A Boisterous Declaration

At the end of his life, King David draws Solomon, his son and future king, close to tell of the provisions he has made for the future Temple.

Since God forbade David to construct it, he set out to obtain what was needed (see 1 Chronicles 29)—David gathered about 285 tons of gold, 625 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 4000 tons of iron (I can’t even imagine where they would have stored all this haha).

As David and the leaders of Israel collected the above riches, it says in 1 Chronicles 29:9, “Then the people were glad because they [their leaders] had offered so willingly, for they made their freewill offering to Yahweh with a whole heart, and King David also was exceedingly glad.”

It is after this overflow of giving that David stands before all the people and shouts forth praise unto the LORD:

Blessed are You, O Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the kingdom, O Yahweh, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. So now, our God, we are thanking You and praising Your glorious name.
– 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Can you just imagine David’s excitement at the thought of the future Temple of Yahweh being built?

He had anticipated, prepared, gathered supplies, and envisioned what it would look like when his son Solomon built it.

When we bring this concept into a New Testament understanding, Paul declares that WE have become the Temple—the dwelling place of the Living God!

Or do you not know that your body is a sanctuary [temple, dwelling place] of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
– 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

If David was excited over an external building, how much more excited would he have been in our day to realize that he could have the Living God dwell within his life?! Yet, strangely (and sadly), we in the modern day meander along as if it were no big deal.

Look at David’s statement in 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 (about gathering supplies for an external, physical temple) in light of our day and the amazing reality that as Christians, we are the Temple and Jesus dwells within our lives.

David begins by saying, “Blessed are You, O Yahweh … from everlasting to everlasting.” What if our entire life was lived unto the praise and glory of Jesus (see Ephesians 1:6)—not just for a mere moment but from everlasting to everlasting (in other words, all the time)?

“Yours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the kingdom, O Yahweh, and You exalt Yourself as head over all …”

Is Jesus that in your life?

• Is He your entire greatness, power, producing His splendor, victory, and majesty in and through your life?
• Does EVERYTHING in your life belong to Him, under His reign and rule?
• Does the richness of your life come solely from Him?
• Is your life unreservedly about bringing Him honor?
• Is He your strength and foundation?
• And does your life sing forth thanksgiving and praise with boisterous declaration unto His Name?

David unabashedly proclaims this is what the God who indwells the Temple is like.

And now we have become that Temple.

Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
– 1 Corinthians 3:16

FOOTNOTES

Originally written February 7, 2010. Updated and expanded in 2025.