“Then David said, “This will be the location for the Temple of the Lord God and the place of the altar for Israel’s burnt offerings!” So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David. David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! “I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the Lord—nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver, and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more. You have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind. You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the Lord be with you!” Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to assist Solomon in this project. “The Lord your God is with you,” he declared. “He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the Lord and his people. Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.””
1 Chronicles 22:1-19 NLT
There is a very matter-of-fact attribute to the way in which David thought about things. We first saw it when he determined that Goliath must die. It was not a question, as a boy, as to what course of action had to take place, but rather why no one had made it happen yet. He knew it was right because of the impugning of God’s character. This could be seen as impetuous, but we see it at several points later in life as well, that show nuance. He chooses not to kill Saul at the cave. He stops grieving for his dead son the moment he dies. We saw him accept his punishment for the census, and now we see him make plans without regret for Solomon to finish the temple. David accepted the truth. Instead of focusing on the past in a brooding way, he used it to springboard success in the future. He largely learned from it. He gave everything Solomon he needed to be successful, including goods and support. But most importantly was the advice to seek God first. Ultimately, this life lesson is the greatest thing one could pass on. For most, it will be gained at the end of a long life of mistakes. What set David up for success had always been this knowledge. Conversely, all of his failures were due to wavering at this point.
David’s Approach to Life: David had a straightforward and practical way of thinking, often driven by a strong sense of right and wrong.
David’s Relationship with God: David’s actions and decisions were deeply influenced by his faith in God, and he consistently encouraged others to prioritize seeking God.
David’s Legacy: David’s life serves as a powerful example of how seeking God and learning from past experiences can lead to success and fulfillment.
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