28:1 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.
In the last two chapters, the author recorded David’s last speech to the leaders of Israel.
28:2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. I have made the preparations for building it.
David was an old man and about to die. However, he raised to his feet to give his final speech to the nations. He reminded the people that he wanted to build God’ temple. David was the one who created the blueprints for the temple.
28:3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’
David confessed his sin to the people.
28:4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel.
David reminded the people of the doctrine of election and predestination. David only became a king, because God chose him for that office.
28:5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.
Solomon may not have been David’s first choice for king, but he was God’s first choice. This divine choice of God was another example of the doctrines of election and predestination.
28:6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father.
God chose Solomon to build the temple.
28:7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.’
If Solomon would have obeyed God, then he would have ruled the kingdom of Israel forever. However, Solomon rebelled against God. Therefore, Jesus will rule Israel during the Messianic Kingdom. The Hebrew word for “permanently” is עוֹלָם (olam), which means a long, long time. The length of the Messianic Kingdom was given in Revelation 20 as 1,000 literal years.
28:8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this: Carefully observe all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you.
David reminded Israel to keep the Mosaic Law so that they would continue to receive the blessings of the covenant.
28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.
David reminded Solomon in front of the entire assembly of the leadership of Israel that Solomon was to be submissive to God. Solomon would not follow this advice. Solomon would intermarry with foreign wives, multiply horses, and worship foreign gods. All of these acts were violations of the Mosaic Law.
28:10 Realize now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!”
David confirmed the doctrine of election and predestination to Solomon. Solomon was chosen by God to build the Jewish temple. Solomon was immortal until he completed this task.
28:11 David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. 28:12 He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the Lord’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. 28:13 He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the Lord’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the Lord’s temple. 28:14 He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the Lord’s temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, 28:15 for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 28:16 for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 28:17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, 28:18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
David planned out everything for the temple, including the blueprints, the Levitical priesthood rotation, and the gathering of materials. This temple really should have been called “David’s Temple.”
28:19 David said, “All of this I put in writing as the Lord directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints.”
David wrote down his entire temple program and gave it to Solomon.
28:20 David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and brave! Do it! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! For the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the Lord’s temple is finished.
Solomon was very young at this time, maybe 18 years old. He was not yet ready to handle the leadership position of Israel. David knew that Solomon did not have the strength or courage to become an effective leader at this early stage of his life, so he encouraged Solomon to be courageous.
28:21 Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites who will perform all the service of God’s temple. All the willing and skilled men are ready to assist you in all the work and perform their service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your instructions.”
David gave Solomon written plans on the Levitical system which would aid Solomon in building the temple.