This chapter relates how largely and liberally David, besides what he had before done, and his princes, offered towards defraying the expenses of building the temple, #1Ch 29:1-8 and the joy and thankfulness that he and his people expressed on that account, attended with prayers for Solomon, and offering sacrifices unto the Lord, #1Ch 29:9-21 and the chapter is closed, and so the book, with an account of the second unction of Solomon, the placing him on the throne, and the submission of all ranks of men unto him, and of the death of David, #1Ch 29:22-30. (Gill)
David has said what he had to say to Solomon. But he had something more to say to the congregation before he parted with them.
I. He pressed them to contribute, according to their ability, towards the building and furnishing of the temple, #1Ch 29:1-5.
II. They made their presents accordingly with great generosity, #1Ch 29:6-19.
III. David offered up solemn prayers and praises to God upon that occasion (#1Ch 29:10-20), with sacrifices, #1Ch 29:21,22.
IV. Solomon was hereupon enthroned, with great joy and magnificence, #1Ch 29:23-25.
V. David, soon after this, finished his course, #1Ch 29:26-30. And it is hard to say which shines brighter here, the setting sun or the rising sun. (MH)
V. 1, Solomon may be abut 16 or 18 years old here, and reigned 40 years.
Evidently, at this age, he was already married and had a son, because his son, Rehoboam, was 41 years old when he took the throne after his father's 40 year reign and his death, 2 Chronicles 9:30, 12:13.
Solomon served God in a great way in his youth, writing Proverbs during these young years. It was in his older years that he departed from the Lord. The founders of modern dispensationalism were all young men. Their problem, however, was not their youth. Their problem was their pride that intentionally threw out all past understanding of Scripture, and started over again.
A young person can serve God, but he must build upon what went before, as Solomon built upon what went before him, David, and David built upon what went before him, e.g., Psalms 119.
V. 3, because I have set my affection to the house of my God...
1. We will do what we set our affection on.
Genesis 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
The problem is that we do not set our hearts enough on the glory of God and the cause of Christ.
2. We cannot out give God.
Vv. 5, 6, David set the example, and then asked those under him to follow. We are to provoke, or encourage one another to love and to good works; therefore, the command to not forsake the public assembly. (Hebrews 10:24, 25.)
Rulers must be willing to give before the people can be expected to give.
Note that it is a false hope to expect the people to rise above the leaders.
The work was great, beyond the ability of one man to accomplish, no matter how great, wise nor wealthy he was. The work for the kingdom is great, and it needs many hands and talents to succeed.
David loved God, so he made great preparations for the kingdom of God. His efforts were not to be seen of others, nor were they meant to get within the good graces of his God.
He said he loved God above all else, so he proved his love by his actions – where your heart is, there will your treasures be also, and by their fruit ye shall know them.
His heart was on the Lord, so there was no pain nor cost too much for the Lord.
We should also point out that the greater the man in man's eyes, the greater the responsibility to represent God effectively and truly.
Vv. 6-9
Though David "persuaded" or "provoked" them to give, they gave willingly. A leader should provoke his people to give willingly — that is, speak in such a way that the Spirit of God can move the people to unite together in the kingdom work. However, how much easier it is to motivate the flesh to "give" and "work". I have been in those churches that motivate the flesh rather than depending on the spirit to move. There is a very fine line between the two. We know that David was depending upon the Spirit because he gave almost to his own poverty to the kingdom work, and then used his example to persuade the people to do what they could.
V. 9,
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
The people rejoiced for the opportunity to serve the Lord, or did the people in general rejoice that their leaders were so willing to give to the Lord's work? Regardless, all Israel was glad to see the temple work carried on.
David rejoiced with great joy. Did he see the people respond to the psalms he had provided for singing in the temple service? We can safely assume he greatly rejoiced to see God raise up someone, Solomon his own son, to carry on the dream of his heart in completing the temple.
Having someone carry on one's godly dreams will certainly cause any heart to rejoice.
Seeing the people willingly giving to the Lord and rejoicing in being able to give, will make the godly leader rejoice with great joy.
