A Warning About How We Should Build God’s Kingdom. (1 Chronicles 28)
Transcript:
Welcome back to The Bible Journey Daily Podcast. It’s wonderful to have you with me again as we continue our journey through 1 Chronicles. 1 Chronicles is a book that not only records Israel’s history, but also shapes our understanding of leadership, worship, and faithful service in the kingdom of God.
In our last episode, we explored chapters 24 through 2, which was a lengthy and detailed section where David organised priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, treasurers, civil officials, military divisions, tribal leaders, administrators, and counsellors. It was a masterclass in biblical organisation. We learned that God’s work deserves structure, clarity, fairness, and flexibility.
But now, as we turn the page to chapter 28, the tone shifts.
Organisation is still important, but David wants to make something absolutely clear:
Organisation alone is not enough. When building for God, we must be careful and mindful of something also..
Chapter 28 is in fact David’s final public address. He gathers the nation, he gathers the leaders, and he gathers Solomon, and he gives them an earnest warning about approaching the work of God with reverence, obedience, and wholehearted devotion.
If chapters 24–27 taught us how to stay organised… chapter 28 teaches us how to stay faithful…
INTRODUCTION:
As we enter chapter 28, David is now an old man. His organisational work is complete. The temple plans are drawn. The materials are gathered. The workforce is structured. The leadership is appointed. The kingdom is ready.
But before Solomon begins building, David knows there is something far more important than schedules, divisions, and job descriptions.
There must be the right attitude, a right heart.
There must also be a deep respect for God, what is often referred to in the bible as a fear of the Lord.
And there must be a right approach to the work of God itself.
So, David stands before the nation and gives a series of warnings, not about construction techniques, nothing now about architectural details, but about spiritual posture and structure..
In this, he reminds Solomon:
That God sees the heart, and that God searches every motive, and also that God blesses obedience. He also says that God rejects half‑heartedness, and that the work of God must be done with courage, devotion, and purity
This chapter is one of the most powerful leadership moments in the Old Testament. It is David’s final sermon. His final charge. His final warning. And it is filled with wisdom for anyone who serves in ministry, leads a church, or simply wants to honour God in their daily life.
So today, as we open 1 Chronicles 28, we’re going to explore.
David’s final gathering of and before the nation
David’s warnings to Solomon
And David’s instructions for approaching God’s work
As well as David’s spiritual principles that must guide every godly administration
Because if organisation is the skeleton in the body of God's community on earth, devotion is the heart.
And without the heart fails and the structure collapses.
So, turn with me to 1 Chronicles chapter 28, and let’s listen to David’s final words — words that still speak to us today.
1 David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the warriors and all the brave fighting men.
2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’
4 “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel. 5 Of all my sons—and the Lord has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
(1 Chronicles 28:1–6)
When you build anything, the first rule is simple: be careful. If you’re working with tools that can injure you, you must be careful. If you’re working at heights where a fall could be fatal, you must be careful. And the same principle applies spiritually.
If you’re constructing a church community — be careful.
If you’re building a ministry — be careful.
If you’re building anything for the Lord — be careful.
Why?
Because spiritual work carries spiritual dangers, and David, at the end of his life, understood that better than anyone.
As he gave his final instructions concerning the building of the temple, he warned Israel, and he warned Solomon not to neglect a vital issue. What he told them applies directly to us today.
God had already fulfilled some of the Davidic covenant promises in David’s lifetime. Others were fulfilled in Solomon’s reign. Some more were fulfilled in Jesus incarnation but till others remained unfulfilled to this day as we await the greater Son of David's return.
And now, for the third time, the Chronicler records the promises God gave to David:
First, God spoke directly to David (chapter 17).
Second, David spoke to Solomon (chapter 22).
Third, David speaks to Solomon and all the leaders of Israel through David addresses them here in chapter 28.
This third moment is where we must focus.
David has now assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel…”
He gathers all those leaders he appointed in the four chapters we looked at yesterday.
This is a national assembly, a gathering of every leader who will play a role in Israel's future.
Interestingly, the earlier historical biblical books do not record this moment. It is unique to Chronicles. The writer wants us to see David’s final charge, not just to Solomon, but to the entire leadership of Israel. The Hebrew text uses the plural, making it clear that David’s warning is addressed to all the leaders, not just his son.
