I Chronicles 18:8 Likewise from Tibath and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.
Be Resilient!
Not long ago we talked about how David’s ambitions were thwarted. He wished to build God a temple, and God made it very clear that David was not the man to do that. Instead, David’s son, Solomon, would be the man to build the temple. It would be very natural for David to be disappointed, and perhaps he was. We mentioned that because David was humbled, teachable, and resilient, he played a great role in the building of the magnificent temple we call Solomon’s temple. There is no small amount of irony to that because it wasn’t Solomon’s idea; it was David’s ambition, but it was God’s house. He was the One to decide how it would be done.
We often think it is shameful to give up, stop, or quit, but is that always the case? Is it noble to continue on in rebellious action or on a wrong path? What do we do when either giving up or living in rebellion seem to be the only two choices we have? Those seem to be two bad choices. Well, there is a third path, and it is called resilience. By “resilience” we mean tough flexibility. Don’t give up or be a rebel; be resilient.
David had a toughness of purpose. Not only did David want to build a house for God, God wanted a house built for God. This purpose never changed. What changed was the role David played and the timeframe in which it was done. So there was a toughness of purpose, but a flexibility as to the role and timeframe.
I Chronicles 18:1 says, “Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them.” What had come to pass? God had made it clear that Solomon would be the one to build the temple. What follows is David doing what David did best. In verse 2 “he smote Moab” and they “brought gifts.” In verse 3, David “smote Hadarezar.” In verse 4, David “took from him a thousand chariots.” In verse 5 he slew the Syrians. In verse 6 he “put garrisons in Syria- Damascus” and they brought gifts. The Bible says, “Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.”
Solomon was a builder, and David did battle. It was David’s battles that prepared for Solomon’s building. Verse 8 says, “Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.” The materials that David gathered by doing what he was gifted to do provided Solomon what he needed in order to do what God commanded him. David battled; Solomon built.
David didn’t give up or rebel; David was resilient. He humbly listened to what God said and retooled his role in the building of the temple. In the end, it was David’s ambition and Solomon’s leadership that built the temple. And both were for the glory of God.
Today, don’t give up and don’t be rebellious; be resilient. Have a tough flexibility. Be tough as to the purpose of God and flexible as to the way God wishes to accomplish that.