In First Chronicles, chapter twenty-eight, verse nine, David’s charge to Solomon was that he should know God, serve and seek him “with a perfecty heasrt and a willing mind.” To know God nmeans to have a practicial knowledge of His person and ways and to abide in close fellowship with Him and His Word. To serve God means to desire His grace, kingdom power, and righteousness to such an extent that we continually pray for His active presence in our lives and earnestly seek to obey His will.
David’s instruction to Solomon is in chapter twenty-eight, starting from verse six, where God tells David that his son has permission and gives him the specifics on how to build it. However, David opens up to Solomon to know God. All of us believers should know Him the same way. Thou knowest that there is a God, a living and true God, and that the God of thy father is that God: thou knowest not only that he is, but what he is: that he is a Spirit, an infinite and eternal Spirit, self-existent, and therefore independent of, and supreme over, all other beings, who are only the artistry of his hands. Thou knowest that he is possesses all possible perfections, of unsearchable wisdom, of almighty power, of unfathomable goodness, of inviolable truth, of impartial justice, of unspeakable mercy and love: that he is thy Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, to whom thou art indebted for all thy powers and faculties of body and mind; for thy life, and breath, and all things: that he is thy Redeemer and Saviour, thy Governor and Judge.
God is known by his works and word. Revelation alone shows the whole character of God in his providence, holy law, condemnation of sinners, blessed gospel, and the ministration of the Spirit to all true believers. The natural man cannot receive this knowledge of God. But we learn the value of the Saviour’s atonement and of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and are influenced to walk in all his commandments. It brings a sinner to their proper place at the foot of the cross, as a poor, guilty, helpless worm, deserving wrath, yet expecting every thing needful from the free mercy and grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Having been forgiven much, the pardoned sinner learns to love much.