By Eric Barton
At the end of King David’s 40-year reign, the nation of Israel was tasked with building a house for the Lord God. Describing this temple, David said it must be “exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorious throughout all countries.” (1 Chronicles 22:5) Because David recognized this would be no small task, he zealously made abundant preparations before his death. He not only assembled much of the materials but also recruited the skilled labor necessary to build a house worthy of the Lord’s name. Following David’s godly leadership and example of generosity, the children of Israel responded with like liberal giving. What followed is one of the most wonderful displays of unity, generosity, and devotion in Scripture.
Offered their possessions
Out of love for and devotion to his God, David led by example in his giving (1 Chronicles 29:2–3). Scripture says he collected the temple’s materials with all his might. Furthermore, David gave over and above all that he had prepared: he dedicated gold and silver from something he called his “own special treasure.”
Responding equally, the children of Israel offered from all they possessed. Whoever owned something useful for building the temple donated to the cause (vv. 6–8). This spirit of generosity was a source of great joy for King David and all Israel. Why? Because they had offered of their own free will, with hearts wholly devoted to their God (v. 9).
Offered themselves
The second thing the people generously offered was their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Scripture describes the people of God as having loyal hearts. It also speaks of their willing minds; that is, they were fully engaged and committed to the task at hand. They expressed no reluctance but were prepared to give their very best. Their willingness was more than good intentions; they acted on it and offered the strength of their hands to build the temple. Unsurprisingly, these are the very attributes King David exhorted his brethren and his son Solomon to possess: a loyal heart, a willing mind, a seeking soul, and a body ready to serve with all its might (1 Chronicles 22:19; 28:8–10; 29:2).
Offered their praise
The third offering God’s people made was praise and worship as their hearts overflowed with joy and gratitude. King David began with the fruit of his lips, declaring, “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty.” (1 Chronicles 29:10–11) Afterward, the people “prostrated themselves before the Lord,” offered sacrifices of praise, and made burnt offerings in abundance (vv. 20–21). Altogether, it was a unified act of worship worthy of the One who dwells in eternity, with heaven as His throne and earth His footstool.
The sacrifices of today
Today, the Most High is building something far more precious than “temples made with hands.” (Acts 7:48) In this dispensation of grace, our God is building a new creation, His church, wherein His Spirit may dwell (1 Corinthians 3:16). And that church comprises individuals from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation—each one bought with the precious blood of Christ. Together, we have been transformed into living stones. Our Savior is using us, as living stones, to build a spiritual house, a holy priesthood tasked with offering up spiritual sacrifices to our God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4–5).
Interestingly, the spiritual sacrifices of the New Testament are identical to those offered in David’s day: our possessions, our person, and our praise (Hebrews 13:15–16; Romans 12:1). And, since our Savior is “the same yesterday, today, and forever,” He remains worthy of the same love and devotion Israel showed (Hebrews 13:8).
Oh, that God would mold us into another generation of grateful children possessing loyal hearts, willing minds, seeking souls, and generous hands that serve with all their might. And, having offered our spiritual sacrifices to Him, may we then turn our attention to our fellow man, proclaiming “the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) In doing so, the church will be a temple exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorious throughout all countries, such that all men are drawn to the one true Living Stone.
Eric Barton is a CMML director.
Originally published in Missions magazine, April 2025. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe
