Now let’s continue on the account here in 1 Samuel 8. So then God gave them a warning. They rejected Him. He said, “Alright, I’ll give you a king. They’ve forsaken Me. They’ve served other gods. So they do unto you.” Now verse 9, “Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.” So He said, “You want a king, you’re going to get a king. He’s going to take your sons, he’s going to take your daughters, he’s going to make armies. And further more he’s going to tax you. I give him a tenth to start with.” Of course we know that by the time of Solomon, in order to support all of his expensive habits, that it was more than a tenth. “And he’s going to make armies.” He gave them the warning, and verse 19, “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles” (vs. 19-20). Heard all words they had. Told them to God. God said, “Listen to them.” So they did. And He chose Saul. Quite a thing. And Saul was made king.

Now when that happened, Samuel had another assembly with the people. He told them what it was going to be. He warned them that, “This king is not going to save you as you really think it is. But nevertheless, if you keep the commandments of God, I’ll be with the king and I’ll be with you. I will give you that concession.” And that was only, as we know, because of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Now then, we have something here very interesting. Let’s come to 1 Samuel 10 and let’s pick it up here in verse 24. “And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house” (1 Sam. 10:24-25).

Now then, we have an addition to the book of Deuteronomy that Samuel wrote. Now let’s come back to Deuteronomy 17, because you see God wanted the people of Israel to follow the system of judges. Now that they wanted a king, God said, I’ll work with you, and God also laid down some stipulations for the king, which then could have made the system work fairly good, as it did under David. But let’s see what he wrote concerning the instructions to the king, now.

Deuteronomy 17:14, “When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;…” Now you see, if this would have been written in the book of Deuteronomy at that time, the elders of Israel would not have come to Samuel and said, “Give us a king.” They would have said, “Look, we know from the book of Deuteronomy that God says, ‘When you want a king, here’s what he’s to do.’ So now, we want a king.” No, you see, it said back there in 1 Samuel 10 that Samuel wrote all these words and put them in the book. And this became then, part of scripture, which Samuel wrote.

Now here are the qualifications that God gave them. Verse 15, “Thou shalt in any wise [The only way you’re going to set a king over you is] …whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.” Now remember the daughter of Jezebel was Athaliah. And she then was half Canaanite. And Jezebel was the high priestess of Baal and Ashtaroth. So she tried to take over the kingship, making herself queen, trying to slay all the descendants of the king. Except she missed one little boy. And look what happened when they broke this rule - set a stranger over you, and not your brother.

Now here’s some things that the king was not to do, which we see that the kings did do. And which we see that Solomon did.Verse 16, “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt,…” And of course “return to Egypt” means, in the way of the gods and armies. “…To the end that he should multiply horses:…” Now even David made the mistake, didn’t he, in numbering the people “to find out how many men of war I have.” Joab kept telling him, “No, no you don’t need to number them. The thing was sin. You shouldn’t do that.” “…Forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself [which Solomon did], that his heart turn not away:…” And of course this was in the word of God in Deuteronomy when Solomon was made king, right? Yes, it was. “…Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold [which Solomon did]. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom,…” Now here is what the king was to do. “…That he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:…” (vs. 16-18). He was to personally sit down and write himself a copy of the first five books of Moses. Now the reason for that was, so that he would know the law of God and how to administer the kingship. And also, that he would not lift up his heart above the brethren.

Now let’s see that. Very important. “And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel” (vs. 19-20). So even in that, God said, “Alright, if you want a king, here’s what he’s to do. If he does this I’ll prolong his days and I’ll prolong the kingdom.” So God was still willing to work with the children of Israel. Well, we know what happened. Saul rebelled against God. Saul didn’t carry out the commandments of God, and so then God selected David. And when God selected David, He selected a man who was just a youth. Again selecting a youth.

Now let’s come back to 1 Samuel, and we’ll just review. 1 Samuel 15 shows the rebellion of Saul. God gave him the mission to go to the Amalekites and destroy all. Young and old, and every one. And that’s because they had war against Israel all the time, and this was the punishment for them fighting against the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt. And you know what happened. Saul decided, “Well, look…” And the people came to him and said, “Look at all these good cattle. Look at all these good sheep. Boy we ought to keep those.” “Yea, we’ll keep those.” But God said destroy them, see. “We’ll keep them, and we’ll make it right. We’ll offer these in offering to the LORD.” So that’s what they did.

