The Final Song, Part 1

This was the intention of why hard.

Love is honesty. He admits it. David wants to see this bill God has given that somebody is not about you, but is one thing to not have your dreams fulfilled. It's another thing to have your dreams postpone. It's another thing entirely to see God give your dream to somebody else when I wanted to do that. I wanted to experience Solomon will build the temple of God. David is I today Stephen begins the last message in this series he's calling today's lesson. The final song. It comes from first Chronicles 28 and 29 where David reflected on his life and passed on the wisdom he learned the last words of a godly man are sometimes his most member and that's true for David in spite of his spiritual failures. David had a heart that was beating fast for God.

Looking at David's final words is a fitting end to this series. So let's join Stephen right now. Some of us telling words a person can deliver are his last word. In fact, if you never ever had a conversation with someone and it's a family member or some Brandon realized sometime after that conversation and you got the news that they've passed away you go back in your mind, don't you to that conversation, you remember what was said before medical technology allowed us to be unconscious. At the end of our lives. Perhaps an still alive before those closing conversations really for for many of us will never occur. People in the ancient days used to spend a lot of time thinking about what they wanted to leave as their final word or words and that's why when you go back into history.

You'll read these wonderful paragraphs or speeches delivered by people may not be the last thing they said that it was the last thing they wanted people to know.

They said there's a book in my library. I dusted off again this week by Herbert Locke. Wright wrote a wonderful surgical all the Angels all the whatever men, women, and has one book in there that's entitled all the last words of saints and sinners really about every sailor sinner, but that he catalogued a number of them and I found an interesting one particular statement by the Sultan of Spain back in the Middle Ages who said this 50 years have passed since I first became Sultan riches, honor, pleasures I have enjoyed them all, but in this long time of seeming happiness.

I have counted the days on which I have truly been happy and I have numbered 14 so his last message was you might think. I've been happy, but I've counted the days in the early 14 and this is really the best way to go out. Philip the third, King of Spain. He died in 1621, admitted how happy I would have been to have spent the last 23 years I have served as king in retirement.

Instead, run now there is a Spanish soldier of fortune when he was dying knew it was being exhorted by a priest to forgive his enemies forgive your enemies, and he responded by saying, but I don't have any enemies anymore. I shot them all.

That's his last words. Perhaps the most realistic confession came from the lips of King Louis XIV who, as he was dying knew it. Among other people called his son to his bedside and lamented my son. I might have lived a better life. So profit by my errors and remember this Kings die like everyone else really conclude today are study of the life of David were going to fast-forward the tape past similar scenes of intrigue, crime, sin, confession, the names change there is the trail and a coup attempt on his throne.

If you're old, of the faith older in the faith, and you knew that as Absalom attempts to gain the throne and is rebuffed but will look with you as we conclude this series past those few chapters that contain even more failure and confession to get to the last word from the lips of this singer came. I want you to take a look with me at those last recorded words I hear pages shuffling. Go to first Chronicles 1st Chronicles Matthew Mark Luke first Chronicles patient letter.

Chapter 28 I should do that with people younger. The faith want to say those books with me in the Bible will get the first Chronicles right here we go. Genesis I start again. That was easy when ready.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth first and second Samuel, first and second Kings first Chronicles and go there you go now. Chapter 28.

Frankly, it is not only David's final speech recorded but I think it's his finest speech in these closing comments. He is going to bid farewell and yet pack a powerful sermon in the words to his leaders to his son to his nation and to his God. As we work our way through to chapters fairly quickly give you three examples that David provides for us in his farewell speech.

The first example is this David provides for us.

An example of godly surrender. Godly surrender. Notice first one first Chronicles chapter 20 David assembled at Jerusalem, all the officials of Israel.

The officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that serve the king. The commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, the stewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons together with the palace officials, the mighty men, and all the seasoned warriors. In other words, what David is doing is he's having a parting word with his entire leadership core, or you can call the these are the movers and shakers of the Jewish nation.

By the way just in time to review a little bit. This is a nation that when David began to be king barely hung on to about 6000 mi.². At this point. When we arrived here in his biography of his final farewell.

He is commanding 60,000 mi.².

This is now unified nation could call it under one flag.

It is an established capital city of Jerusalem virtually undefeated in battle. In fact, the enemy nations around Israel have either been subjugated by them or fear that more importantly at this point, it is a nation that worships the one true and living God.

In fact, much of their worship is directed and in the lead by the compositions of this singer composer king still singing his music today. I say all of that to say, as as David steps out to address the important leaders of the kingdom, and of course his nation will be there in his family. This is a moment where David could polish his trophies into certain retail. His subjects with his rain and what he did at the very beginning stages and throughout this 40 year Macy 40 year. This is exactly what David will not do down in verse four David said the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel forever for chose Judah is a leader and in the house of Judah. My father's house, and among my father's sons. He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel, is he David never forgets how we got where he was and at the end of his life. You want everybody to know he's going to refuse pedestal of praise he's going to shift the spotlight back to his sovereign God who chose him to be not. Here's why I was worth it. But here is what God did David never lost sight of this with his role in life is the work of God's grace is backup for a moment. Notice the first thing on David's mind. In his farewell speech with verse two David and rose to his feet and said, hear me, my brothers and my people. It was my intention, or you can render it I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God and I made preparations for building but God said to me, you may not build a house for my name. Your witness in a former study. After 15 to 18 years of subduing the nations around them, unifying the nation of Israel establishing the kingdom of the capital. David revealed Nathan, the prophet's passionate dream to build the temple to get got a footstool and others. Let's give God a touching point. But let's build this magnificent palace of the temple.

