1 Chronicles 28:20 (ESV)
Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
Sometimes the context of a verse can really enhance our ability to not just know its truth but to understand how it might apply to us. In the above verse we are reading King David’s last words to his son Solomon. David wanted to build the Temple, himself. God told him NO!
1 Chronicles 28:3-4 (ESV)
But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
That did not stop David from doing all the planning. Chapters 25-29 show us everything David did to make ready for the construction. God told him he was not to build the Temple but that didn’t stop him from designing it and getting all the materials and man power lined up. In this entire section of David’s last days we read how he not only gather every stone to build the Temple, he also arranged the singers and the gatekeepers and much more. He put everything in order for his son Solomon, who would build it. That brings us to the above verse. Solomon had one responsibility in this project and that was simply to just do it. Of course the Nike brand has stolen this concept, but God originated it. Solomon had been given all the tools he needed to accomplish the task before him. It was a monumental task. Today, building a temple of this size would take builders a short time. But in those days building anything of this magnitude would be an horrendous task. David is telling Solomon it would be hard (the need to be strong and courageous). But he is also telling Solomon he must take the preparation and get to work. Note what David will say in the next chapter”
1 Chronicles 29:1-3 (ESV)
And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the LORD God. So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God:
David prepared everything for Solomon. He didn’t have to do the work. His dad did. He only had to follow through. Jesus did the same for us. He has done it all. He died and rose again to save us from our sins. He sent the Spirit of God to empower us and give us a hunger for Him. He has equipped us for everything we need to do His will and work. Now, by faith, we need to just do it!!
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV)
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.,
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