1st Chronicles 22 DON'T QUIT BECAUSE YOU ARE OLD
Old age has a tendency to make us look back to the past with nostalgic fondness rather than ahead with optimism. Because of our humanity we live in a "now" instead of seeing the big picture of the past. present and future all being an "eternal now" in God's eyes. David was a man after God's own heart, so he could see what others did not for one reason or another. From the pasture to the palace he had experienced life in the big picture. He knew what it was to be overlooked as insignificant and praised as a hero. He had been loved and hated. He had been hunted like an animal and heralded as a king. He had won and he had lost. He had experienced being lied about and misrepresented, and his words had been law to millions. Old age has a way of knocking the sharp edges off the rough rocks we are by nature. But we are not done until God says we are done.
David identified the place where the temple was to be built. He could almost see it in his mind's eye. No longer will there be the dust and dirt of business on Mount Moriah. The threshing floor was where the foundation of the house of the Lord God of Israel would be located. An altar was there with the scent of burning flesh and the scent of incense that was started by fire that fell from heaven. After failures and fear, after sackcloth and face-down humble repentance, there would come blessing in that place. The house of God today is not populated by perfect people but by those who have been forgiven, set apart as a kingdom of priests, and who worship and serve as on body of believers in a local "place" where the Lord Jesus Christ calls us to meet with Him - and He is "in the midst of them."
Not all material in the house of God is alike nor are all who labor there supposed to do the same things. The laborers in the forest and in the quarries, each had a personal work to do that was unique to them. Some did the hard back-breaking labor of gathering raw material. The "work of an evangelist" is definitely a work. When one is alone, or a few labor together, far from their home "place," there can be times when they may feel sorry for themselves if they forget to look at the big picture. The commission from our Lord is to "go and make disciples...," not to stay and wait for people to come to us and ask how to be disciples.
When the rocks have been roughly cut out of the quarry and the trees of the forest have been cut down, they have to be shaped. When the copper, tin, iron, silver and gold has been dug out of the earth it has to be refined. There are those who were skilled in hewing rocks, sawing lumber and refining metal that had to go to work and ply their trade to bring the needed results from basic material to a work of useful beauty. In the same way we are all to be "workers together" as the house of God is built and maintained. All the gifts and talents of God's people have a place to be used if the workers actually work. The variety of people is essential for the purposes of the local assembly. There is a principle to follow in order for that variety to function properly and in unity. There is a plan and a pattern to follow. Planning ahead for any work keeps the unity of the people under the leadership of the Spirit and the work of God. The plans are plain. Coordination of the gifts for a united purpose is the responsibility of those who superintend the work.
When the materials are found, each item needs personal attention. The iron nails would have been made by hand to the right size for a particular purpose. Smaller nails would have been used in making doors that for hanging gate hinges. The mixing of copper and tin would be heated and watched until the right amount of each could be brought together to produce the right strength and color. Cedar logs would have to be cut to uniform sizes in order to form the right kind of structure. Each stone would have to fit properly to those stones around it. The work of God is not to be done haphazardly. Those in scripturally gathered assemblies of believers need to be aware of the fact that carelessness can bring weakness into the whole company.
Teachers and their teaching can make or break the testimony of an assembly very quickly. Paul urged those who build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, fundamental doctrines, need to be committed to take the time necessary to smelt the gold and silver, and dig out the precious stones. "Wood, hay and stubble" can be found on the internet or in books written by people. It may be fast, and look and sound okay, but it does not stand the test of fire either now for present uses, or in the day of recompense. It is not only what we build as to the material we use, but how we build as to the way it is done. Scriptural truth slapped at people is often rejected out of hand because of the way it is presented. Truth patiently and carefully presented with both compassion and faithfulness is much easier to take by the hearers, than a confrontational belligerent presentation.
David was old but not finished. Instead of fighting battles, he was wanting to build a house for the Lord God. But his past work for the Lord had involved him for most of his life in confrontation with enemies. Bloodshed and conflict were not consistent with the purpose of this house for the Lord's name. We all have our limitations for one reason or another. Some may have been of our own making and others by divine sovereignty. Those limitations should not stop us doing what we can for the benefit of others who may do far greater things then we could ever do. David was not jealous but zealous. Advancing years greatly enlarges our scope of viewing the world in a scriptural way so that we can look ahead beyond our life to the value of the work and potential of others. Those younger people who follow can be helped if we pass on what we have learned to those who want to hear.
It is incumbent on us to do what we can for the following generation. We need to pass on what we have gathered over a lifetime of living for the Lord. We need to seek to see things through their eyes rather than insisting they see things through ours. When we do our part in the work of the Lord, He can consolidate the variety of gifts, of age differences and of designated responsibilities to make the house of God a wonderful dwelling place for Him with His people. It perhaps could be a place of wonder for those who look on from outside. The uniqueness of a scripturally gathered assembly hopefully makes those who wonder how it can work without man-made organization, consider the word of God and how it can be applied to them.
Solomon would have been a teenager when all of those materials were being prepared and gathered to the "place." He had older brothers who resented him and his mother. He was a peace-loving person who was used to the finer things of life. He likely had never killed another person nor had anyone hunt him with the purpose of killing him. He didn't have the vision of the promised kingdom in the same way David did, but he was told by his father there would come a King who will reign forever. This is the only specific reference to our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of 1st Chronicles. There is coming One who is "greater than Solomon." Even though he seemed to be a person who only lived for the present, God used him as a builder, and gave him a special gift of wisdom - and riches and honor.
We can learn some important lessons in mentoring when we read the words of David to Solomon. Solomon was given a charge. That means something serious is to be discussed and when it is given seriously the one hearing the charge will realize this is no small matter. The reason for the charge was also given as David explained his limitations and why God could not use him to build the temple. He made it plain to Solomon why he was given this work to do and when. The immensity of the work and the urgency to do it right and finish it would have made it plain to the young man that much was expected of him. Everything he needed was there for him to begin "the work." He was to oversee the workmen and use his wisdom as a builder and not only as a counselor.
There were personal things for Solomon to also consider that we need to attend to ourselves. We need to be wise and discreet when we are living for God. It takes time and concentration to be understanding of things and how to bring the desired results. In order for this to be real to us rather than just a natural inclination, we need to study and apply the word of God. "Statutes and judgments" are divine decrees and laws, not just from Moses, but from the Lord through Moses. Success comes when we approach the work of the Lord with a positive attitude that comes from strength and courage given by Him. Fear and discouragement are negative things that come when we rely only on ourselves or are criticized by others. David's life's work was done. Now it was time for Solomon to go to work. Let us pray that God will give those who come after us the needed fortitude and vision to accomplish greater things for the Lord then we could ever do.
There are others with whom we do not have the same ties or affinity but who are important to God and His work. We can encourage them and challenge them to support the work and those who lead in it. They need to get involved and stay involved and everyone participate with heart and soul. Those princes (leaders) had peace after the wars were over, but were not to get lazy and sit back and just enjoy what they had for themselves. Tranquility has conditions that we are responsible to keep. We need to maintain our commitment to God's things, not just rest at ease with the temporal things of life to enjoy. The work of God goes on and will continue until the Lord comes. Then there will be rest in the kingdom of peace but will not be a lazy group of people with no meaning to our existence. We must not stop until the work of building is done. Then there is the work of maintaining what we have and pressing forward in kingdom work to the glory of the "Name of the Lord."