Growing up with a dad who is a skilled carpenter, you learn quite a bit about woodworking. During summer days when Dad worked on a project in the workshop, he always tied a red bandana around his neck, filled up a glass of sun-brewed iced tea, and disappeared behind a billow of sawdust. Just a few hours—or days—later, he’d emerge with a delicately designed garden workstation for my mom or a new piece of furniture for the house. He even let me sand and stain a pair of floating shelves last month, even though I have far less expertise (and patience) with all things wood.
Today, we read about a much grander construction project: the temple. David was eager to build this temple himself, but because God wanted someone who did not have such a war-torn and bloody past building the place for His presence to dwell, God had him call on another member of the family who was younger and less experienced (1Chronicles 22:6).
It must have been humbling for David to receive these words from God. The grandiose vision he carried for this passion project was delegated to his son instead—a son, whom he takes care to note, is “inexperienced” because of his youth (v.5). He probably felt a little foolish or disappointed now—I would. Even after handing over the project to Solomon, David remains involved by communicating details about the money he invested, the supplies needed, and the impressive team of workers available to help Solomon build it (vv.14–16). I can picture him backing away slowly but still calling out instructions to try and recover a little from the blow to his ego.
Despite what David may have felt, he honored God’s request for Solomon to take over the temple. In the end, it wasn’t about an elaborate building that boasted the best cedar logs in all the land. It was about bringing God glory. Building this temple was a way to create a holy sanctuary for God’s presence and secure a resting place for the ark of the covenant. Based on God’s command to David, He didn’t just want a fancy house; He wanted His sanctuary to mark a new era of rest for His people.
Retiring David from his position and raising up Solomon was a clean slate. Yet again, it was God’s choosing not to give up on His chosen people. His faithfulness remained constant, even after David willingly acted out. “He is the one who will build a house for my name,” says the Lord about Solomon. “He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever” (v.10).
God’s faithfulness remains constant with us, too. Let’s find rest in this truth today.
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56 thoughts on "Preparation for the Temple"
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I can only imagine what it must of been like for David as he looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. I wonder if I could be as brave and gracious as David and take my punishment to spare others……I’m so thankful for Jesus and His selflessness to save sinners like us. May we all love like Jesus!
I caught that. I’m with you, um??
@Dorothy, I love your story about your Dad, sons and the opportunity to guide them through that experience. I am fascinated by how symbolic our relationships can be to the one that we have with our Father. ❤️
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Me too! I’m in northern idaho now and it’s even worse. Praying for sunshine soon!
I’m also from Montana :) I’m in Northern Idaho now and somehow the seasonal depression is even worse! It’s always gray!! Praying for some sunshine soon
I pray that I always find my strength and Faith in God and not rely on worldly things and temptations from Satan.
I pray that I always find my strength and Faith in God and not rely on worldly things and temptations from
I pray that I always
I noticed that too. I did see that Amanda and Raechel are going to go live on Instagram on Thursday at 12:30 central time
Amen
God is a God of order. He also uses people who have failed Him. What an amazing God He is! It is encouraging to me because I don’t have to live in my failures to God. I can trust that if God calls me to do something He will give me the ability to do it! David and Solomon both failed God, and yet He had specific purposes for each of them. God is so good!
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Definitely was sad about that !
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Major let down that there’s no podcast this week.
I’m from Montana!!! I totally understand the seasonal depression. I’m loving in South Carolina now.
I have the SRT Bible and in one of the pop outs it said, when we remember how God has been faithful in his grace and mercy it helps us to be confident in the truth and Him. (Paraphrased) that struck me, that David chose God’s punishment over man’s because he knew his mercies.
I love that God is faithful and trustworthy. He has a plan, and it’s just our job to trust in it.
Kyle, prayers for healing for your MIL.
@Sharon, just prayed for your daughter. My now 17 year old daughter had a very large ( 10 in in diameter) ovarian teratoma when she was only 10 years old. We took her to Standford Children’s Hospital, only to find out that nobody knew about her case. There was one girl in Taiwan who had a similar case as hers. That made them two of a kind. So rare was the case, that we had to monitor her every two weeks, then every month, then every three months with CT and MRI after having 4 surgeries in one year. We stopped monitoring after three years. Through it all, the Lord has shown Himself strong, not only to my daughter, but to me as well. The Lord knows your daughter’s case and He sees you. He is very faithful in times of NED or in times when she has to get her MRI. Please tell her I am praying for her. ~ La-arni
I am in Mexico this week and I feel blessed to have the opportunity for two big vacations so close to together. I pray I won’t be sad coming back home ha ha. Montana winters are brutal and I struggle with seasonal depression. @Sharon Jones praying for your daughter! As I work with cancer patients I see that anxiety in all my patients. God has your back and your daughters back. His faithfulness is relentless. @Sarah D. So glad to hear your meet up went well! Praying god gives you guidance through the dating world!
