“Solomon also sent this message to King Hiram at Tyre: “Send me cedar logs as you did for my father, David, when he was building his palace. I am about to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God. It will be a place set apart to burn fragrant incense before him, to display the special sacrificial bread, and to sacrifice burnt offerings each morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, at new moon celebrations, and at the other appointed festivals of the Lord our God. He has commanded Israel to do these things forever. “This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods. But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him? “So send me a master craftsman who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, scarlet, and blue cloth. He must be a skilled engraver who can work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem who were selected by my father, David. “Also send me cedar, cypress, and red sandalwood logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are without equal at cutting timber in Lebanon. I will send my men to help them. An immense amount of timber will be needed, for the Temple I am going to build will be very large and magnificent. In payment for your woodcutters, I will send 100,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, 110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil.” King Hiram sent this letter of reply to Solomon: “It is because the Lord loves his people that he has made you their king! Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, gifted with skill and understanding, who will build a Temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.”
2 Chronicles 2:3-12 NLT
Part of the legacy of every good father is the networking and connections that he builds. His intention ought to be that these are things that can be passed forward and down into the next generation. As we had seen before when David became fully King, he was incensed when he tried to honor the legacy of a foreign king and it was rejected before. Now we see that David would’ve been proud of Solomon’s acumen here. Solomon took the legacy forward and began the construction of the Temple. He did this not alone, rejecting his Father’s legacy, but honoring it by calling on the connections his Father had made. Indeed, the Temple, meant to honor God, was itself a legacy act to a God who sought to also extend his own legacy through David’s lineage. This emphasis of honor and collaboration did not break apart. Instead, it brought everything from the past into the future. This is especially prescient in the modern era where technology has allowed us to freely reject anything of our parents before us. Indeed, we often think of our parents’ friends as distant unknown relatives at best, though they often watched us grow up. This is a fault of the older generations who didn’t reach the young to honor their parents, but the onus for change always falls upon the future generations who must decide whether they will honor or reject the past. Either way, it is clear that God wishes to bring the entire family line into the present of his blessings, whenever possible.
Legacy of Networking: A good father’s legacy includes the networking and connections built for future generations.
Solomon’s Honor of David’s Legacy: Solomon honored his father’s legacy by utilizing the connections David made to construct the Temple.
Importance of Honoring the Past: God desires to bless the entire family line, emphasizing the importance of honoring the past and its connections.
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