提要
大衛的王國在上帝管理下,確實是有秩序、有效率的,並且十分昌盛。我們的上帝很有規律,並不混亂;自然界的秩序,證明了這一點。大衛的軍兵,分成十二部,每部二萬四千人。每一部之上,便是有名望的軍長,他們都是大衛有能力的幹部,名字記在冊上(十一章)。以輪流的方式,每部軍隊每年蒙召盡職一個月。這樣,大衛的軍備便終年無缺。
至於區域或各宗族的行政,則由一指定的執政來治理,並推行政務;這執政者在王面前也代表他的人民(27:16∼25)。中央政府的行政,則與大衛王緊密同工,並由王室的軍官監督王室的財產。大衛還有許多個人的顧問,包括大祭司亞比亞他(進言屬靈事務)、軍隊的統帥約押(進言軍務)、亞希多弗和戶篩是政治顧問(進言政務);後兩者日後都曾捲入押沙龍的叛變,但戶篩仍對大衛忠誠,並幫助他逃脫押沙龍的陷害(撒下15:31~37)。
大衛臨終時,曾召集文武百官,公開宣告所羅門是上帝所指定的接班人。他將「坐耶和華的國位,治理以色列人」(28:5)。大衛十分知道,他和他的兒子,只是上帝的僕人或代理,一切仍在祂的規範之下。大衛高昇了所羅門,並要求通國滿懷信心建造主的聖殿。大衛曾私下告訴所羅門,上帝不許他建殿的理由(22:7~8),但是現在他卻公開地告訴眾人:上帝不許,是因大衛乃爭戰之人,且流多人之血。大衛也表露上帝要賜福他王朝年代久遠的應許(28:3~7;撒下7:12~16),而這王朝的最高峰,便是耶穌基督永遠的國度降臨。
大衛以一個父親期待的心,想看見他的兒子快樂成功的生活,乃訓示所羅門:「你當認識耶和華──你父的上帝,誠心樂意地事奉祂。」跟隨主必須出於真心;對上帝的命令,不僅要同意,而且要實行,正如忠誠的臣僕必實行國王的命令一樣。可是上帝不同於地上的國王,沒有一樣事務能在祂眼前隱藏。因為祂「鑒察眾人的心,知道一切心思意念。」大衛智慧的話語,一針見血。它雖含義豐富,但對所羅門和民眾來講,卻簡單易明。他警告他們,要謹慎地服從上帝,才能長久保有祂所賜的地土(28:8)。他警告所羅門:如果他忽略了上帝(棄絕祂的律法),上帝也會拋棄他(28:10)。
大衛交託完責任,便要所羅門去完成上帝啟示的建殿計畫(28:12、19),並推動殿中的所有事奉,以及做這聖工的一切細節,連黃金白銀的重量也予以指示。這與上帝當初在製造會幕的事工上指導摩西,情形相同(出25:9,40)。
大衛給他兒子最後的話語,在鼓勵他實踐上帝在他生命中的計畫,也包括了建造上帝的居所。大衛向所羅門保證,他會得到所需要的一切支持和幫助。大衛的話和上帝當初鼓勵約書亞肩負引領以色列兒女責任的話:「我必不撇下你,也不丟棄你」(書1:5、7、9),完全相同。
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Overview
David's kingdom under the rule of God was certainly orderly, efficient, and flourishing. Our God is a God of order, not confusion; the order of nature attests to this. David's army was divided into twelve divisions of 24,000 men. Over each division was a renowned military captain, each of whom was listed among David's mighty men (chapter 11). On a rotating basis, each division was called for duty one month out of every year. In this way, David was always militarily prepared.
The regional or tribal administration was organized with an appointed governor over each tribe to represent his people before the king (27:16-25). The central administration worked closely with King David and consisted of royal officers to oversee crown property. These personal advisors included the high priest Abiathar (for spiritual advice), and the general of his army, Joab (for military advice), Ahithophel and Hushai were other advisors (for political advice) of whom we read in connection with the revolt of Absalom. Ahithophel betrayed David in support of Absalom, but Hushai remained true to David and helped him to escape Absalom's treachery (2 Samuel 15:31-37).
At the close of David's life, he called for a general assembly to publicly announce Solomon as his divinely appointed successor who was "to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel" (28:5). David understood well that he and his son were merely stewards or deputies of God and under His rule. He exhorted Solomon and the whole nation to faithfully build the Lord's Temple. David had privately told Solomon the reason God did not allow him to build the Temple (22:7-8), but now he told it publicly: God did not permit it because David had been a man of war and had shed much blood. David also revealed the promises of God concerning his enduring dynasty (28:3-7; 2 Samuel 7:12-16). The culmination of this dynasty is Jesus Christ's eternal Kingdom.
With the longing of a father's heart to see his son live happily and successfully, David charged Solomon: "know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind." Following the Lord is a mental decision to not only agree with but to do God's commands, as a loyal subject would do the commands of his king. Unlike with an earthly king, however, nothing can be hidden from God, for He "searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts." David's wise words were direct and straight to the point. They were profound and yet very simple for Solomon and the people to understand. He warned them to be careful to obey God in order to keep the land He had given them (28:8). He warned Solomon that if he forsook God (abandoned His laws), God would cast him away forever (28:9).
After his charges, David handed Solomon the divinely inspired plans for the Temple (28:12, 19) and all its services, as well as the details required to make the holy articles, including their weight in gold or silver. In a similar way, God had directed Moses concerning the making of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:9, 40).
David's final words to his son were to encourage him to fulfill God's plan for his life, which included building God's House. David assured Solomon that he would have all the support and help he required. David's words are similiar to the encouragement God gave Joshua when He commissioned him to lead the children of Israel: "I will not leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5, also vv. 7, 9).
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