1 Chronicles Chapter 28

David's Charge to Israel

• 1Chronicles 28:1  And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. 

Here is an ordered list.

• 1. The Princes of Israel (Head persons)
  2. The Princes of all the tribes (Head persons of the tribes)
  3. The Captains of the companies (Head persons of the sections or courses)
  4. The Captains of thousands (Probably like generals over a large numbers in an army of men)
  5. The Captians of hundreds (Heads over a smaller number of men similar to a sergeant.)
  6. The Stewards over the king's possessions (the heads of those that oversee the possessions)
  7. The Officers (Ministers of state, chamberlain)
  8. The mighty men (Those men who were powerful warriors)
  9. The Valiant men (The army of strong men)

David is determined to organize everything and also to make sure everything concerned with the worship of God is according to the law of God given through Moses.

• 1Chronicles 28:2  Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 
• 3  But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 

David was a warrior and even though God forgave him, I wonder if it was because he caused the death of Uriah. David wasn't allowed to build the house of the Lord which God never asked him to build in the first place. That is what the king of kings and the lord of lords will build in the 1000 year reign. We know Him as Jesus the Son of God. God though in His love and mercy allowed David's son Solomon to build the house which only lasted until the invasion of Babylon years later.

God saw the yearning heart of David who cared more for a house for God than anything else. God is so good and merciful to those that seek Him.

• 1Chronicles 28:4  Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: 

God chose David as king after God rejected Saul because of Saul's disobedience to His words He gave Saul through the prophet Samuel. Judah was the tribe chosen to rule over Israel as kings. That is why Jesus came to us through the tribe of Judah. Mary came through the line of David's son Nathan and Joseph the step father of Jesus came through the line of Solomon.

• 1Chronicles 28:5  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. 
• 7  Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. 

Christ will be the one that established the kingdom forever. At that time though Solomon was chosen. Later God granted Solomon wisdom and became the wisest man in all history that I know of. Notice though that in verse 7 it says that God will establish his kingdom for ever IF he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments.

In the end Solomon's wives turned his heart away from God but Jesus the Son of God obeyed God and never once sinned when He walked on the earth. He obeyed God in all things even up to His death when He willingly gave His life to save all of us who will believe in Him as the final perfect Sacrifice He made by allowing Himself to die for our sins and be raised from the dead. Jesus was the perfect final sacrifice for sins that can count for all who would receive Him and just believe. In the mind of God, I believe this promise to Solomon was actually for Jesus the Son of God in the latter days. Jesus will rule the earth through the tribe of Judah.

I really do hope Solomon got right with God before he died but the bible is silent on that subject.

• 1Chronicles 28:8  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. 

This is still God's commandment for Israel today. Keep His commandments. Now His greatest commandment is this:

• John 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
• 29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. He is the savior, the giver of the Holy Spirit and the only way to God.

David's Charge to Solomon

• 1Chronicles 28:9  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. 

God's promises are true but there is usually a big (IF) in His promises. We would all do well to take heed to the above words to Solomon. If we sin, we can repent and make things right with God if the repentance is genuine. One good thing about David is that when he was shown his sin, he was quick to repent. He loved and worshipped God. He messed up a few times for sure but He never once forsook God and embraced idolatry which is one big insult to God our creator.

To choose a stupid idol and think that idol either is a god or represents the real God is one of the stupidest things mankind has ever done. I say this humbly though hoping I never get that stupid. Idolatry led people to sacrifice their own children to those things. They are in reality worshipping devils. That is one sin David never did and he wouldn't have tolerated it under his rule. Notice also that in the New Testament, David is mentioned but never his sin. To me that is refreshing. Once God forgives and removes our sins, He doesn't ever hold them against us.

• 1Chronicles 28:10  Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. 

At first God told David that He (God) didn't need a building made with human hands but He allowed David to have this built for David's heart of worship and his desire to build a house for the Lord was to be honored. This was probably the most magnificant building ever constructed but sadly it was torn down by the invasion of Babylon years later. God allowed Babylon to do this because after sending many prophets to warn the nation of Judah to repent of their sin of idolatry and departing from the true worship of God which caused them to sin and even sacrifice their own children to idols as the heathen nations surrounding them did. So God allowed the nation they were copying after to take over them with cruelty and bondage.

• 1Chronicles 28:11  Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, 
• 12  And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: 
• 13  Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD. 
• 14  He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service: 
• 15  Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick. 
• 16  And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver: 
• 17  Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver: 
• 18  And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 
• 19  All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. 

David got the pattern and all instructions from the Lord. Now David was giving these instructions to Solomon. No wonder Solomon asked for wisdom. Everything was set up and planned ahead of time but Solomon had so much to do himself to keep things in order. This must have taken a lot of time.

• 1Chronicles 28:20  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. 

David got everyone involved in this service to the Lord. It must have been an exciting wonderful time in history. Imagine not have a building to worship God in, starting out in a tent or open space then having the resources to build a building to keep the worshippers warm and safe against bad weather. Then being able to go inside and worship God with all our heart, soul and mind. If the worship is with pure love and devotion to God, it would be awesome to be part of.

God probably is not impressed with buildings because heaven must be more beautiful than anything but He does see our motives, our devotion and He sees those that love Him with all their hearts. God knows that sticking close to Him and living for Him without falling away back into sin, is for our good. God knows that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy our very souls if we let him do it.
What a day that will be when we see Jesus, the one who made the way for us to live in eternity with God and suffer no more pain, sorrow or heartache. God help us to stay faithful. -Dorna

1 Chronicles Chapter 29