1 Chronicles 28:9
Near the end of his life, King David gave a solemn charge to his son Solomon pertaining to the building of the temple - 1 Chr 28:1-10. Of particular note are David’s words in verse 9 ‘"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” David’s charge included three things; Solomon’s duty toward God, motivation for Solomon to fulfill his duty and promises regarding whether or not Solomon fulfilled his duty.
Near the end of his life, King David gave a solemn charge to his son Solomon pertaining to the building of the temple - 1 Chr 28:1-10. Of particular note are David’s words in verse 9 ‘"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” David’s charge included three things; Solomon’s duty toward God, motivation for Solomon to fulfill his duty and promises regarding whether or not Solomon fulfilled his duty.
What David charged Solomon in 1 Chr 28:9 has application for us today, in regards to our service to God. Using the verse as our text, consider first what is our duty? Are we not also charged to know God? David tells Solomon to “...know the God of your father”. Nothing is more important in life than to truly know God - Jer 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."’ God is displeased when people do not know Him. As was the case in Hosea’s day - Hos 4:1,6 “Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;” – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” As was also the case in Paul’s day - Ro 1:18-28 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
Yet God has made Himself known through creation - Psa 19:1-3 “A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.” God has made Himself known through revelation, and the sending of His Son - He 1:1-2 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”; Jn 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”, 18 “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.”; 14:7 “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."’; 17:1-4 “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” -- Have we made a serious effort to know God?
We are charged to serve God with a loyal heart (NKJV). With a whole heart (NASB, ESV). With wholehearted devotion (NIV). With what Jesus described as the greatest commandment - Mt 22:36-38 ‘"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We are charged to serve God with a willing mind (NKJV). “cordially and sincerely, cheerfully and freely,” - Gill. “neither in a hypocritical manner, nor through force and constraint, nor with loathing and weariness” - ibid. This is the kind of service God expects today of all Christians in their giving - 2 Co 8:12 “For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”; 9:7 “Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Also of elders in their shepherding - 1 Pe 5:1-2 “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;” -- Are we committed to serving God completely and willingly? To know God and serve Him with sincerity and zeal, such is our duty!
In our continuation of this lesson we will note that from “David’s Charge To Solomon” we can also learn what can serve as our motivation as God searches our hearts.