Many years ago, about 25 or more, (when my boys were about 9 and 12) my father was in the hospital, he had had surgery. We were living with my parents at the time, it was July — in the Kansas City area July can get very hot — and very hot. My mom was working at convention for our denomination, so the boys and I went and picked Dad up at the hospital. On the way home we hit a pot hole, a very large pot hole. Dad’s said, “that’s big enough to flatten a tire”. And sure enough one of my tires flattened. Well my dad was in no shape to change the tire. So I pulled over in a parking lot, my boys jumped out and my dad rolled down his window. From his front seat position my father told my sons exactly what to do. Thirty minutes later we were on our way — you ask why thirty minutes well the boys had a problem with the lug nuts. George, my oldest, held the lug wrench while Andrew, my youngest, jumped on it to loosen it. I remember how my dad said he felt helpless because of the surgery.
There are times in all of our lives when we feel helpless but we need to remember God’s “got our back” and will help us through what ever it is that we need help with.
Be blessed and turn it all over to the Lord.
Sorry for the rambling.
I noticed that, while Joab reluctantly carried out David’s orders to take the census, he still had a bit of civil disobedience in there—by refusing to count the Levites and the Benjaminites. Since he couldn’t dissuade David, he did what he could think of to mitigate the damage. It gives us something to think about when we are in a complicated situation morally.
Dear Searching, your comments gave me pause today and realizing I need to be more intentional. Thank you. Prayers for those requested and those on hearts.
Is there no Monday podcast this week?
Sharon, praying the peace of God our Father be with you both today as you go for the appointment so much so that the nurses, doctors and other workers make note of it. Also praying that the tumor is gone and she is totally restored. Our Father is a good good Father.
13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.” – 1 Chronicles 21:13 this verse stood out to me today- WOW!! This shows just how close to God David was- he knew God is a merciful God and trusted God more than man!! Just a beautiful nugget – I hope my trust in the Lord is as great as this!!!
Dear Sharon, I will keep your daughter in my prayers.
Good morning everyone! Praying for your daughter @Sharon Jones.
This past weekend was full of emotions for me haha (good and then just some overwhelming ones related to my job and wanting to leave). I don’t want to dump everything here, but I will say God has a sense of humor. I met the guy I have been talking to online in person, and it went really well! I am encouraged by his faith as he grew up in another country that is predominantly non-Christian, and I am so interested to hear more about how he became a believer. I was reading the Bible Recap verses about how all the nations will praise the Lord, and then at church yesterday we talked about missions and how the Gospel is for all the nations! God has such a sense of humor haha! His timing is perfect and he is so specific and intentional. Even if nothing comes from the relationship with this guy, I am encouraged by the small parts so far I have heard about his story and how God placed him in the US at the right time and place, with the right people who led him to Christ. Wow. Just wanted to share that, because it is so cool how God had me read those specific verses this weekend, when I met up with the guy in person, and then we talked about the same thing at church. So cool. In other news, I took the day off today because I wasn’t feeling too great and just needed a break. Plus will have time to work on my class for school. Praying for you all, thankful for our God who is with us and uses the trials to produce endurance.
Praying, Kyle, for healing and restoration for your mother in law.
Pray for your daughter, Sharon, that this tumor would indeed be dead! Praying for God’s presence to overflow today and give her peace throughout her appointment.
@Tina- heart shaped potatoes would be a hoot!
@Arina- praying that your father’s heart and mind would be opened to accept the love of Christ and know Him personally.
@ Tina- It made my heart smile to know you, my sister, are a collector of hearts too! And that we both love the heart of Jesus above all! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for sharing!
The explanation in my study Bible states, “ The Bible text says Satan incited David to take a census. Can Satan force people to do wrong? No, Satan only tempted David with the idea, but David decided to act on the temptation. Ever since the garden of Eden, Satan has been tempting people to sin. David’s census was not against God‘s law, but his reason for the census was wrong- pride in his mighty army while forgetting that his real strength came from God. We must constantly weigh our motives before we act. Jesus, help me to wade through all the temptations that surround me and not be tempted, but be courageous and strong in YOU!
