Year 1, Week 41, Day 1 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 41, Day 1

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Chronicles 22; Psalm 30, 108-110.

Today’s reading entails the report of the role that David plays in getting matters ready for the building of the Temple. 1 Chronicles 22 mentions “the house of God” ten times (22:1,2,5,6,7,8,10,11,14,19), so it is clearly evident what the focus of this chapter is about. It had been on David’s heart, for some time, to build a house for the LORD. While David will not be the one to actually build the Temple, it seems he did anything and everything he could to insure that the Temple would be built by his son, Solomon. Today’s reading also includes four Psalms, all of which are attributed to David. Psalm 30 contains a superscription that sets the Psalm as a song to be sung at the dedication of the Temple. Psalms 108-110, which are a part of Book Five of the Psalms, each reveal the loving faithfulness of the LORD, as He will deliver His people from all of their enemies. Psalm 110 focuses even closer as it is revealed that the One who will deliver His people from their enemies will be a Warrior-King, who is also a Priest: “The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!…The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:2-4).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the similarity between David’s words to Solomon and Moses’ words to Joshua. Like Moses, who was not allowed to enter the Promised Land, David was not allowed to build the Temple. But the LORD would complete their work through a successor:  "Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:4-5). David charged Solomon: "Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed” (1 Chronicles 22:13b), with what Moses charged Joshua: “Be strong and courageous…Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed” (Joshua 1:5,9). David also paralleled Moses’ instructions pertaining to the need to connect success with obedience: “Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel” (1 Chronicles 22:13a). These instructions to Solomon are reminiscent of what Joshua heard: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:7-8). Moses’ reassurance of the LORD’s presence with Joshua: “I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you…for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5b,1:9b), is the reassurance for Solomon: “Now, my son, the LORD be with you…The LORD be with you!” (1 Chronicles 22:11a,19b).

David’s generous, extravagant sacrifice, but also his good and wise instructions, secured Solomon’s success in building the Temple. David’s words and work reflect the words and work of Jesus, the son of David. At this current moment in God’s unfolding of history, the church is the Temple: “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The generous, extravagant sacrifice of Jesus secured the success of building a Temple out of His people: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

As David’s instructions to Solomon guided the Temple construction, so too, Jesus’ instructions must guide our operation in displaying the glory of God: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). The displaying beauty of the Temple that Solomon built should be surprised by an even more beautiful Temple that Jesus is building: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), for in Jesus, “behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42b). As David charged Solomon to be careful to do all that the Word declares, so Jesus charged His people: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a). And as David reassured Solomon of the LORD’s presence so that he would complete his task, so now does Jesus say to His church: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe