DAVID’S VISION “Now Bless The LORD Your God”

AN EMOTIONAL DAY 1.David obtained the commitment of his appointed leaders to build the house of God that David had been seeking to build. 2.David turned over the throne of Israel to his son Solomon.

I Chronicles 29: Part of the “Roots” of the Lord’s Prayer 1.“Our father” (29:10) 2.“Blessed be thou” (“Hallowed be thy name”) (29:10) 3.“Thine is the kingdom” (29:11) 4.“Thine is the power and the glory” (29:11)

I Chronicles 29: Part of the “Roots” of the Lord’s Prayer The fact that Jesus immediately turned to David’s prayer in I Chronicles 29 when some of his disciples asked him to teach them to pray appears to indicate that Jesus reflected often on David’s charge to Solomon (and to Jesus, as the builder of God’s future physical house and God’s spiritual house) both before and during his ministry.

I Chronicles 29: Part of the “Roots” of the Lord’s Prayer “Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind” (28:9) “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (28:20)

A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART “And when he had removed him (Saul), he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” (Acts 13:22)

THE LONGEVITY OF THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SET UP BY DAVID One of the marvels of the order of worship that David established was its longevity. At least part of that order was re-established after the house of God was consumed by fire at the hand of the Babylonians, and the people endured a 70-year exile from the land.

THE LONGEVITY OF THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SET UP BY DAVID Just as miraculous was the fact that part of the order of worship that David established survived the immense cultural challenges thrust upon the Jewish people by their Greek and Roman overlords.

THE LONGEVITY OF THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SET UP BY DAVID “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia (Abijah – see I Chronicles 24:10)…And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.” (Luke 1:5,8,9)

THE LONGEVITY OF THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SET UP BY DAVID Zachariah carried out his priestly duties about 950 years after David had instituted this order of priestly service! During the time of Christ, it was recorded that sometimes about 1,000,000 Jews would gather in Jerusalem to keep the feast of Passover! (no paid vacation – would have to save up for it)

THE LONGEVITY OF THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SET UP BY DAVID “And he (Philip) arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning…” (Acts 8:27,28)

FOCUS OF II SAMUEL “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, ‘ He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.” (23:3,4)

FOCUS OF I CHRONICLES “ And David said to all the congregation, ‘Now bless the LORD your God.’ And all the congregation blessed the LORD god of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.” (29:20)

DAVID’S VISION That Jerusalem, as the dwelling place of the ark of the covenant, would be a holy city, administered by the king, his officers, and the priests and Levites It would be a city that Israel could come to in order the praise the LORD, be moved to voluntarily offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, dedication, and fellowship, and generally be re-energized about being God’s covenanted people, with a renewed focus on being holy, even as God is holy

SIX INFLUENCES ON DAVID’S VISION 1.All 12 tribes joined to him in Hebron 2.The capture of the Jebusite fortress in Jerusalem 3.The effort by David to relocate the ark of the covenant from Kirjathjearim to Jerusalem 4.The goodwill gesture by Hiram, king of Tyre, to build David a palace in Jerusalem, furnishing both materials and craftsmen

SIX INFLUENCES ON DAVID’S VISION 5. The land was at rest. 6. David’s numbering of the people.

BURNT OFFERING = Dedication to the LORD PEACE OFFERING = Fellowship with the LORD

Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 1 Chronicles 16:15-22

Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning, And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 1 Chronicles 17:9-14

DAVID’S SEPARATION FROM HIS PEOPLE (KING, NOT SHEPHERD) “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel…” (II Samuel 11:1)

DAVID’S SEPARATION FROM HIS PEOPLE (KING, NOT SHEPHERD) (Absolom) “O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!’ And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absolom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absolom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” (II Samuel 15:4-6)

DAVID’S SEPARATION FROM HIS PEOPLE (KING, NOT SHEPHERD) David’s numbering of the people (for military service) “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.” (II Samuel 24:1) This appears to have been prompted by the LORD to elicit a desired change in David.

DAVID’S THREE OPTIONS 1.Three years of famine in the land 2.Three months of Israel’s enemies prevailing 3.Three days of pestilence in the land

THE MIND OF A SHEPHERD RESTORED IN DAVID And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. 1Chronicles 21:17

THE MIND OF A SHEPHERD RESTORED IN DAVID II Samuel ends with David constructing the altar and offering burnt offerings and peace offerings on it. Much more is recorded in I Chronicles 21 and 22. Thus II Samuel appears to conclude with the thought that the reign of the “old” David (separated in his heart from his people – a king, but not a shepherd) was over. The reign of the “new” (or original) David is recorded in I Chronicles 21 and beyond.

DAVID’S VISION After the “shepherd” mind was restored in David, his vision appears to have developed into something more profitable than it was originally in II Samuel 7. David’s vision was not only focused on a proper house for the ark of the covenant to reside in, but was also focused on the LORD’s “sheep”.

DAVID’S VISION That Jerusalem, as the dwelling place of the ark of the covenant, would be a holy city, administered by the king, his officers, and the priests and Levites It would be a city that Israel could come to in order the praise the LORD, be moved to voluntarily offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, dedication, and fellowship, and generally be re-energized about being God’s covenanted people, with a renewed focus on being holy, even as God is holy.

MATERIALS DAVID DEDICATED 100,000 talents of gold 1,000,000 talents of silver Brass and iron without measure Timber and stones He also gathered to build the house of God: Foreigners in the land of Israel Masons to hew wrought stones

A RIGHTEOUS KING – THE CRITICAL PART OF DAVID’S VISION “Know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” (I Chronicles 28:9)

A RIGHTEOUS KING – THE CRITICAL PART OF DAVID’S VISION (prayer to God) “And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.” (I Chronicles 29:19)

And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. I Chronicles 29:20,21

DAVID’S LESSON TO US Don’t let the problems within the Christadelphian community (ecclesia, family) steal or even diminish your joy in the sure covenant that you have with God through your baptism into Christ. Like David, keep a joyful vision in the front of your mind.

OUR JOYFUL VISION That Jerusalem, as the dwelling place of the house of God, will be a holy city, administered by Jesus, the king-priest and his saints. It will be a city that the nations will come to in order to praise the LORD, be moved to voluntarily offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, dedication, and fellowship, and generally be re- energized about God’s righteous rule, with a renewed focus on being holy, even as God is holy

DAVID’S LAST WORDS The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, ‘He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain’.

Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 2 Samuel 23:3-5