SCRIPTURE: 1 Chronicles 22
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“The Lord your God is with you,” he declared. “He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the Lord and his people. Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honour the Lord’s name.”[1 Chronicles 22:18-19]
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20]
David is preparing the next generation to fulfill God’s mission; Jesus (the ultimate heir of David’s throne) is doing the same thing after His resurrection.
Both David and Jesus claim that God has given them victory and authority; both of them have prepared the way for their followers (Solomon; the disciples) to extend their victory to the ends of the earth!
David’s narrow perspective is for a “magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world” [1 Chronicles 22:5]; Jesus’ cosmic perspective is a magnificent people from all nations, a spiritual temple!

We see in this pre-Jesus story of David and Israel an anticipation of what God is planning to do through Jesus – to restore His people, His planet, His kingdom of peace!
David’s victory is not sustainable because the issue of sin is unresolved; Solomon does not seek the Lord with all of his heart and soul, he does not honour the Lord’s name – and the kingdom collapses.
But Jesus succeeds where David and Solomon and the rest of the kings failed. He lives the perfect life, fully honours God and loves people.
And the result is the establishment of a kingdom that will not fail.
Jesus has defeated sin, death and hell, and all authority now belongs to Him.
He is presently at work in the world gathering those who will accept and follow Him, and He will one day perfectly establish God’s paradise.
At that time, there will be no need for a physical temple, because God and people will be reunited.
“I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honour into the city. [Revelation 21:22-26].

This is what God is working towards; this is what Jesus as Lord is building; this is what we are called and equipped to do.
And He is with us to the very end: “The Lord your God is with you” says David; “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” says Jesus.
We do not do this work alone, He has prepared everything in advance, we can rely on Him to strengthen our youth and inexperience (1 Chronicles 22:5] and make us successful.

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to know and feel and accept Your calling to me, to help You build Your ‘temple’ by introducing people to Your love and Your kingdom.