@Sharon Jones- my sister had a malignant tumor on her optic nerve and they removed what they could. That was over 40 years ago and she is doing well! Lifting your daughter in prayer.
@Kelly(neo)- thanks for the insight on the possible reason the 70 thousand were killed. (PS. I grew up in North East Ohio )
@Kyle- prayers for your mil! ❤️
What a wonderful goal Anna. This is beautiful!
Today my daughter has her 12th MRI in 4 years as part of our monitoring the tumor she had in her left optic nerve. My prayer request is that the MRI continues to show that this tumor is indeed dead and that it never grows again. I am getting concerned with the number of MRIs my daughter has had. We are at every 4 months right now. I would like the oncologist to say we can go to twice a year. Thank you for your prayers. She will be 18 next month, graduating from HS this spring and off to university in the fall with the goal of being a teacher. On a side note she has a lot of anxiety about needles and so that part of getting an MRI is horrible for her. Pray that it goes well and that they can take the blood before the MRI so she only gets poked once today. Thank you!
Solomon could be in his 20s, but he definitely wasn’t a baby during this.
21:13 “Then you will succeed if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” Good words of encouragement! So similar to one of my favorite memorized verses, Joshua 1:9, and previous verses: Joshua 1:6-9:“Be strong and courageous,for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance. 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?(P) Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
It moves me to read how God wanted the temple to be built in an environment of PEACE. After all the bloodshed Israel has seen, I can imagine how joyfully they would have welcomed that!
The verse that jumped out was 1 Chronicles 21:24 “…I will not offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing”. Worship has a cost. Obedience to the Lord has a cost. Let me be willing, because he is so worthy!
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Anyone notice the very first verse: “satan rose up against Israel and incited David…”?!? Ummm what?? Last year I went through the Bible Recap – compare this passage to 2 Samuel 24: “The Lord….stirred up David”. So which is it?? Here’s what my notes say: evil working within Gods plan. He allowed it under His sovereignty. Used for David, Israel & our good for His glory. Wow! Hope this helps anyone pondering that verse!
Great Physician, you know what Kyle’s mother in law needs more than anyone. Please be with her and her family. May your will be done. In Jesus Name. Amen
This reminds me of what my nephew said to me the other day. He declared,”I am going to be a great single dad when I grow up!” I told him that he will be an amazing father and husband. God wants better for our children and as we walk in His forgiveness from our past we get to raise children to do better for His Glory. ❤️❤️
MELANIE – I have thought that because David was trusting in the number of men to be his strength instead of the Lord, then that is what God was taking away.
“Then you will succeed if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.”
Thanks be to God for His Word that we might know how to live in the way that pleases Him.
I really enjoyed this reading. I cannot imagine seeing an angel with a sword. I did wonder why God punished the people and not David himself.
KYLE HOPKINS – praying for your family, and healing for your mother in law
David’s repentance drew me in this morning. I read the commentary at Enduring Word (you can find all 66 books under commentary tab) and under 3(c) in the commentary for 1 Chronicles 21, it states “ David kept a short account with God.”
Do I keep a short account with God?? Do I recognize my sin quickly (immediately afterwards or even in the middle of my disobedience) and repent right then and there? Or do I waste time putting my own spin on my actions, words, even inactions, or keeping silent when I shouldn’t – trying to twist the truth of my behavior? Which, when I think about it, just adds the sin of pride to the list. Asking myself, was that REALLY a sin? Pretty sure if I’m asking that question, the answer is a resounding Yes. Lord, please help me to choose your will and your way, and if I don’t, then right away to recognize my sin, ask your forgiveness and pray for your wisdom and guidance going forward.
BRIELLE HEBERT – praying
Dear She’s-I’ll be with you all in spirit, but am slowing down the quick pace of the study to help family with a medical emergency- my mother in law had a stroke yesterday. Blessings to all of you❤️
Your ways are better than our ways. Let me always have that faith and hope Lord. In Jesus name, Amen
Help me Father God to follow your direction and instructions in life and to not drift off on my own way. I always get in trouble when I allow my fleshly desires to have control over my actions. Your way oh Lord is the only way. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Yes Lord, help me to set my mind and my heart to seek you in all my ways. I needed this reminder of Gods faithfulness today.❤️
Amen
Today’s reading was powerful. LORD GOD, help us to build a relationship with you and to follow You in all our ways with love ❤️