And Samuel said, when Saul came to him, he says, “What is this I hear, the bleating of sheep and the mooing of cows in my ears? Did you do what God said? Did you utterly slay everything?” And Saul said, “The people, the people did it.” Sounds a little bit like the Garden of Eden, doesn’t it? Got to blame someone else. But who’s in charge here? Saul was, you see.

Ok, let’s come here to 1 Samuel 15:22, and let’s see what Samuel told him. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,…”, even then. Isn’t that amazing? “…And to hearken [that is to listen to God] than the fat of rams. For rebellion [that is going against God’s way] is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” So Saul had a superficial repentance. And he said to Samuel, “Oh Samuel, come and worship with me, so the people won’t think bad of me.” Finally Samuel did and he had to have Agag brought before him. So Samuel in his old age, took the sword and hacked up Agag.

And then God says, “I want a man after My own heart.” And then He selected David. 1 Samuel 16, went and found David. You know the whole story there. He was the youngest, he was the seventh, he was out tending to the sheep and his father didn’t even count him worthy to be considered for the new king. So after the six sons of Jesse passed by Samuel, and God kept telling him, “No, not these.” He passed them by twice, and He said, “No, not these. Not any of these six.” So then Samuel said to Jesse, “Do you have another son?” He said, “Yeah, he’s out tending the sheep.” “Bring him in. This is the one that God has chosen.” And so that time, then he was anointed. He brought him in, 1 Samuel 16:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him” (1 Sam. 16:13-14). Now you see what happens when there is rebellion. See what happens when they go back to other gods. That’s exactly what happened to Saul, didn’t it? And God blessed David. You know the whole rest of the story there.

Well, when we come to the book of Chronicles…let’s come to 1 Chronicles 13…there was a day that David was sitting there, and it was not until this time that the ark was brought again from Kirjath-jearim. Now remember, we read that it stayed there 20 years. Now, 1 Chronicles 13:1. Now here also we see again, that even though David was well intentioned, he didn’t follow the word of God. And what was the instruction that we read back there in Deuteronomy 17, that the king was to personally write out the book of the law for his own personal copy, and he was to study in it, wasn’t he? Now if David had done that he would have known the will of God, and he would have taken care of the ark properly, and this mistake would have never happened.

So here’s the account, 1 Chronicles 13:1, “And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God,…” Now notice how he phrased this. He didn’t start out with God, he started out with the people. He should have started out with God, but he didn’t. “…Let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.” It just stayed there in Kirjath-jearim. “And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people” (1 Chron. 13:1-4). Now here is another lesson. Are the majority of people always right? No. It seemed good. It was a good idea. Let’s do it.

Let’s notice what happened. “So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called [carried] on it.” Now notice what they did. “And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets” (vs. 5-8). And they were having a tremendous parade, a great joyous celebration in doing it.

“And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and He smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.” A lot of people have asked the question: why did God strike Uzza dead? Well God did because David didn’t do things according to the way that God instructed in His word. “And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? So David brought not the ark…to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had” (vs. 9-14).

Well, let’s make a long story short. David finally got the point. Let’s come here 1 Chronicles 15:1. “And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. Then David said,…” He finally read. You know, when all else fails, read the book. [chuckle] When all else fails, find out what God has said. “…None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto Him for ever” (1 Chron. 15:1-2). So he gathered Israel together again. He brought the Levites there. It lists all the names of them.

And he said to them, verse 12, “…Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not [right] at the first,…” Now, he’s including himself because the you is a you-all, ye. “…The LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought Him not after the due order” (vs. 12-13). Now there again is another lesson for us, isn’t there? Do we seek things of God the way that He wants us to, or do we presume to do it in our way? If we presume to do it in our way, should we be surprised if something happens to us like it happened to David? Like it happened to others who presumed to do the will of God on their own? Quite a thing, isn’t it?

