1 Chronicles 28:19
All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.
David declared that the plans for the temple were given him by divine inspiration and were not devised by himself. God gave him minute written specifications for every portion and detail of the pattern, to be recorded fully in writing to guide the builders rather than left to memory. The Lord instructed him through His angel, and an angel stood by him while he wrote out for Solomon the directions for the arrangement of the house, whose design was specified by Christ as its heavenly Architect. David himself made abundant provision and set a noble example of devotion, while the work of building the sanctuary on Mount Moriah was assigned to Solomon. Possessing that divine pattern, Solomon should have looked to God in faith for consecrated helpers with special skill to do the work with exactness, leaving no ground to claim the glory for himself, for God's work is to be carried out according to His revealed instructions and not according to the workers' independent judgment.
Divine Pattern Revealed
The plans for the temple's construction were given to David by divine inspiration and were not devised by him alone. The Lord made him understand in writing all the details of the design for the first temple, whose building was completed by Solomon. What David delivered in his final charge concerning the temple and its courts was therefore something God made known to him, not a plan of his own inventing.
God gave David minute written specifications for every portion and detail of the pattern and its work. The instructions for every part of the sacred structure on Mount Moriah at Jerusalem were recorded fully and written down precisely, rather than left to memory, in order to guide the builders and to direct both the building of the sanctuary and the arranging of its service. These detailed plans and patterns, made known through divine revelation, were entrusted to Solomon for carrying out the work with exactness.
The Lord instructed David through His angel and gave him the pattern of the house which Solomon should build. An angel was commissioned to stand by David while he wrote out for Solomon's benefit the important directions in regard to the arrangement of the house. The plan for Solomon's temple thus given to David by the Lord was specified by Christ as its heavenly Architect, the same who had directed the building of the first earthly tabernacle.
David Prepares, Solomon Builds
The verse comes from David's final charge to Israel's leaders concerning the building of the temple, given when he was physically weak yet spoke with unusual fervor under inspiration to tell them that God had chosen Solomon to build the temple and courts. David himself made provision for the temple while the work of actually building it was assigned to Solomon, so that David could advise and encourage Solomon from his own experience but the younger man was to carry it out. In his closing years David was faithfully devoted to God, mourning his sins and departure from right, with his heart fully in the work. He spared neither labor nor expense and made large donations from his own treasury, setting a noble example that his people willingly followed.
The written understanding for every part of the pattern and its work was recorded fully rather than left to memory, and David passed it to Solomon for building the sanctuary on Mount Moriah at Jerusalem and arranging its service. An angel stood by David while he wrote out for Solomon's benefit the important directions about the arrangement of the house. None but the most skillful men of design and art were allowed to share in the work. Every stone was prepared to exactly fill its place before being brought up, so that the temple came together without the sound of axe or hammer.
Vast stores of treasure had been collected by David during the most prosperous period of Israel's history, and the work completed by Solomon became the most magnificent building for beauty, richness and splendor, with no such building to be found in the world. Possessing the divine pattern with minute written specifications for every portion requiring exactness, Solomon should have looked to God in faith for consecrated helpers, trusting that God would grant them special skill to do the required work. Instead Solomon lost sight of this opportunity to exercise faith and sent to the king of Tyre for a master workman to superintend the construction.
The temple was built according to the specifications God gave David, and God enabled the people to provide and prepare its materials. Its design and construction were therefore no ground for Solomon to claim the glory, for the honor belonged to God.
Pattern Guides God's Work
God gave specific directions for the design and construction of the Jerusalem temple, so that the work was to follow a pattern revealed by Him rather than any human devising. The verse establishes that what was built corresponded to that divinely given pattern in every part. From this comes the principle that God's work is to be carried out according to His revealed instructions and not according to the independent judgment of the workers.
The chapter to which the verse belongs is important to all of God's people living in this age. In the business God appoints men to carry on for the safety and prosperity of His kingdom, He does not link together scattered elements without genuine experience. He does not join those who give no promise of developing dependable characters to bear responsibility in molding and fashioning a nation. The work entrusted is to do most solemn, sacred service for God, consistent with the uplifted, purified state of a people who represent Him.