Can I and Nathan says I love what's in your heart.

It's a wonderful intention, go for it and I got comes to Nathan and said you had a foul ball you did come talk to me. Yes, it's a good intention, but it is my will go back until David so Nathan goes back to David effectively apologizes and says you know what I spoke too quickly.

My answer was yes, God's answer is no. And now that we were told then why we are now told in his farewell speech he reveals it to us.

Here's the recently diverse Reagan that's as you may not build a house for Monday for you are a man of war and have shed blood. Now wait a minute. If you were David right now you would be reeling from this revelation. If I could probably be thinking hold on just a second. Every war I thought was for God's glory Lord. Every time I swung the sword beginning with that giant Goliath to the last battle was for your reputation, and for your kingdom and your nation that your people and now you're telling me because I did that for you. I can't do what I want. She got understand, as David pulled back the curtain of his heart that is already drawn plans and revealed specifically. He has a floor plan that was delivering that he had, how much gold they needed silver and iron. When David laid his head on his pillow at night for the last 15 years or so. What was swirling in his mind was not battle plans, but building plan.

That's what thrilled his heart is one great desire his legacy.

He wanted to be the building of this magnificent temple for the glory of his magnificent God and God said, I wonder when nobody's around when you're able to be honest with your own heart for the Lord you entertain those dreams and plans.

If God allowed you to have the intention of your heart. Would it look like what you have today. I think all of us would have to be honest enough to say you know even in my best happiest day I change this or I would've allowed that to happen or would change that. My guess is almost everyone of us would have to say in one way or another God is often said no were the intention of my heart and the desire of my heart is good and godly but he didn't say yes. He said David's farewell speech that he's had plenty of time to collect. He doesn't begin to spew bitterness and anger God liquid God made me do all those battles all those wars now look what God won't let me do. Instead, he tells his audience what God has allowed him to do instead, God shows me to be king's chosen my son to rule in my place and build this temple.

Don't think for a moment. By the way that because it's his son.

That makes it easy though. David wants to see this built so it's interesting that that instead of anger or frustration. He's resigned and surrendered and joyfully submissive that while God has chosen to use his plans. He has chosen to use someone else's hail from verses nine through 19 chapter 28 what would you have here is the intention of his heart. You have the floor plan you have the treasuries that that the storage rooms. The upper room dear Chambers, you have the holy of holies you got the divisions of the priest, which by the way he's been preparing he's been seeking and training. They now swell over 30,000 men ready to go. He's design the golden vessels and in the weight needed for all of that even the design of the lampstands of the table and the silver forks and bays of the cups and bowls in audit on this is been his greatest longing what you think. He's been doing for 15 years gathering and planning and drawing and designing with God is allowed to go but at this point in the narrative, we really ought to be studying the final speech of a bitter man and angry frustrated king who would follow the will and was now kept from his dream almost here and can you pine away. This is the thanks I get for 40 years of battling for God known study models surrender and submission with that self-sacrifice and humility is life didn't turn out lucky wanted to, but he knew God was still worthy of praise for those of you who are in your 50s that that 50 just mark something than that half a century, you begin to think differently. You forget what you thought that you think it anyway 60s 70s 80s. Somewhere along the line you you wake up to the reality of the truth of David's speech don't.

By now you probably figured out that you will not owner Fortune 500 company you you probably now know you like to have that cottage in Key West.

Or maybe by a pond in the in in the Northeast by now you're realizing you're stuck here with us. Maybe that dream of the paid off mortgage happen maybe a dream of good health. I know a couple in their 80s who recently have lost their home after paying it off only through financial reversals literally in their 80s losing that home and having to sign on and start over those of you with children. Your dream was that they would walk with God. And maybe they walked away from God. Your chapter is different than what you had intended for God to write and you certainly wouldn't of written everything just like he had David here is in his 70s. This was the intention of my heart. Love is honesty.

He admits it is a bad thing that know this was it.

This was the longing of my heart.

God has given it to somebody is about you, but it's one thing to not have your dreams fulfilled.

It's another thing to have your dreams postponed it's another thing entirely to see God give your dream to somebody else when I wanted to do that.

I wanted to experience Solomon will build the temple of God. David design is a what David is doing here is all the more remarkable. This is sort of set up because what he's doing is focusing on what God did to allow what God did do what God did give him how God did bless him a diverse forget that opening word yet in my translation yet my heart to do that yet God chose me from all my father's house to be king.

