Although David himself would not build the temple he did make preparations. Foreigners were free in Israel but had very limited political rights, so could be easily exploited. The Law had various rules on not oppressing foreigners. Verse 5 tells us that David made preparations because he realised the importance and size of the task ahead, especially for Solomon who would be a new and therefore inexperienced leader.
David called Solomon and gave him the charge to build the temple. Note that Solomon's assuming the throne was not straightforward. So even if we have been given a task by God we may still encounter difficulties and opposition along the way.
The reason why David was not allowed to build the temple was because he had fought so many wars and had blood on his hands. This implies that David was in some way defiled by the bloodshed. In contrast, Solomon would have a time of peace.
David urges Solomon to keep the Law and to be encouraged. The temple was to be a home for the ark of the covenant.
No comments:
Post a Comment