1 Chronicles 29, 2 Chronicles 1-2

Thoughts

1 Chronicles 29

David reminds the people that Solomon is young and inexperienced, yet chosen by God. He stresses the greatness of the task: building a house for the Lord.

He asks the leaders and people who will help? The officials, commanders, and leaders give generously: gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Many rejoice. 

David blesses the Lord before the assembly and praises God’s greatness, power, glory, and sovereignty  He acknowledges that all wealth and honor come from God, 

He prays for God to keep the people’s hearts loyal . They bow low in worship before God and the king.

Abundant sacrifices and fellowship offerings are made, with great feasting before the Lord.

Solomon is anointed a second time as king, and Zadok is made priest. The people obey him, and all officials, mighty men, and David’s sons submit to him. The Lord exalts Solomon greatly

David reigned 40 years (7 in Hebron, 33 in Jerusalem). He died at a good old age, full of riches and honor.

David’s acts are written in the records of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.

2 Chronicles 1

Solomon takes control of his kingdom. The Lord his God is with him and makes him exceedingly great.

Solomon gathers leaders: commanders, judges, heads of families, and all Israel. They go to Gibeon, where the tabernacle of meeting and the bronze altar (made by Bezalel) are located. The ark, however, is already in Jerusalem (v. 4).

Solomon and the assembly worship there. He offers 1,000 burnt offerings on the bronze altar before the Lord.

• The altar at Gibeon was the original altar of burnt offering that Moses built in the wilderness, according to the instructions God gave at Sinai. When David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, he pitched a special tent for it there (1 Chronicles 16:1).

That night, God appears to Solomon in a dream and tells him to ask for whatever he desires. Solomon asks for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people.

God is pleased with Solomon’s request and grants him wisdom and knowledge. In addition, God promises to give him wealth, possessions, and honor greater than any king before or after.

• God made Solomon rich, but these riches turned him onto an unfortunate path and drew his heart away.

Solomon accumulates chariots (1,400) and horses (12,000). In his reign, silver and gold become as common as stones; cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees.

He imports horses from Egypt and Kue through royal merchants.

• This does not follow Deuteronomy 17: 16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, “You shall not return that way again.”
• Guzik says:· 
  • First, in disobedience he multiplied horses for the service of his kingdom and he obtained them from the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:26, 10:28-29).
  • Then, because of these connections with Egypt he married Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 3:1).
  • Then, because he started by marrying an Egyptian he married many other foreign women (1 Kings 11:1-4). · First, in disobedience he multiplied horses for the service of his kingdom and he obtained them from the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:26, 10:28-29).
  • · Then, because of these connections with Egypt he married Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 3:1).
  • · Then, because he started by marrying an Egyptian he married many other foreign women (1 Kings 11:1-4).
  • · Then, because of the presence of the foreign wives he built temples to their gods for their use (1 Kings 11:7-8).
  • · Then, because of the presence of these temples he began to worship these other gods himself (1 Kings 11:4-5). https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-chronicles-1/

2 Chronicles 2

Solomon starts to build a house for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself.

• He assembles a huge workforce:
  • 70,000 carriers
  • 80,000 stonecutters in the hills
  • 3,600 foremen to oversee the work.

Solomon asks Hiram (king of Tyre) to supply the best cedar, juniper, and algum timber from Lebanon.He reminds him of how Hiram helped David build his palace.

He requests a skilled craftsman for gold, silver, bronze, iron, purple, crimson, and blue work.In return, Solomon offers Hiram’s men wheat, barley, wine, and olive oil as payment.

Hiram praises the Lord  and rejoices that God gave David a wise son. He promises to send Huram-Abi, a skilled craftsman, half-Israelite and half-Tyrean.

He agrees to provide timber from Lebanon, floated by rafts to Joppa, from where Solomon can transport it to Jerusalem.

Solomon takes a census of the resident foreigners in Israel 

• The total: 153,600.
  • 70,000 carriers, 80,000 stonecutters, 3,600 foremen.

Questions

Where are the chronicles of Nathan and Gad?

What was the reason for giving Solomon great wealth if it helped lead to his downfall?

Application
I love in these chapters how we see God’s people cheerfully give generously to God. “Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord; David the king also rejoiced greatly”  God doesn’t need our gold and silver, but giving can be a part of worship. It’s like we are acknowledging it all belongs to Him.  When we recognize God as the source of all our life’s blessings, giving becomes an act of love, not obligation.