1 Chronicles 22:6 says, And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God: David told Solomon that he had intended to build a house for God. As followers of Jesus Christ, we should tell our children that we intend to do all that we can to advance God's kingdom, under the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit. Verse eight adds, But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. David said God had told him he would not be allowed to build Him a house, since David had shed so much blood in war. David may have been justified in most of this, but God did not choose to allow Him to build the house of God, or temple. We may have decided to do some particular thing for God without first consulting Him and find that He tells us no. We must always work under God's guidance. Verse ten continues, Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. David then revealed to Solomon that God had told him that he was going to give David's son, Solomon himself, a time of peace and quietness when he became king in David's place. God then later sent another descendant of David, Jesus Christ, to bring us everlasting peace with Himself, and also to bring us spiritual peace in the world today. Verse ten states, He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. David said that Solomon would build the temple and that God would be his Father and Solomon would be God's son, and He would establish his throne over the kingdom of Israel forever. Though Solomon did build a temple, I believe that this was also a reference to Jesus Christ, Who is God's only begotten Son, and through Him God's kingdom is established forever. Verse eleven adds, Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. David asked that God be with Solomon as he built the house of God. We need to pray that God will be with us today as we build His kingdom by sharing the gospel. We need to pray that we will be able to lead our children to Him as well. Verse twelve continues, Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. As David asked for Solomon, we need to pray that we will act under the wisdom of God. We may have all the wisdom of the world, but it is the wisdom of God that really matters. Verse thirteen says, Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. David said that Solomon would prosper if he fulfilled the laws God had given to Moses and told him to be of courage and not be dismayed. Though we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, if we want to be successful in our spiritual journey, we still must obey God's laws, and if we do, no matter what happens, we should be of good courage and not be dismayed. Verse fourteen adds, Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto. David told Solomon that even in his days of destress, while he was fighting wars with many people, that he had still amassed all that Solomon would need to build the temple. Even as we are at war with the world today, we have already amassed everything we need to make our bodies a temple to the Holy Spirit if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Verse fifteen continues, Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. David also told Solomon that he had all the workmen needed to build the temple. We as Christians today have the gospel to share, and we are not individually alone in doing this. God has called those necessary to do all that is needed to build His kingdom, and we all have our particular calling. Verse sixteen states, Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee. David told Solomon that he also had all the gold, silver and brass that he would need, so Solomon needed to arise and start building. God has supplied us with all we need to be building His kingdom, so we need to arise and start building. We cannot allow the bad conditions in the world to stop us from working to help build the kingdom of God. Verse seventeen adds, David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, David commanded all the princes of Israel to support Solomon in the building of the temple, and God expects all of His people to work together to support the work of building His kingdom today. Verse eighteen continues, Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people. David reminded Solomon that God was with him and had subdued all his enemies, and God is with us today as Christians, and He has spiritually subdued all our enemies, even death itself. Verse nineteen concludes, Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord. Like David told Solomon we need to set our heart on God and do the work He has called us to do. He will equip us to do so as long as we live by faith in Jesus Christ.
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