“So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD” (vs. 14-15). So they brought it in, and set it into this little tabernacle thing. Now at this point, the ark of God was in the house of David, and he appointed Levites to minister unto it. And it lists them here in 1 Chronicles 16. And then through that we now have the ark still separated from the rest of the tabernacle. And over at the rest of the tabernacle, which at this time was in Gibeon, that’s then where they had the burnt offerings, where they had the incense offerings, and so forth. And David, then was able to develop a special relationship with God by having the ark of the covenant in his house, in a special place that he prepared.

Now let’s come to 2 Samuel 7, and let’s see then how David had it in his mind to build a temple to God, and we’ll see that after that it was built then the ark and the rest of the things of the temple all came together again.

Let’s begin reading in 2 Samuel 7:1, “And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;…” And of course the millennium is the type of rest, isn’t it? Yes, it is. And we may cover that a little bit later during the feast. I don’t know if we will or not, but we’ll just see how things go. So now David didn’t have to go out and fight and have battles all the time. “…That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now [he says, Look here], I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee. And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell My servant David, thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build Me an house for Me to dwell in?” (2 Sam. 7:1-5).

Now notice, and we’ll talk a little bit about this tomorrow, “Whereas [God says] I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle” (vs. 6). And God was content to do that because He could have His presence among His people. And that’s what was more important to God, see. Because after all, when you build a house for God, you really only build it of the things that God has already created. You know, Isaiah 66 gives us a really good lesson. “Where’s the house that you will build for me”, God says, “All these things My hand have made.”

Now verse 7. “In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, why build ye not Me an house of cedar?” He didn’t do that. “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto My servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel: and I was with thee withersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover…” Now verse 10 is a key important verse concerning Israel in prophecy, because we need to understand, at this time David was king over all 12 tribes. And the capital was Jerusalem. He’d given rest round about for all of Israel, didn’t He. Now then why does He say verse 10, if it is not a prophecy that Israel, the 10 northern tribes, would be removed. Now notice, let’s read it. Verse 10. “Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them…” Were they not already planted during the days of David? Yes, so this is a prophecy for the future. This is also, not only for the physical children of Israel in the future, but this then we can carry out to the spiritual children of the church. “…That they may dwell in a place of their own,…” And of course that’s what we are going to do when we enter into the kingdom of God, correct? When we live in New Jerusalem, correct? Yes. “…And move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that He will make thee an house” (vs. 7-11). And He did. He promised that there would always be a king sitting on His throne. And so David was overwhelmed, but there was also a message that came to David because of this. God said, “You’re not going to do it, because you’re a man of war. Your son Solomon is going to do it. And he is going to build Me a temple, and I will put My presence there.” So you see, here even again, God came to the people and God did what David wanted done, and God blessed him.

Now let’s come to 1 Chronicles 28. And here is a tremendous lesson for us brethren. You see, because when the temple was built and the kingdom was secure under Solomon, it was kind of a foretaste of the coming millennial reign of Christ, and the 1000-year reign. Now, let’s see how it started. And I think this is a great and important lesson for us. Not only how something starts, is important, but how it is finished becomes the most important thing. Let’s see the instructions here.

Now let’s pick it up here in 1 Chronicles 28:2. Now I want you to imagine this whole scene here. This is David just before he died. “Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:…” Now he knew he wasn’t going to build it, but he knew his son Solomon was. “…But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for My name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever:…” And that was obviously as long as he lived. “…For he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: and of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. And He said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts: for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father.” And God gave all the plans to David. David actually drew all the plans. Everything already to go, you see.

Now verse 7, “Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if…” I want you to circle that, because everything that God does with us, always has the condition if. Now let’s read it. “…If he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day.” Now what I want you to do as we read these verses and go through it, I want you to think of yourself as these instructions to you, because you and I, and all the other brethren, are going to be kings and priests to serve Jesus Christ during the millennium, correct? Yes. How are we going to be able to do that? How are we going to be able to, as it were, do the things that please God? Well here we have it. So what I want you to do, I want you to listen to these words very, very carefully. And I want you to take them to your heart. And I want you to take them as instruction from God so that you can be the kind of king and priest that God wants you to be when Christ returns and you receive eternal life.