Vv. 10-22
I. The solemn address which David made to God upon occasion of the noble subscriptions of the princes towards the building of the temple (#1Ch 29:10): Wherefore David blessed the Lord, not only alone in his closet, but before all the congregation. This I expected when we read (#1Ch 29:9) that David rejoiced with great joy; for such a devout man as he would no doubt make that the matter of his thanksgiving which was so much the matter of his rejoicing. He that looked round with comfort would certainly look up with praise. David was now old and looked upon himself as near his end; and it well becomes aged saints, and dying saints, to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving. This will silence their complaints of their bodily infirmities, and help to make the prospect of death itself less gloomy. David's psalms, toward the latter end of the book, are most of them psalms of praise. The nearer we come to the world of everlasting praise the more we should speak the language and do the work of that world. (MH)
10-19. Wherefore David blessed the Lord—This beautiful thanksgiving prayer was the effusion overflowing with gratitude and delight at seeing the warm and widespread interest that was now taken in forwarding the favorite project of his life. Its piety is displayed in the fervor of devotional feeling—in the ascription of all worldly wealth and greatness to God as the giver, in tracing the general readiness in contributing to the influence of His grace, in praying for the continuance of this happy disposition among the people, and in solemnly and earnestly commending the young king and his kingdom to the care and blessing of God. (JFB)
There is an abundance of tremendous points made by David in this section:
V. 10, David blesses, or praises, the Lord before everyone present.
He publically made known both his allegiance to and dependance upon the Lord God who established the nation.
How we need leaders today who will make this public statement.
V. 11, David attributes all power, honour, glory, majesty and victory to the Lord God. He readily confesses that everything is the Lord's. (The sounds like the end of "The Lord's Prayer".
David also attributes divine sovereignty and control over all things to the Lord; such power places any victory or defeat in the Lord's hands.
V. 12, riches and honour come from the Lord, for He reigns over all. As I mentioned in chapter 28, v. 4, David realized that God was the one who exalted him to his place of authority, a lesson that Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way. (Daniel 4.) If all power and might are in the Lord's hands, and He alone is the One who exalts and abases, then we must accept what Paul said in Romans 13, that all power is of God. But because all human power and authority is from God, does not mean that those in authority have God's unlimited power and authority. Power and authority is only legitimate as it conforms with the law-word of God. Only then must it be obeyed as from God.
V. 13, the Lord could have chosen any people as His unique people and any man to lead those people, vv. 11, 22, so now David thanks God for choosing Israel as His special people, and for exalting himself as king.
Our hears, too, should overflow with thanksgiving and praise when we consider who our Lord is, vv. 11, 12, and that out of all peoples of the earth, He chose us to be part of His kingdom work on this earth—that is, His representatives, or ambassadors.
V. 14,
But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things [come] of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
This is an excellent stewardship verse. I realize Paul is talking about the mysteries of God, but this verse fits well:
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Steward:
1) the manager of household or of household affairs
1a) esp. a steward, manager, superintendent (whether free-born or as was usually the case, a freed-man or a slave) to whom the head of the house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age
1b) the manager of a farm or landed estate, an overseer
1c) the superintendent of the city's finances, the treasurer of a city (or of treasurers or quaestors of kings)
2) metaph. the apostles and other Christian teachers and bishops and overseers (OLB)Being a steward is actually being a servant to someone else and someone else's interest. (The Exemplary Husband, p. 158. See my notes in "covering_1.wpd.")
God owns it all to start with, Luke 17:10. The purpose of wealth is to glorify God, and invest in His kingdom work, not to satisfy our own fallen desires:
Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
And of course,
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
David was overwhelmed with gratitude that he and the people were able to give willingly and abundantly to the Lord. The natural man becomes distressed when he gives, rather than praising God that God has supplied so he can give.
He also confesses that all he and the people have done is give back to the Lord what was already His. I think gold is a good example—men come and go and hoard gold while they are here, but they leave it behind when they leave this life.