He took pleasure in making me king I said, trying to sound super spiritual. Because this is getting it out of the regulars as his farewell speech earning some additional badge of honor. David would have an admittedly here says he would in a heartbeat trade in his crown for a hard hat, he would have willingly gladly laid down his royal scepter and picked up a hammer is honest but he doesn't stop there. He says yet you maturity is getting us to that point and beyond. Yet this is what God did. He leads us an example of godly surrender. Secondly, he leaves us an example of godly parent for those of you that know much about David. That's probably a surprising thing to hear me say godly parenting and David don't necessarily go in the same sentence did. The truth is, for those of you who study the life of David, you're well aware that he got wrong a lot more than the got it right and that is so encouraging to me. How about you, he will fail in many areas.

He will nurse a grudge and refuse to see Absalom needed the most.

He will fail to provide spiritual leadership he's going to are the sins of his son is going to choose to pamper instead of punish and 40s, you lose the respect of many of his household and nearly loses kingdom to his son who grows to hate them, so you might be surprised by me saying in the second example leads us is an example of godly parent but I gotta tell you, I'm glad I can point this out though. David often got it wrong, and so do we. Here's an opportunity near the end of his life in his farewell speech. I want to get it right. I want to get it right the first time he gives his son a classic father-son speech and use Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now for the Lord's chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it. You might go back into this text. By the way, encircle some key verbs in this father-son farewell speech of a lifetime in the first one is not okay in 0W get to know God of all the things I want to tell you, that's it.

Get to know God, then serve you see that verb serve him seek and that is pursuing him. Be strong, do it, do the right thing, but he still that there's a keyword that makes this speech effective and without it absolutely ineffective is David's personal pronoun. Maybe you caught it in verse nine Solomon I wanted to get to know the God of your father to the worst thing you could ever do is expect to have the child listen to you talk about getting to know God with that child knows you don't care about God.

What's interesting here is that Solomon does double overlap as a youth to be kidding knows it's true he seen the tears of his father's confession and repentance. David uses this powerful possessive pronoun.

He's not saying look Solomon I want to get to know the God of your grandfather made your grandfather had a great walk with God. Get to know the God of your mother said that that she by his mother repented, one of the untold stories is her own repentance and a nickname.

I believe she use for Solomon with other Old Testament scholars revealing that that final chapter in the book of Proverbs was Bathsheba's advice to Solomon on what to look for in a woman. It shows you her return even say that he doesn't say some of Israel's high priest. There's a man walked with God or even more tragically so not wanting to get to know the God I used to know the God I once walked with. I can tell you, don't imitate me to solicit. That's the worst message we can hear since I get to know the got ice to serve it to know him, whom I serve now verse 20.

David can repeat much the same. Be strong and courageous to do and do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God even my God, there is again even my God is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Afraid that if the average parent.

If the message there communicating their children were put up on the screen. The world of talking about the church.

I fear that the average message communicated because the one we constantly my heart fallen would be listed as what I want you to know get a good education.

Get a good job getting the car. Change oil every 3000 miles. Mind your manners, vegetable settle down, obey the law.

Follow your budget.

Do your laundry every six months which would be an improvement. That's all good advice. All of it, but you can check every one of those boxes and live in absolutely miserable life, amounting to nothing for the glory of God. Knowing nothing of him following nothing of his character, making no distinctive.

In fact, you can do all those things that I just rattled off and die and go to hell right sinners can do that unbelievers can do that. Get a good education. Get a good job, get a nice car, settle down, obey the law. Minor manners is over communicating to the next generation David Singh Solomon. Look what I'm doing is I'm commending someone to you. I claim as my own and you've seen my life see my failures.

You've hurt my confessions. I gotta tell you the best advice I can give you is no him and follow him and serve him and live for him. That's the message Nona told exactly how long it was between David's last words and his deputies publicly ending his life with this message. Further proof he was indeed the man after God's heart that we encounter that phrase earlier in our study and for sale and maybe wonder you don't happen to be a man after God it hard to do all the things he did have to confess all the sins he confessed.

We learn together, reviewing 30 seconds. It man or woman after God's own heart has nothing to do with perfection because none of us are. It has everything to do with priority priority order for your job and you take care your stuff you mind your manners back. That's the ultimate motive for doing anything of value because we know him and we want to make him known.

David is passing on some great advice and godly wisdom to Solomon and those coming after him and he's passing that wisdom on to us as we listen and learn from God's word today. There's more for us to learn and on tomorrow's broadcast. Stephen will conclude this lesson. This is wisdom for the hearts and our teacher Stephen Davey has been working through a series called the singer the life and times of King David. The message that were in right now. The final song is the last message in the series. 17 messages in total. If you missed any of them want to get caught up. We've posted all of them to our website, you can go to wisdom online.org and you'll find all of them posted there if you'd like you can get the entire series on compact disc we've packaged together as a set and we can give you information when you call, you can call us at 86 648 my that's 86 648 Bible and I hope we hear from you.

Thanks again for joining us today are so glad you were with us and I hope to be with us for our next Bible lesson tomorrow right here on wisdom for the heart