Man After God’s Own Heart
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Abiathar’s life was spared, out of respect to his office and former
fidelity to David; but he was degraded from the office of high priest,
which passed to the line of Zadok. Joab and Adonijah were spared for
the time, but after the death of David they suffered the penalty of their
crime. The execution of the sentence upon the son of David completed
the fourfold judgment that testified to God’s abhorrence of the father’s
sin.
David Unselfishly Gathers Money and Material for the Temple
From the opening of David’s reign, one of his most cherished plans
had been that of erecting a temple to the Lord. He had provided an
abundance of the costly material—gold, silver, onyx stones, and stones
of divers colors, marble, and precious woods. And now other hands
must build the house for the ark, the symbol of God’s presence.
Seeing that his end was near, the king summoned representative
men from all parts of the kingdom to receive this legacy in trust.
Because of his physical weakness, it had not been expected that he
would attend to this transfer in person; but the inspiration of God came
upon him, and with fervor and power he was able, for the last time,
to address his people. He told them of his own desire to build the
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temple, and of the Lord’s command that the work should be committed
to Solomon his son. “Now therefore,” David said, “in the sight of all
Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God,
keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that
ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your
children after you forever.”
David’s whole soul was moved with solicitude that the leaders of
Israel should be true to God and that Solomon should obey God’s law,
shunning the sins that had weakened his father’s authority, embittered
his life, and dishonored God. Turning to his son, already acknowledged
as his successor, David said: “Solomon my son, know thou the God
of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing
mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the
imaginations of the thoughts... . Take heed now; for the Lord hath
chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary.”
David gave Solomon minute directions for building the temple.
Solomon was still young and shrank from the weighty responsibilities