This chapter is based on 2 Samuel 24; 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 21; 28; 29.
(EP 542)
The overthrow of Absalom did not at once bring peace. So large a part of the nation had joined in revolt that David would not return to his capital and resume his authority without an invitation from the tribes. There was no prompt and decided action to recall the king, and when at last Judah undertook to bring back David, the jealousy of the other tribes was roused. A counterrevolution followed. This, however, was speedily quelled, and peace returned to Israel.
(EP 542.1)
Dangers threaten the soul from power, riches, and worldly honor. David’s early life as a shepherd, with its lessons of humility, patient toil, and tender care for his flocks; communion with nature in the solitude of the hills, directing his thoughts to the Creator; the long discipline of his wilderness life, had been appointed by the Lord as preparation for the throne of Israel. And yet worldly success and honor so weakened the character of David that he was overcome by the tempter.
(EP 542.2)
Intercourse with heathen peoples led to a desire to follow their national customs and kindled ambition for worldly greatness. With a view to extending his conquests, David determined to increase his army by requiring military service from all who were of proper age. To effect this, it became necessary to take a census of the population. Pride and ambition prompted this action. The numbering of the people would show the contrast between the weakness of the kingdom when David ascended the throne and its strength and prosperity under his rule. The Scripture says, “Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” The prosperity of Israel under David had been due to the blessing of God. But increasing the military resources of the kingdom would give the impression to surrounding nations that Israel’s trust was in her armies, not in Jehovah.
(EP 542.3)
The people of Israel did not look with favor upon David’s plan for greatly extending military service. The proposed enrollment caused much dissatisfaction; consequently it was thought necessary to employ military officers in place of the priests and magistrates, who had formerly taken the census. The object was directly contrary to the principles of a theocracy. Even Joab remonstrated: “Why ... doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.”
(EP 543.1)
David was convicted of his sin. Self-condemned, he “said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.”
(EP 543.2)
Next morning a message was brought by the prophet Gad: “Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.”
(EP 543.3)
The king’s answer was, “I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for His mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.”
(EP 543.4)
The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy thousand in Israel. “David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.” The king pleaded with God in behalf of Israel: “Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned, and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued.”
(EP 543.5)
The people had cherished the same sins that prompted David’s action. As the Lord through Absalom’s sin visited judgment upon David, so through David’s error He punished the sins of Israel.
(EP 544.1)
The destroying angel had stood upon Mount Moriah, “in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” Directed by the prophet, David went to the mountain, “and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”“So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”
(EP 544.2)
The spot upon which the altar was erected, henceforth ever to be regarded as holy ground, was the place where Abraham had built the altar to offer up his son, and was afterward chosen as the site of the temple.
(EP 544.3)
David had reached the age of threescore and ten. The hardships and exposures of his early wanderings, his many wars, the afflictions of later years had sapped the fountain of life. Feebleness and age, with desire for seclusion, prevented a quick apprehension of what was passing in the kingdom, and again rebellion sprang up in the very shadow of the throne.
(EP 544.4)
The one who now aspired to the throne was Adonijah, “a very goodly man” in person and bearing, but unprincipled and reckless. In his youth “his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so?” In youth subjected to little restraint, he now rebelled against the authority of God, who had appointed Solomon to the throne.
(EP 544.5)
Solomon was better qualified than his elder brother; yet although the choice of God had been clearly indicated, Adonijah did not fail to find sympathizers. Joab, heretofore loyal to the throne, now joined the conspiracy against Solomon, as did Abiathar the priest.
(EP 545.1)
The rebellion was ripe. The conspirators had assembled at a great feast to proclaim Adonijah king, when their plans were thwarted by the prompt action of Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. They represented the state of affairs to the king, reminding him of the divine direction that Solomon should succeed to the throne. David at once abdicated in favor of Solomon, who was immediately anointed and proclaimed king. The conspiracy was crushed.
(EP 545.2)
Abiathar’s life was spared, out of respect to his office and former fidelity to David; but he was degraded from the office of high priest, which passed to the line of Zadok. Joab and Adonijah were spared for the time, but after the death of David they suffered the penalty of their crime. The execution of the sentence upon the son of David completed the fourfold judgment that testified to God’s abhorrence of the father’s sin.
(EP 545.3)
From the opening of David’s reign, one of his most cherished plans had been that of erecting a temple to the Lord. He had provided an abundance of the costly material—gold, silver, onyx stones, and stones of divers colors, marble, and precious woods. And now other hands must build the house for the ark, the symbol of God’s presence.
(EP 545.4)
Seeing that his end was near, the king summoned representative men from all parts of the kingdom to receive this legacy in trust. Because of his physical weakness, it had not been expected that he would attend to this transfer in person; but the inspiration of God came upon him, and with fervor and power he was able, for the last time, to address his people. He told them of his own desire to build the temple, and of the Lord’s command that the work should be committed to Solomon his son. “Now therefore,” David said, “in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you forever.”
(EP 545.5)
David’s whole soul was moved with solicitude that the leaders of Israel should be true to God and that Solomon should obey God’s law, shunning the sins that had weakened his father’s authority, embittered his life, and dishonored God. Turning to his son, already acknowledged as his successor, David said: “Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts... . Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary.”
(EP 546.1)
David gave Solomon minute directions for building the temple. Solomon was still young and shrank from the weighty responsibilities in the erection of the temple and the government of God’s people. David said, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
(EP 546.2)
Again David appealed to the congregation: “Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.” He said, “I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God,” and he went on to enumerate the materials he had gathered. “Who then,” he asked of the assembled multitude that had brought their liberal gifts, “who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?”
(EP 546.3)
There was a ready response from the assembly. “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.”
(EP 546.4)
“Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever... . Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee... . Give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.”
(EP 547.1)
With deepest interest the king had gathered the rich material for building and beautifying the temple. He had composed the glorious anthems that in afteryears should echo through its courts. Now his heart was made glad in God. The chief of the fathers and the princes of Israel swelled the offerings, giving of their own possessions into the treasury. It was God alone who had imparted this disposition to His people. He, not man, must be glorified. His Spirit had made them willing. If His love had not moved upon the hearts of the people, the temple would never have been erected.
(EP 547.2)
When he felt that death was approaching, the burden of David’s heart was still for Solomon and for Israel, whose prosperity must so largely depend upon the fidelity of her king. “And he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth; be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, ... that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that the Lord may continue His own word which He spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said He) a man on the throne of Israel.” 1 Kings 2:1-4.
(EP 547.3)
Great had been David’s fall, but deep was his repentance, ardent his love, and strong his faith. The psalms of David pass from the depths of guilt and self-condemnation to the most exalted communing with God. His life record declares that sin can bring only shame and woe, but that God’s love and mercy can reach to the deepest depths.
(EP 548.1)
Faith will lift up the repenting soul to share the adoption of the sons of God!
(EP 548.2)