BUILDING THE HOUSE OF GOD

May 24, 2014 ~ A study on the temple (House for God) as David outlined it to Solomon.  This came from Oswald Chambers’s prayer on this day:  “Keep this house, O Lord, spiritually and in all ways “exceeding magnifical.”  Give us the light and illumination You delight in.”

I Chronicles 22:5 ~ And David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands.  Therefore I will make preparation for it.”  So David made ample preparations before his death.

I Chronicles chapters 22-29 cover David’s extensive preparations for building the house for God – “ God said:  A house for My name.”  It had to be the Best – “exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands.”  He gave his very best.  He found the best craftsmen, and gathered an abundance of materials:  gold, silver, bronze, iron, timbers, cedar, stone, and precious stones.  David told them that “the Lord their God would be with them.” (22:18)  ‘Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God…the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.” (22:19)  “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.” (23:25)

He delegated those who would be in charge of the house of God – those whose lives would be dedicated to serving the Lord and administering unto Him worship and praise.

~ He appointed the sons of Aaron and Moses, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. They were to be in charge of the holy things.  (chapter 23 & 24)

~ He appointed the sons of Asaph and Heman to be musicians.  They were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals under the direction of Asaph, giving thanks and praising the Lord. Singers were of the house of Heman and his direction to sing in the house of the Lord with the instructions, being trained to sing to the Lord.  There was 288 and they took turns in the service of the house of God.  (chapter 25)

~He appointed gatekeepers to guard day and night the Temple and minister in the house of the Lord. (chapter 26)

~ The Levites were also in charge of the treasures (dedicated gifts, taxes & tithes) of the house of God.  These were used in repairs of the house of the Lord.  (chapter 26:20-28)

~ He defined his army…He had 288,000 men consisting of twelve divisions of 24,000 men, each of which served in turn for one month out of the year.  Eight of the twelve generals belonged to the tribe of Judah which was David’s tribe.) (chapter 27)

~ He put in charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers, overseers in charge of agriculture; tilling the soil; vineyards; olive & sycamore trees; cattle, donkeys, and flocks.

David appointed his son, Solomon as king according to the directions God had given him and he presented him to the people along with the explanation of his heart’s desire and God’s blessings to him.  Then he said:  “…observe and seek after all the commandments of the Lord your God in order that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever."  (28:8)

David concluded with telling how he had given his very best for God.

     Then King David said to the entire assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for the Lord God."  (chapter 29)

     “Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God…Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?...then the rulers of the fathers’ households and the princes of the tribes of Israel…offered willingly; and for the service for the house of God they gave talents, gold, silver, brass, iron, and precious stones to the treasury of the house of the Lord…Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart."

David blesses the Lord:  “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever.  Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth;  Thine is the dominion, O Lord, and Thou does exalt Thyself as head over all…and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temper, for which I have made provision.”

David instructs the people to bless the Lord…”and all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers and bowed how and did homage to the Lord and to the king.”  The next day the people sealed their blessing with sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings.  Then they celebrated:  “So they ate and drank that day, before the Lord with great gladness.”

My thoughts:  I think there is much to be learned from this account of building a house for God.  I think we should see it as instruction for our homes, our church and our bodies.  All these are to be the dwelling place of The Lord.  We should seek the Lord first with the desires of our heart, and for His instructions.  We must give Him our very best and doing it willingly, with rejoicing.  EVERYTHING is to be unto Him…every detail, every person, every talent and gift.  There should be unity with the focus on worship and praise; with offerings and celebration…all unto Him!   Hallelujah and Amen!