1 Chronicles 22:10, commentary and pictures

The promise belongs to the time when David was dwelling in his palace of cedar and looking on the costly houses around him, and was convicted and remorseful that he lived magnificently while the ark that symbolized the mighty God was poorly housed in the curtained tabernacle where the divine presence dwelt between the cherubim. After he made known to Nathan the prophet his purpose to provide a more honorable place of worship and was at first encouraged to carry it out, God directed that the building should instead be done by Solomon.

David himself was forbidden and deprived of the privilege of building the house for God's name because he had shed blood abundantly and made great wars, shedding much blood on the earth in God's sight. God promised instead that a son born to David would be a man of rest, given rest from all his enemies round about. He would be named Solomon, meaning peaceable, and God would give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

That son Solomon, not David, was by divine appointment selected to build the house for God's name in Jerusalem nearly three thousand years ago. Carrying out David's long-planned work of building the temple was a major duty of Solomon's kingship. That builder-son would be God's son with God as his Father, and God would establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. This was part of God's assurance of divine favor to David, to his posterity and to the kingdom, that God would make David a house by setting up his seed after him.

David prepared abundantly and made large provisions for the temple before his death because Solomon was young and tender and the house to be built for the Lord had to be extremely magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. David's large experience equipped him to advise, counsel and encourage Solomon, but the younger man had to do the work. Placing Solomon in such great responsibility was no mistake, for God promised him wisdom and understanding on condition that he would walk in righteousness and truth, keep the law of the Lord his God, and take heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments commanded through Moses concerning Israel. God's presence, prosperity in building as God had said, strength and good courage, and freedom from dread and dismay were tied to that obedience and to God's charge concerning Israel.

The verse teaches that God has different sets of workers for different stages of His cause. Those who have carried the work as far as they can must not hinder, belittle or restrict those God is qualifying to take hold of it and carry it farther, but must make room for them to advance it. The account teaches that God may refuse people's best desires and give them other service, while entrusting the desired work to another, granting the one refused the next highest honor. David's success and responsibilities came through God's blessing rather than inherited goodness, and God blesses and uses those who humbly devote themselves to His glory.