Now let’s begin right here in verse 8. “Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind:…” That is the key, brethren. Your relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, with a perfect heart. Not pretentious. Not holding something that you want yourself. And with a willing mind, you see. “…For the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts:…” And in the New Testament God is called the heart-knowing God. And in Revelation 2, it says, “I search the heart, I search the reigns, says the Lord.” So we have the same thing here, don’t we? “…And understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever.” And unfortunately, maybe that’s what happened to Solomon. “Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it” (vs. 8-10).

Now let’s come over here to verse 19. “All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” So here he was formally giving the plans to Solomon. “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage,…” Now he took that right from the book of Joshua, didn’t he? And isn’t that what God told Joshua? Yes, indeed. And this is what we need to do brethren. We always need to be strong and of good courage, regardless of the circumstances we are confronted with. “…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” (vs. 19-20). Well, isn’t that something? Same way with us. If we serve God this way, if we love Him, if we keep His commandments, like we’re doing in keeping the Feast of Tabernacles, and understanding about the relationship of God that is depicted by the Feast of Tabernacles, and the things that we need to do. Here we have again.

Let’s come over here to chapter 29 and verse 9. And after he finished with all of that, “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.” Boy, that must have been a tremendous assembly. A one-time assembly. You know, this kind of reminds me of what it may be like when we are on the sea of glass, and Christ is presented to us by God the Father. And this may be similar to the instructions that we are going to get when we are given the instructions to rule the kingdom with Christ. Boy, that’s something.

Verse 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. 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. 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. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name” (vs. 10-13). And brethren, notice David’s attitude here. And this needs to be our attitude for the great calling that God has given us, that we may know His plan, that we may understand it, that we may be part of it, that we may be ruling and reigning with Christ in the millennium. And just think of it brethren, we are the weak, we are the old, we are the offscouring, we are the rejected - every one of us. And we need to have the same attitude as David had here.

Notice what he said in verse 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. 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. 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” (vs. 14-16). And so that’s quite something brethren. Boy, what an attitude that he had.

So we know what happened. Finally after Solomon built the temple, he sent and got the ark out of David’s house, and he got the tabernacle and the brazen altar, and the incense altar, and all the things from Gibeon and brought those into the temple when it was completed. And what a tremendous ceremony took place then. And God came and put His presence in the temple just like He did when the tabernacle was reared up and there were great white clouds, maybe of smoke, or whatever it was, that showed the presence of God dwelling in there.

Here let’s read that in 2 Chronicles 5. When they all were there. All the people gathered together, verse 11. “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: also the Levites…” And it lists all the singers. Then there were 120 priests with trumpets sounding. “It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God” (2 Chron. 5:11-14). Now brethren, I want you then to project forward, what that is going to be like when we participate when Christ comes back to this earth to rule and to reign on this earth.

Let’s go to Revelation 20 and see that, and let’s close by understanding that we’re not just going to have the ark of God. We are going to be there with Christ and God the Father. We are going to be there to reign as kings and priests, and to serve and to bring God’s rule and reign on the earth. The rule and reign of love and service and obedience. And it’s going to be a tremendous time. Now let’s read it here.

Revelation 20:4, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them,…” And you’re going to have a throne. “…And judgment was given unto them:…” Yes, and we’re going to have to give righteous judgment, aren’t we? “…And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” And what a tremendous thing that is going to be. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” And that’s going to be quite a time when that takes place. Now, “This is the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4-5). That which takes place before, when the thousand years begins.

Now notice verse 6. “Blessed and holy…” Now those are attributes of God, aren’t they? Yes, they are. You’re going to have the glory of God. You’re going to have a spirit body. You’re going to have a spirit mind. You are going to have an office as a king or a priest. You are going to have a work to do to serve Christ. And all of us together, put together, are going to rule and reign on the earth. And we’re going to straighten out this earth, which by that time is going to be the most destroyed that it has ever been since the flood. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,…” You will never die. You will live forever. And you will be truly dwelling in the tabernacle of God. “…But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

And so brethren, there’s quite a history behind what goes into the Feast of Tabernacles, the coming millennium, and everything that God is providing for us. So let’s have a wonderful feast and continue to do so, and to love each other and fellowship and praise God for His goodness, and thank Him for His love and mercy and kindness.