7, 8). The wording chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father emphasizes Solomon’s election by God. It also emphasizes an adoption by God in terms of kingship (compare 2 Samuel 7:14a). [See question #1, page 256.] The verse before us essentially is a covenant statement to reveal a special relationship between God and Solomon, the son of David.

The word house signifies “temple.” The addition of the word courts (as in “courtyards”) will be important to the future pilgrims who will arrive in Jerusalem to celebrate the festivals. They will savor the moment when they enter into the courts of the temple (see Psalm 84:2; 100:4; Isaiah 62:9).

This verse is an echo of the original promise in 2 Samuel 7:13–15. But the author of Chronicles decides not to mention the potential punishment of 2 Samuel 7:14b: “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men.” Even without this, however, the author of Chronicles emphasizes the conditional nature of Solomon’s reign by using the little word if. If Solomon will obey God’s commands, then his kingdom (dynasty) will last for ever (compare 1 Chronicles 22:12, 13).

At the time Chronicles is written centuries after the time of Solomon, there is no Davidic king on a throne in Jerusalem. By that time the remnant in Jerusalem knows the conditional nature of the Davidic dynasty because of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 bc. The people will hold out hope that God will restore Israel’s fortunes by an anointed one like David to bring about a return to the golden age of David. Surely God will fulfill His promise to David that his kingdom will be forever!

History proves that Solomon became disobedient toward the end of his life. As a result, the Davidic dynasty suffered. That little word if packs a big punch!

Before we move on, we should stress also the unconditional element that we brought out in last week’s lesson. In the course of time, God places Jesus on David’s throne in a spiritual sense (Luke 1:32, 33). God does this despite the sinful behavior of David’s descendants.

Operation Overlord marked a turning point in World War II. That was the code name for the Allied invasion of Europe, which took place on June 6, 1944. The success of that operation contributed greatly to the eventual defeat of the Nazis.

Several factors helped the invasion succeed. First, General Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, gambled on a break in the weather. Second, Allied planes dropped bombs well north of the invasion area in an attempt to deceive the Germans into thinking the invasion would come elsewhere. Third, Allied airborne troops delayed German reinforcements so the seaborne invasion would have time to establish a beachhead. If the weather improved and if the deception worked and if the delaying action went as planned, then the invasion might succeed. It did.

But what if any one of those ifs had fallen through? It is much more likely that the invasion would have failed, with history taking a different turn. If is such a little word, but it has profound implications. Most of us have played the “what if?” game with ourselves, if not with others.

David’s instruction to Solomon was, in effect, “Serve God with a faithful heart. If you do, then you will be blessed; but if you do not, then God will turn away from you.” The principle still stands. If is a big word, isn’t it? —C. R. B.

8. Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

Those whom David addresses are listed in 1 Chronicles 28:1. In short, they are Israel’s leaders and bravest warriors. David concludes his address to them by presenting two witnesses to his words: all Israel the congregation of the Lord and God himself. The people are charged to obey the Lord’s commandments in order to possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for their descendants permanently. This charge bears a strong resemblance to that given by Moses centuries before (Deuteronomy 32:46, 47).

By the time Chronicles is written, Judah has lost her territory once, and only a remnant populates the land. The people have to learn the hard way that disobedience means the loss of land, just as predicted (see Deuteronomy 31:14–18). For the ancient Israelites, keeping the land is always conditioned on obedience.

9. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

David charges Solomon to know … the God of thy father. To know God is a covenant concept (see Jeremiah 22:16; Hosea 6:6; Philippians 3:8–10). To know God is to serve Him faithfully in covenant relationship. Solomon is to do this with a perfect heart. The Hebrew word for perfect is shalem, which can also be translated “whole” or “complete.” This may be a play on Solomon’s name, which is similar to shalom—meaning “peace.” The words shalem and shalom look the same without vowels, which is how Hebrew is written. The idea of a perfect heart is a favorite of the author of Chronicles (see 1 Chronicles 12:38; 29:9, 19; 2 Chronicles 15:17; 16:9; 19:9; 25:2).

When we add heart to mind, we see that Solomon is being charged to know and serve God with every fiber of his being. This is equivalent to the command, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

The fact that God can search all human hearts and minds, understanding even the imaginations of our thoughts, is remarkable from a human standpoint. For God, however, it is reality. That is why God alone is our judge. For that we should be thankful (see Psalm 139:4).

The charge to Solomon here could become a motto for all: “If we seek God, then we will find Him; but if we forsake Him, then He will cast us off.” No great task can be done for God unless one first comes to terms with God himself. [See question #2, page 256.] One must know the Lord first before one can serve faithfully. The building of the temple—indeed, the success of Solomon’s entire reign—is contingent upon a personal and covenantal relationship with God by Solomon.

The Hebrew word for take heed is sometimes translated behold in the King James Version (examples: Deuteronomy 1:21; 11:26). It is like saying, “Be alert to God’s call upon your life!”

God is the one who has chosen Solomon to build a temple on Mount Zion. The pages of Scripture tell us that it is not an easy life to be handpicked by God. God calls His servants to all kinds of tasks, but this temple-building task for Solomon is a major challenge. And so David charges his son to be strong, and do it. Don’t we all need someone to provide this kind of encouragement at times? [See question #3, page 256.]

