The Old Testament Version of the Model Prayer

October 23, 2023 at 4:19 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, I Chronicles | 2 Comments
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Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

I Chronicles 28:11

This porch is mentioned in John 10:23, where, in the winter, at the Feast of Dedication, Jesus proclaimed His Deity, saying that He and the Father are one. It is mentioned again in Acts 3:11, where the lame man was healed by Peter and John, and in Acts 5:12, where the Apostles were exhibiting many signs and wonders, and the people were all in one accord.

And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

I Chronicles 28:12

David made it clear that God had supernaturally revealed and given to him these plans to give to Solomon, just as God had given the plans and instructions for the Tabernacle to Moses (Exodus 25). These plans included the responsibilities and courses (divisions by turns) of the priests and Levites for serving in the Temple. They also included instructions concerning vessels, gold and silver, utensils, plates, cups, candlesticks and lamps for lighting, tables for shewbread, fleshhooks for butchering sacrifices, basons for catching blood, altars for incense, and gold for the altar and the Ark and the cherubim.

19 All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. 20 And David said to Solomon his son, 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, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

I Chronicles 28:19-20 (emphasis added)

This reminder to be strong and brave – like the exhortation given by Moses to Joshua – was also a reminder to always trust in the Lord. The Bible’s definition of courage is somewhat specialized. It is trusting in God’s promises to the point of acting on them, even when everything visible and likely seems to suggest that they won’t come true, or that too much harm will come to us while waiting for them to come to pass.

Chapter 29 is the address to the whole congregation.

Furthermore David the king said unto all 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.

I Chronicles 29:1

God alone chose Solomon, but not for his wisdom or experience or strength or even his humble heart. He chose him to do a great work, but the work was great only because it was being done for the great God.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

I Chronicles 29:2 (emphasis added)

These precious stones prefigure the works of New Testament Christians (I Corinthians 3:12), whose works are done for the purpose not of building a temple, but for building Christ’s Church.

Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.

I Chronicles 29:3

David gave his own personal resources to build the Temple, hoping to inspire others to do the same.

The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

I Chronicles 29:5

And it worked:

6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly, 7 And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

I Chronicles 29:6-7

They did not begrudge giving their personal goods.

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.

I Chronicles 29:9

God loves cheerful givers (II Corinthians 9:7). Here, David began a service of praise and a benediction over the work, invoking the greatness and majesty of God, and reminding everyone again that this whole thing was not only designed BY Him, but designed FOR Him.

10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

I Chronicles 29:10-11

There are echoes of this prayer in Jesus’s closing of the model prayer.

Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

I Chronicles 29:12

Anything “given” to God really belonged to Him in the first place and all along.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 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.

I Chronicles 29:13-14

This recognition should not prompt a defeatist spirit of, “Oh well, I’m just a middle man.” Not at all: it should give us a profound sense of humility and gratefulness and awe.

For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

I Chronicles 29:15

We are not strangers in the sense of being unknown to God, but in the sense of having no claim of belonging with Him apart from His free grace.

16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

I Chronicles 29:16-17

God RETAINS and MAINTAINS control over all the blessings of His grace that He gives to us. The logical and right and God-pleasing response to this is not envy or grudge-holding, but sheer unbridled joy.

19 And 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.

I Chronicles 29:19

This is a great prayer for any parent to pray for his or her child. Sadly, the part about the “perfect heart” was not granted in this case. Solomon’s heart became fatally divided and the nation itself would suffer catastrophic consequences, but God’s faithfulness shines through in the fact that Chronicles was being written at a time when the faithful remnant of God’s people were once again coming together in Jerusalem, intending to worship Him, and to look for the promise of the greater “Son of David:” not Solomon, not Zerubbabel – but Jesus.


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