28:1 The last two chapters of 1 Chronicles present the transition from David to Solomon as king of Israel. The writer doesn’t mention Adonijah’s conspiracy or David’s frailty (1 Kings 1–2). Instead, he focuses on the positive—God’s plans for Israel and his promise to David’s descendants.
28:5 The kingdom of Israel belonged to the Lord, not to David or anyone else. Israel’s king, then, was God’s deputy, commissioned to carry out God’s will for the nation. Thus, God could choose the person he wanted as king without following customary lines of succession. David was not Saul’s heir, and Solomon was not David’s oldest son, but this did not matter because God appointed them.
28:8 David told Solomon to seek for and keep every one of God’s commands to ensure Israel’s prosperity and the continuation of David’s descendants upon the throne. It was the king’s solemn duty to study and obey God’s laws. The teachings of Scripture are the keys to security, happiness, and justice, but you’ll never discover them unless you search God’s Word. If we ignore God’s will and neglect his teaching, anything we attempt to build, even if it has God’s name on it, will be headed for collapse. Get to know God’s commands through regular Bible study, and find ways to apply them consistently.
28:9 In 22:18, 19, David told the leaders to obey God heart and soul. Now he tells Solomon to worship God with a perfect heart and willing mind. God demands complete devotion. He understands our motives, desires, and thoughts. If we desire to know and love him, he responds with more wisdom and guidance than we could ever imagine.
28:9 Nothing can be hidden from God. He sees and understands everything in our hearts. David found this out the hard way when God sent Nathan to expose David’s sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12). David told Solomon to be completely open with God and dedicated to him. It makes no sense to try to hide any thoughts or actions from an all-knowing God. This should cause us joy, not fear, because God knows even the worst about us and loves us anyway.
28:13 Some of the instructions about the work of the priests and Levites are in chapters 23 and 24.
28:20 David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the Temple. Fear can immobilize us. The size of a job, its risks, or the pressure of the situation can cause us to freeze and do nothing. One remedy for fear is found here: Don’t focus on the fear; instead, get to work. Getting started is often the most difficult and frightening part of a job.