View 1st Chronicles 28 in the note window.
David declares to the general assembly, that God had appointed
Solomon to succeed him and to build the temple, ver. 1 - 7.
Exhorts the people and Solomon, to cleave to God, ver. 8 - 10.
Delivers to him the model and materials for the temple, ver. 11 - 19.
Encourages him to begin and finish the work, ver. 20, 21.
1: And David assembled, &c. - A great deal of business David had
done in his day. And the nearer he comes to his end, the more busy he is,
still endeavouring to do his work with all his might. He is now recovered
from the weakness mentioned (1Ki 1:1). He therefore improves his
recovery, as giving him an opportunity of doing God and his country a
little more service.
2: Stood - Out of reverence to God and respect to this great and
honourable assembly. Brethren - So he calls the princes and chief
rulers, both because they had a share with him, though under him in the
government; and in compliance with the Divine command, that the king
should not be lifted up above his brethren; (De 17:20).
Of rest - A place where it might be fixed, and no more removed from place
to place, as it had been. Foot - stool - An house for the ark is here
styled an house for the foot - stool of our God. Heaven is his throne:
the earth and the most magnificent temples thereon are but his foot - stool.
So much difference is there between the manifestations of his glory, in the
upper and in the lower world!
6: My house, &c. - So was he a figure of him that was to come,
who is both the founder and the foundation of the gospel - temple.
7: At this day - As he hath begun. This promise is absolute with
regard to the Messiah, but conditional, with regard to Solomon.
If we are constant in our duty, then and not otherwise, we may expect
the continuance of his favour.
8: Of our God - I exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is
here present, and this congregation wherein all Israel are present by
their representatives, or witness against you, if you do not follow my
counsel. Keep and seek - Keep those commands which you know, and
seek for, or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may
distinctly understand the whole will of God, and seriously give yourselves
to the practice of it. God's commandments cannot be kept without great care.
9: Know - So as to love and serve him. Words of knowledge in
scripture - use commonly imply affection and practice. Or, acknowledge
him, as thy God, by loving and obeying him. Searcheth - If thou dost only
put on a profession of religion to please me, or if thy obedience to God
be unsincere, thou mayest indeed deceive me, but thou canst not deceive
him, for he searcheth the motions of thy heart.
Cast thee off - Notwithstanding all his promises to me and to my seed,
and that great honour and favour which he hath shewed thee.
10: The sanctuary - For the ark to dwell in. Be strong - Take
courage to break through all difficulties. Without this, we can
do no work of God as we ought.
11: The porch - Of the temple. The houses - The houses of the
temple, namely, the holy place, and the holy of holies.
Parlours - Those rooms which were made against the wall of the house
round about, (1Ki 6:5).
The place - In what particular part of the holy of holies it was
to be placed.
12: By the spirit - All the particulars of the tabernacle built by
Moses were suggested to him by God's spirit, and it is not credible
that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far
more glorious and durable work. All this, it seems, was given him in
writing, probably by the ministry of an angel. The temple was to be a
sacred thing, a type of Christ, of his church, and of heaven. Therefore
it was not to be contrived by man's invention, but to be framed by divine
institution. So Christ, the true temple, the church, the gospel - temple,
and heaven, the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine
counsels, and the plan laid before the world began. It is supposed, the
tabernacle of Moses, with all its utensils, being wanted no more, was laid
up here.
15: According, &c. - Whether they were fixed in one place, whereof
there were ten in the holy place, or to be carried from place to place.
16: The tables - There were divers tables to be used about the
shew - bread; but one of them seems to have been of more eminency than the
rest, and therefore it is commonly called the table of the shew - bread
in the singular number.
18: Refined gold - Purer than any of the rest. For that was typical
of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing can be more pure and
perfect. The cherubim - Which Solomon was to make, (for those which
were fastened to the mercy - seat were made by Moses long before) which
he fitly compares to a chariot, because within them God is said to
sit and to dwell. And because a chariot is made to carry a
person from place to place, this expression may be used to intimate that
God was not so fixed to them by the building of this temple, but that he
would remove from them if they forsook him. Covered - Not above it, for
that was done by Moses's cherubim, but before it, to keep it from the
eyes of the high - priest, when he entered into the most holy place.
19: In writing - God revealed this to some man of God, who put it
into writing, and by him to David. Or, God did, as it were, by his
own hand, (where - with he wrote the Ten Commandments) write these things
upon the table of his mind.
20: My God - Whom I have chosen and served, who has all along been
with me and prospered me, I recommend thee to him; he will be with thee,
to strengthen, direct and prosper thee. The God that owned our fathers,
and carried them thro' the services of their day, will, in like manner,
if we are faithful to him, go along with us in our day, and will never
fail us. God never leaves any, unless they first leave him.
