“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it” (1 Chronicles 28:9-10 NKJV). David exhorted the people to fear God. Another record of the charge appears in 1 Kings 2:1-4, which reads:
Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”
The servant of God must “know God.” Solomon was charged to “know the God of thy father” (2 Chronicles 8:9). The apostle John wrote by inspiration how one can demonstrate that he knows God—by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:4-5). Keeping the commands of God is evidence of knowing God.
Solomon was also to “serve Him.” He was to serve with a “perfect heart” (v. 9-10 KJV) and so ought all Christians to serve God (Acts 11:23). Further, Solomon was to serve with “a willing mind.” No other kind of service is acceptable to God. One’s service needs to be rendered with reverence—“godly fear” (Psalm 2:11; Hebrews 12:28). After all, whose servants are we (Romans 6:16-18)? Since Christians are servants of God, how should they serve—“heartily” (Colossians 3:23-24).
Solomon was to “take heed.” David’s exhortation to his son was, “Don’t delay.” We also ought to seek the Lord early and continually. “…The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). Likewise, we need to “take heed” and “continue” with God. “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). Especially, even Christians need to take heed lest we fall (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
David told Solomon to “be strong and do it.” Strength is essential—morally and spiritually. The children of God are to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10). The doing part of God-given religion must not be overlooked. Doing is vital (James 1:27)! Christians need to be busy for our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58); God calls busy people. For instance, Moses was with Jethro’s flocks, Gideon was threshing wheat, David was with his father’s sheep, Nehemiah was bearing the king’s cup, Peter and Andrew were casting their nets, James and John were mending their nets, and Paul was busy persecuting Christians. There is no room for the lazy or the idle in the Lord’s service.