V. 15, here David is at the end of his life, admitting that life is short, and our time here is as a stranger in a strange land. At the end of our lives on our "death bed", we realize how short of a time we had to glorify God.
It is too bad that we do not realize the shortness of life until it is over.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 ¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
V. 16, David again confesses that though they—David, the leaders and the people—have laid aside a great amount to build the house, it was not really their own. It all belonged to God to start with, and they are only returning to Him what is His to begin with. THIS IS THE WAY WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER.
V. 17,
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
The people reflected David's willingness of the heart in their giving and in their service to the Lord.
Is our giving done with uprightness of heart, or is it grudgingly?
Again, he sais that he rejoiced that his people gave willingly to the Lord.
Vv. 18, 19,
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
Ver. 18. Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people; since it is from thy grace that thy people have such willing minds to thy service, as was before acknowledged, I beg the continuance of that grace to them, that they may persist in the same generous and pious disposition towards thee and thy worship. (Poole)
David's prayer was that the people would continue in the grace given them by God, and that God would be especially gracious to his son, Solomon, to give him the desire and power to do the things pleasing to God.
Note that God must give the heart to keep His commandments, testimonies, statutes and to do all the things pleasing in His sight. In other words, this is God's grace at work in the Old Testament.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
The question arises — why does God allow things to degenerate if it all depends upon His grace? All we can say is, everything is wording according to his good pleasure:
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
And we must leave it there, for there is no way we can understand nor ask, What doest thou?
Job 9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Romans 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen.
So the above is something that is so far above our understanding that we can only say, by faith we understand, Hebrews 11:1.
Vv. 19-22, remind us of vv. 11-16—that is, all things are God's to start with, and all man can do is give back to Him what is His already. Thus, v. 19, man cannot bless and serve God unless God places that desire and ability within him. Man only returns to God what is already His.
V. 22, a day of feasting and rejoicing for God's goodness, as they made Solomon king a second time. In 1 Kings 1:5ff, Adonijah, the forth son of David, sought to establish himself as king. But Nathan took Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and went in to David to see if Adonijah was to be the king. David assured them that Solomon was to be the king, so he appointed Solomon king right then. Thus, the second time was when Solomon was publically established as king.
Vv. 23-30.
These verses bring king Solomon to his throne and king David to his grave. Thus the rising generation thrusts out that which went before, and says, "Make room for us." Every one has his day.
I. Here is Solomon rising (#1Ch 29:23): Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. Not his throne which he prepared in the heavens, but the throne of Israel is called the throne of the Lord because not only is he King of all nations, and all kings rule under him, but he was in a peculiar manner King of Israel, #1Sa 12:12. He had the founding, he had the filling, of their throne, by immediate direction. The municipal laws of their kingdom were divine. Urim and prophets were the privy counsellors of their princes; therefore is their throne called the throne of the Lord. Solomon's kingdom typified the kingdom of the Messiah, and his is indeed the throne of the Lord; for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to him; hence he calls him his King, #Ps 2:6. Being set on the throne of the Lord, the throne to which God called him, he prospered. Those that follow the divine guidance may expect success by the divine blessing. Solomon prospered: (MH)
1. As king instead of David.
2. All Israel obeyed him.
3. All the leaders of Israel, the important men, submitted to
him. These men could have caused great problems for him.
4. The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all
the nation.
5. The Lord gave him the greatest royal majesty of any king in
all Israel's Old Testament history. However, the new king of Israel,
Christ, far outshines Solomon. (Matthew 12:42 )
II. Here is David's setting, that great man going off the stage. The historian here brings him to the end of his day, leaves him asleep, and draws the curtains about him. (Ibid.)
1. David's reign ends; Solomon's starts.
2. David's life ends at a good old age; Solomon's starts at a
young age.
3. David's life ends with riches and honour; Solomon's starts
with riches and honour. (Both David and Solomon leave their riches
behind. They were only stewards fo what God gave them for a very
brief time in history.)
4. David's history is recorded for all to read, the good, the
bad and the ugly is all there for our admonition. Solomon's history
is recorded for all to read. He seems to have more bad and ugly
than good.