20. And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Solomon has heard this before in a private setting before David (see 1 Chronicles 22:13). Now the exhortations are given to Solomon in public.

The kind of public assembly taking place is described in 1 Chronicles 28:1. The nature of this assembly may be compared with that of other assemblies after Israel becomes a monarchy (see 2 Samuel 5:1; 1 Kings 8:1) and after the exile (see Ezra 10:1, 5; Nehemiah 8:1; 9:1). The exhortation be strong and of good courage is very similar to those found in Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18.

One of the covenantal promises that Solomon receives is that of the presence of God himself. He will be there to strengthen and inspire Solomon. Solomon has been chosen for a huge task, and it cannot be done alone. God must be with him. God will see the task to its completion and beyond. [See question #4, page 256.]

21. And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

We have already mentioned that 1 Chronicles 23–26 is a listing of all those who will participate in the building and maintenance of the new temple. The priests and Levites are especially important in this regard.

The author of Chronicles gives some interesting statistics and information concerning the Levites. Only those 30 years old or older are counted, and they number 38,000. Of these, 24,000 are to supervise the construction of the temple while 6,000 are to be “officers and judges.” The gatekeepers will number 4,000. Another 4,000 are to play musical instruments as part of a praise orchestra (1 Chronicles 23:3–5).

Organizationally, the Levites are divided into three groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (1 Chronicles 23:6–23). They will be in charge of the service of the temple of the Lord upon its completion (1 Chronicles 23:24–32). For the origin and history of the Levites, see Genesis 29:34; 46:11; Exodus 6:16–25; Numbers 1:47–53; 3:5–4:49; 8:5–26; 35:1–5; etc. Duties in the temple include singing (1 Chronicles 15:16, 17; 25:1–7), oversight of the treasuries (26:20–28), and various other things (26:29–32).

We should recall that while all priests are Levites, not all Levites are priests. Priests are defined in terms of descent from Aaron’s sons Eleazar and Ithamar (Exodus 6:23; 28:1; Numbers 3:2–4). David had given the priests an organizational structure (1 Chronicles 24:1–19).

All these people are to be at the disposal of Solomon, especially every willing skilful man. Just as God provided Spirit-filled men to build the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1–11), so God now provides such skilled and willing laborers for the awesome task at hand (see 1 Kings 5–6). Just as God showed Moses the plans for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25–30), so now David shows Solomon the plans for building the temple; it is a plan inspired by the Spirit of God (1 Chronicles 28:11–19). What Solomon must do now is execute the plan.

Question: What is the most complex piece of handmade machinery in the world? Answer: A grand piano. Both the question and the answer come from Miles Chapin’s book 88 Keys: The Making of a Steinway Piano (New York: Clarkson Potter, 1997).

The construction of a grand piano takes several years. Little wonder, since each one has 12,000 parts, including “tiny levers, springs, pins, screws, knobs, plates, bushings, bearings, hinges, and flanges,” to use Chapin’s words. The process involves more than 500 craftsmen who possess skills in mechanical engineering, cabinetmaking, wood finishing, and metallurgy.

This complexity makes a grand piano begin to sound like Solomon’s temple. The process needed to create both amazes us. People in Solomon’s day were given the opportunity to use their gifts and skills to create something of great beauty, and everyone had to work together in harmony. Carrying out the ministries of the church also involves many people and their spiritual gifts coming together. What is your part? —C. R. B.

Solomon had a rare calling: to be ruler over God’s people and to build a temple of staggering size and quality. It’s safe to say that God will not call anyone today to repeat this role since the church is not ruled by earthly kings, and it is our bodies, not structures of stone, that serve as temples (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19–22). [See question #5, page 256.]

Even so, God still calls us to serve by using the spiritual gifts He has granted (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11–13). When we recognize what our spiritual gifts are, then we are able to move forward in serving God in specific areas.

However, some people become frustrated when they discover that they are unable to make a living doing what God has called them to do. In other words, they must work at a job in order to make an income that allows them to do what they feel called to do. That situation may be a sign that they have misinterpreted what they thought to be their calling; on the other hand, it may be a sign that even though they have correctly interpreted their calling, God wants them to “go slow” for a while—perhaps to allow time for growth in patience and maturity.

Let me encourage you to listen to God’s calling as you discover your spiritual giftedness. When you do, you will find a need in the world you can fill for Christ. Even in retirement, many senior citizens have been given new life by finding such a calling and fulfilling it.

If you wish to make a great contribution to the kingdom of God, first you must have a spiritually healthy attitude concerning who and whose you are. As a child of God, you should have no problem accepting yourself as God’s most prized treasure (compare Exodus 19:5).

Second, you need to realize that great achievements require great struggle. Third, expect that great struggle will yield discouragement at times. That is what forces us to lean on God’s Spirit to accomplish the task. No one can accomplish great tasks alone. That thought has kept me in the fray when giving up would have been easy. Choose now to make a difference for Christ in the world.

Our Father, creator of the earth, the great builder of this universe, use us in Your kingdom to accomplish Your will. For whatever You have called us to do, equip us, motivate us, and give us assurance that You are with us in the task of Your calling. Help us to make a great contribution to Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.