Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
The charge was solemn, spoken in the sight of all Israel as the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of God, relating the word of the Lord spoken through His prophets. It declared that the choice of Solomon to build a house for the sanctuary, the temple, was God's own choice. That sacred responsibility was entrusted to the one He had chosen.
David charged him to take heed, be strong, and do the work. The call was to courageous, faithful, willing and wholehearted action in the face of a great and weighty responsibility. That responsibility included both building the temple and governing God's people. He was not to be deterred by the scale of the task, for the plans and service of the house of the Lord were given in detail. The temple was to be built according to God's design. David by his experience and preparations could advise and encourage him, but Solomon himself had to do the work.
The command to build was joined to knowing the God of his father and serving Him with a perfect heart and willing mind. It required strict adherence to the law of God and keeping all His commandments, statutes and judgments. The reason given is that the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If Solomon seeks Him He will be found of him, but if he forsakes Him He will cast him off forever and reject him. Solomon's success as king and the promise to establish his kingdom forever were conditional on constancy in obedience. Thus Israel might possess the good land and leave it for an inheritance to their children forever.
David gave the charge out of greatest solicitude for Solomon, fearing he would follow David's example in wrongdoing. He had seen with deepest sorrow the spots and blemishes brought upon his own character by grievous sins. For God will in no case sanction wrongdoing but will visit the leader of His people with severer punishment because his position is more responsible. Sins committed by leaders lessen the heinousness of crime in the minds of the people and lead other nations who fear not God to blaspheme the God of Israel.
As applied to those chosen as teachers or leaders in God's work, the charge calls them to be wholly consecrated to Him. They are to open His Word to the people and faithfully practice it. Its lesson is that God's sacred work, which represents Him, is entrusted to people whose experience and character can be relied on to bear responsibility.
The charge was solemn, spoken in the sight of all Israel as the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of God, relating the word of the Lord spoken through His prophets. It declared that the choice of Solomon to build a house for the sanctuary, the temple, was God's own choice. That sacred responsibility was entrusted to the one He had chosen.
David charged him to take heed, be strong, and do the work. The call was to courageous, faithful, willing and wholehearted action in the face of a great and weighty responsibility. That responsibility included both building the temple and governing God's people. He was not to be deterred by the scale of the task, for the plans and service of the house of the Lord were given in detail. The temple was to be built according to God's design. David by his experience and preparations could advise and encourage him, but Solomon himself had to do the work.
The command to build was joined to knowing the God of his father and serving Him with a perfect heart and willing mind. It required strict adherence to the law of God and keeping all His commandments, statutes and judgments. The reason given is that the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If Solomon seeks Him He will be found of him, but if he forsakes Him He will cast him off forever and reject him. Solomon's success as king and the promise to establish his kingdom forever were conditional on constancy in obedience. Thus Israel might possess the good land and leave it for an inheritance to their children forever.
David gave the charge out of greatest solicitude for Solomon, fearing he would follow David's example in wrongdoing. He had seen with deepest sorrow the spots and blemishes brought upon his own character by grievous sins. For God will in no case sanction wrongdoing but will visit the leader of His people with severer punishment because his position is more responsible. Sins committed by leaders lessen the heinousness of crime in the minds of the people and lead other nations who fear not God to blaspheme the God of Israel.
As applied to those chosen as teachers or leaders in God's work, the charge calls them to be wholly consecrated to Him. They are to open His Word to the people and faithfully practice it. Its lesson is that God's sacred work, which represents Him, is entrusted to people whose experience and character can be relied on to bear responsibility.