David had already communicated his desire to build the temple way back in chapter 22. He had already gathered materials. He had already organised the workforce. Now, with his life drawing to a close, he summons the leaders again. He wants them to recognise Solomon’s leadership and to commit themselves to the work God had entrusted to them.
David stands; he is now an old man, frail but resolute, and speaks with authority and affection. “I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations to build it.”
The “footstool of God” refers to the mercy seat, the top of the ark, which symbolises God’s throne on earth. David wanted to build a permanent resting place for the ark, a house where God’s presence would dwell among His people.
But he then says, “God said to him, ‘You shall not build the house for My name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’”
David’s desire was sincere, but God said no. The temple would be built by a man of peace, not a man of war. David accepts this with humility.
Then David recounts God’s sovereign choice: “The Lord God of Israel chose me. He has been pleased to make me king… And of all my sons… He has chosen Solomon…”
This is a chain of divine election:
God chose Judah.
God then chose David’s family.
God then chose David himself, and now God chooses Solomon
This is covenant language, the same language God used in 2 Samuel 7. Solomon is God’s royal son in a representative sense. If Solomon remains faithful, his kingdom will endure.
This points forward to the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfills this promise:
“You are My Son; today I have begotten You.” (Psalm 2:7)
“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.” (Luke 1:33)
Solomon is the fore-shadow.
Christ is the substance.
David continues speaking in verse 7:
“Moreover, I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.”
The Hebrew word translated unswerving carries the sense of being strong, courageous, firm, resolute. David is saying, “Solomon, if you want the kingdom to endure, you must be steadfast in obedience.”
David may have hoped Solomon would fulfill the remaining promises of the Davidic covenant. But he also knew that such fulfillment required faithful obedience. Solomon, however, would not turn out to be fully obedient. His divided heart eventually fractured the kingdom.
Therefore, if God was to remain faithful to His promise, another Son of David, a wholly faithful Son, would have to come later. The writer is looking forward to that future hope. And we know who that Son is:
“David’s greater Son,” Jesus Christ, the One whose kingdom truly endures forever.
Verse 8 shifts David’s attention from Solomon to the entire assembly:
“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever…”
There it is the heart of the passage:
Be careful and seek out all the commandments of the Lord.
David is not talking about casual interest. He is talking about intentional pursuit, careful obedience, deliberate devotion. He tells the people that if they do this, they will possess the land and leave it as an inheritance for their children forever
Obedience preserves blessing.
Disobedience forfeits it.
This theme, probably unique to Chronicles, is repeated throughout both books, being that when you seek the Lord, He responds. But when you forsake Him, He withdraws.
It is immediate. It is relational. It is covenantal.
Now David turns directly to Solomon:
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”…”
(1 Chronicles 28: 9-10)
This is one of the most beautiful and profound leadership charges in Scripture.
David tells Solomon to:
Know the Lord — relationally, personally, intimately
Serve the Lord — actively, faithfully, wholeheartedly
With a loyal heart — sincerity, integrity, devotion
And a willing mind — eagerness, readiness, delight
Why?
“For the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.”
God sees everything.
He knows motives, He knows desires, and He knows the inner workings of the mind.
External conformity is not enough.
God wants our heart.
Then David gives Solomon a three‑part message. A command, a promise, and a warning:
The Command: “Know the God of your father and serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind.”
The Promise: “If you seek Him, He will be found by you.”
This echoes Jeremiah 29:13, which says: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
This is not about losing salvation. It is about losing privilege, blessing, and kingdom stability. Solomon’s later life proves the warning was justified.
David concludes by saying, “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”
This is the same charge God gave Joshua centuries earlier:
“Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you.” (Joshua 1:9)
So, David reminds Solomon:
God has chosen you, God has appointed you, and God has entrusted you with this work
So be strong
And do it
This is not motivational fluff. It is covenantal responsibility.
Verse 11 begins the next movement: The transition to the Temple Plans
“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement…”
Having explained why Solomon was chosen (vv. 1–8) and encouraged Solomon to be strong and faithful (vv. 9–10). David now takes another strategic step. He hands Solomon the Spirit‑given plans for the temple.
David is passing the baton, not only of leadership, but also the vision.
“ He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.”
