It Was Well That It Was in Thy Heart

After Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, he blessed God and confessed that he had been able to build this house for the name of God because his father David had such a heart, and because God regarded that heart as good. Truly, when King David was dwelling peacefully in his house of cedar, he did not think it was right that the ark of the covenant, which was called by the name of God (1 Chr. 13:6), remained within curtains.

2 Samuel 7:1-3 “1And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy heart; for Jehovah is with thee.”

So David desired to build a house for the name of God. But God did not permit him to do so; instead, He caused his son to build the house for the name of God (1 Kings 5:2-5).

2 Samuel 7:12-13 “12When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

However, David was not disappointed by this. Instead, he prepared, with a willing heart, the materials needed to build the house for the name of God.

1 Chronicles 29:10-17 “10Wherefore David blessed Jehovah before all the assembly; and David said, Blessed be thou, O Jehovah, the God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14But 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. 15For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16O Jehovah our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee a house for thy holy name cometh of thy hand, and is all thine own. 17I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto thee.”

Thus, not only David but also the people prepared materials for the name of God with upright and willing hearts. And just as God had spoken to David through the prophet Nathan, He caused the house where His name would dwell to be built through David’s son Solomon.

Now, we today must also have the same heart as David, who desired to do something for the name of God. Truly, this heart must be in us, because mankind and all things in this world were created to be pleasing in the sight of God.

Genesis 1 “1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good... 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.... 12And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good.... 16And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.... 21And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good.... 25And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.... 27And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth... 31And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Therefore, when David did not regard it as right that he himself dwelt in a house of cedar while the ark of the covenant, which was called by the name of God, remained within curtains, and when he desired to build a house for the name of God, that heart was a right heart. It is also the true heart that we today ought to have.

Therefore, we today also, like David, must live for the name of Jesus, which is the name of God (Col. 3:17). This is because, as we have seen above, this heart is a good heart in the sight of God. If we also have such a heart for the name of God, then we will be able to endure, with a willing heart, even suffering that comes upon us unjustly for the name of Jesus.

1 Peter 2:18-21 “18Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps.”

1 Peter 4:12-16 “12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: 13but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. 15For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters: 16but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.”

Acts 5:40-42 “40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. 42And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.”

As these passages say, we must now be able to endure all things willingly, keeping God in mind. If we are reproached for the name of Jesus, surely that will become glory for us when Jesus comes again (Rom. 8:17-18).

However, some people take even the work of patiently enduring for the name of Jesus and turn it into their own boasting. But we must not forget that it is literally for the name of Jesus, not for ourselves. As David said above, all sovereignty belongs to God (1 Chr. 29:11-12). Therefore, the things we have done for the name of Jesus are simply things we ought to have done because they are good in the sight of God (Luke 17:7-10). We must remember that they were never done in order to boast in ourselves or in people, or to make ourselves known.

Matthew 6:1-6 “1Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. 5And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.”

Matthew 6:16-18 “16Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; 18that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.”

As Jesus said, we must do good not to be seen by men or to receive glory from men, but before God, who sees in secret. This is the way we do not receive our reward already on this earth, but receive praise, glory, and honor when Jesus comes again.

1 Peter 1:5-9 “5who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, 7that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: 8whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

Amen.

Truly, even today, to those who do all things, whether in word or in deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17), Jesus will say, just as God said to David, “Thou didst well that it was in thy heart.”