May 4 - 1 Chronicles 26:1-28:21 

Good morning everyone,

As we begin reading this morning David continues to get his house in order, making sure everything in place for Solomon to take over. In chapter 26 we’re told there were 4,000 porters to tend to the doors, the gates of the temple, divided into four groups, one for each gate. Josephus speaks to these doors as being 55 cubits in height and 16 cubits wide, translated 85 feet tall by 24 wide, he further says they required 200 men to close them everyday. I can’t even imagine what that looked like. These same men served as guards, being certain you had the proper credentials to enter, these men were men of valor. Among the them was Obed-edom, you remember him. He is the guy whose house David took the ark when while transporting it the driver tried to steady it with his hand and died.  At first his family was terrified to have the ark, to learn about the Lord, only to be totally blessed. They became a family of believers and sixty-two from his family tree were then serving the Lord. Awesome!

In chapter 27, David numbers off the military force. Though it was a time of peace throughout the land, David kept active military troops rotating in and out. While you read through the chapter, you will recognize many of the names. Israel is a country that will always have to keep it’s guard up, even today, someone is continually trying to take away that tiny strip of land that belongs to God’s chosen, forcing them to have a military reserves that they can activate at any time . 

Chapter 28 … I  am going to be honest here, when I was reading this yesterday I could not hold back the tears. Before this year’s ‘Year Through the Bible’, I knew of David and much of what he had done and stood for, but over the last few weeks, studying David the way I have, walking with him through the years of his life, I feel I really know David, he is a friend. Silly? Perhaps. - They say that while his number in years was 70, he was very old for his age. He’d had a rough life. How rough can a king have it? You might ask. To which I would remind you of what a mighty warrior David was from a very young age. He also spent a decade of his life on the run, living in caves, just one step ahead of those who sought to kill him. And let us not forget all the women he had in his life, that’s enough to make any man old … right? :-) David saw a lot of tragedy in his life, some of which was by his hand or a direct result of consequence of his choice. 

Now, David has assembled all of the leadership of Israel. I can see him in my mind’s eye, sitting up there on the throne, an old man we’re told, his face tan, weathered and wrinkled, his hair grey, with a gold crown a top, sparkling in the sunlight from many colored jewels, his arms to his side on the arms of the chair, as he looks out on all that has been his to govern, all who have come to hear what he has to say. He slowly rises to his feet and with no animosity or “poor me”, begins to recount the story of how it was he who had wanted to build the temple for God, but God said, “No, it would be Solomon.” Then David, speaks to his son in front of all Israel, verse 9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” David gave his son Solomon the blue print for the temple, and a complete flow chart of how it will all go together, which had all been penned with God’s hand on David’s own hand. Then instructs him, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.” 

What was David seeing when he looked into the eyes of his young son as he passed over to him all that was so near and dear to his heart? An amazing example of letting go and trusting in God, an often needed reminder that nothing on this earth is ours, it’s all God’s to do with as he pleases. What was Solomon thinking as David placed a design, with the magnitude he could not even begin to grasp, in his hands? No pressure!  

As David passed on to Solomon some amazing principals to guide him through his life, to get to know God, obey His commands, worship Him, serve Him, be faithful to him and don’t become discouraged, so does our God pass those on to us, his children to help us be successful and happy in Christ. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all…