1 Chronicles 22:19, commentary and pictures

David, after making abundant provision and gathering materials for the temple, charged his son Solomon to set heart and soul to seek the Lord and to arise and build the sanctuary, for God assigned the construction to Solomon while David's part was to counsel and encourage him. God gives different branches of His work to different groups of workers, and when those first called have carried it as far as they can, He calls and qualifies others to come in, carry it farther, and lift the standard higher. The older person of large experience is to advise, counsel, and encourage the younger worker, but the younger must do the work.

Those who are weary and worn and do not grow with the work and its greatness and increasing demands must not belittle those God has accepted, hinder helpers who take hold in a little different way, dictate exactly how the work should be done, or stand blocking the wheels. The verse commands God's people to get up and build a house for the Lord without delay, requiring open ears to hear His voice and ready hearts to obey at once without stopping to reason how it can be done, since the Lord knows how, and He honors such forward faith. When the workers are ready, every soul is to do his part, bringing every stick of timber beforehand and doing everything human agencies can possibly do while leaving what they cannot accomplish to the Lord.

Saying it cannot be done spreads unbelief and lack of faith and causes delay and deficiency through human failure rather than divine power, while faithful obedience carries the work forward steadily like clockwork until the finished house stands as an object lesson. In literal building, God in providence supplies workers at just the right time, even those who give time freely and work for reduced wages, so that a meetinghouse can be raised quickly in eight weeks, as at Cooranbong. His angels are with the builders who take hold nobly and refuse discouragement, and when hindrances arise prayer brings the Holy Spirit to soften and subdue hearts, ending in a dedicated building that provides a good, pleasant, and convenient place of worship filled with students.

Spiritually, the verse calls for building character with solid timbers, using only the very best kind without stint, to make room for worshipers and for Christ and the heavenly angels in the midst. Believers themselves are God's building, a temple prepared as a home where God presides, where His attributes shine forth in a life lived with His presence, and where the inner sanctuary of the soul is consecrated, dedicated, cleansed, and purified as a sacred repository of truth.