(1 Chronicles 28: 12-13)
The point of all this is unmistakable:
The temple was not David’s idea.
The temple was God’s design.
The construction would be done by human hands, but the pattern came from the Lord. And because the temple was a type of Christ, there was no room for human imagination or innovation. Solomon must build according to the pattern given by the Spirit.
This is a profoundly important principle being modelled here. God’s work must be done God’s way.
Beginning in verse 14, David hands over not only the plans, but the materials:
Gold lampstands
Silver lampstands
Tables of showbread
Forks
Basins
Pitchers
Bowls
The altar of incense
And the golden cherubim overshadowing the ark
And David doesn’t just list Solomon's gold and silver; he gives him the exact weights for each item.
This continues through verse 18.
“The weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables; the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
(1 Chronicles 28: 15-18)
David had weighed the raw materials for each piece of furniture. Nothing was left to guesswork. Nothing was left to chance.
The “chariot,” mentioned in verse 18, refers to the golden cherubim, the throne‑bearers of God, the symbolic chariot upon which God’s presence rested above the ark.
David is handing Solomon the plans, the measurements, the materials, and the vision… Everything is ready.
Verse 19 is remarkable:
“All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.”
David is saying:
“God showed me the entire temple, in writing, by His hand and I wrote it down.”
This was a divine revelation, perhaps a vision, just as Moses received on Mount Sinai. David did not want to leave anything to human creativity. He wrote down every detail of what God revealed.
This is careful obedience, with humble submission, and this is building God’s work God’s way.
The passage ends with one of the most powerful encouragements in Scripture. We often quote it.
Verse 20:
“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”
This echoes Joshua 1:9.
It anticipates Hebrews 13:5.
And it reflects the heart of a father encouraging his son.
Solomon now has everything he needs: Therefore David says:
“Be strong — and do it.”
Verse 21 adds:
“Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites, ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”
Solomon will not work alone.
He will not build alone.
He will not lead alone.
God is with him.
The people are with him.
The workers are ready, and the plans are complete.
All that remains is obedience.
Summary:
This chapter has been the crescendo of preparation described in the 6 chapters in this part of the book of 1 Chronicles :
· God chose Solomon.
· God gave the plans.
· God provided the materials.
· God organised the workers.
· God promised His presence.
· David charged Solomon to obey wholeheartedly.
And yes — this book has a lot to do with the temple. Chapter after chapter prepares for it.
Because the temple symbolised God’s presence, God’s holiness, and God’s covenant with His people. But be careful not to forget that the temple now lives within us. God dwells within us.
More on that tomorrow.
OUTRO:
And that brings us to the end of 1 Chronicles chapter 28, a chapter full of plans, warnings, encouragements, and a father’s final charge to his son.
It is a chapter that reminds us that the work of God must always be done God’s way, with God’s heart, and in God’s strength.
David has told Solomon, and he has also told us to be careful.
Be careful to obey.
Be careful to seek the Lord.
Be careful to build wholeheartedly.
Be careful not to forget the Lord while doing the work of the Lord.
Because it is possible to become so busy with ministry that we lose sight of the One we are ministering for. It is possible to become so focused on the structure that we forget the Spirit. It is possible to become so committed to the work that we neglect the Worker.
David’s message is simple:
Be careful that in everything you do, you don’t forget the Lord.
He hands Solomon the plans, the materials, the workers, the organisation, and the promise of God’s presence, and then he says, “Be strong… and don’t forget to do it.”
And that is the call to us as well.
In our next episode, we come to the final chapter of 1 Chronicles, and the final chapter, chapter 29.
A chapter where David looks back over everything God has done and everything God has promised, and he asks a simple but intensely important question:
What should we have learned?
It is a chapter of reflection.
A chapter of worship.
A chapter of generosity.
A chapter of legacy.
A chapter that gathers up the entire book and places it in our hands.
If 1 Chronicles has been a journey of names, genealogies, organisation, and temple preparation, chapter 29 is the moment where David — and the Chronicler — say:
“Now, take all of this… and learn.”
So, join me next time as we step into the final chapter of this remarkable book and discover the lessons God wants us to carry forward today. Lessons for leadership, worship, stewardship, and life.
Until then — be careful, stay wholehearted, and remember:
Don’t forget the Lord.
