First Chronicles 29 Commentary
David leads from the front. In his position as king, he has mobilized huge quantities of materials for the construction works on the Temple of the LORD. As an individual, he digs deep into his personal wealth and gives generously towards the project. This is an example of good leadership. You cannot ask others to give when you haven’t shown leadership.
The example of the king is quickly duplicated down the chain of command, as the officials give willingly.
David’s life-long desire for God’s presence, and being a man after God’s own heart, David’s story is heart-warming and history-defining. David is said to have enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. And his son, who is said to have been loved by the LORD, has a very good start.
Then the human author lists for us his sources of information for what he has just written: the records of Samuel; the records of Nathan; the records of Gad; and the records at the palace. He has selected information about David to communicate a particular message. The message is that David is yet another moment when the LORD sought to begin with man on a new page. The LORD was willing to make Israel prosper again, even against the background of unimaginable apostasy that we saw in the Book of Judges.
First Chronicles ends here.
The reader is encouraged to reflect on the generosity of the LORD in always wanting a fresh start with fallen mankind. Every morning presents a new opportunity for a fresh start with the LORD. It’s a new page on which greatness can be written, regardless of past failures. A decent Christian walk to have had; that is always the message that each sunrise brings.
The human author wants us to understand David’s understanding of his own dynasty: “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” The kingdom belonged to the LORD. David was simply the under-shepherd.
First Chronicles is therefore looking forward to a time when the rightful owner of the Kingdom would come.
“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” Genesis 49 verse 10.
This was Judah’s blessing. David is the son of Judah. Chronicles was written with an expectation of yet another son of Judah, to be called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The reader is invited to reflect on the blessedness of our times, as we have experienced and continue to experience the rule of the Christ.
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