King David knows that you have to have order, good leadership, and clear roles and responsibilities to manage anything effectively. David is managing an entire kingdom, and he is laying out plans for the management of the temple. He organizes the gatekeepers the same way he organized the priests and musicians because all roles are important in serving the Lord – “And they cast lots for each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father’s house.” Once again, we see David trusting the Lord with organizing His people.
Then David establishes a financial team to oversee the treasuries of the house of the Lord, and he organizes the army. David divides the army into twelve units. “These divisions came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, each division having twenty-four thousand.”
After David organizes the kingdom and temple work, he gathers the assembly of Israel to pass his leadership over to his son Solomon. In his speech, David reminds the people of five truths from the Lord:
1) David desired to build a house for the Lord, but God said He was going to build David’s house instead by choosing David to be king over Israel forever through a lasting royal dynasty (2 Samuel 7).
2) God chose Judah, the tribe of King David, to rule, as prophesied by Jacob on his deathbed (Genesis 49:10).
3) The Lord chose Solomon, David’s son, to be the next king.
4) The Lord chose Solomon to build His house.
5) God will establish Solomon’s kingdom forever if he obeys the Lord.
After addressing the assembly, David turns his attention to his son – “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”
Today’s reading ends with David handing the temple plans, supplies, gold and silver, and the furnishings to Solomon for the building of the temple. Then David says Solomon, “the Lord made me understand the writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans”, down to even the temple furnishings.
But tomorrow Adonijah, David’s oldest living son at this time, assumes he should be the next king. Keep reading to see more of David’s family drama unfold. (1 Chronicles 26:1-28:21)
Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 