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We’ve been going through the life of David over the past couple of months, and this morning we’ve come to the last chapter in his life. It’s always instructive to look at the end of a life because it gives us a chance to consider the legacy of a man or woman. We all have opportunities to leave a legacy, because life is filled with endings – moving away, death, changes in job or church. How will you be remembered? How will your children remember you? Your co-workers? Your family? Your community?

This morning we’ll look at the legacy David leaves. Let’s begin with a summary of the timeline of David’s life.

1040 – Saul becomes king

1038 – David is born

1025 - David is anointed by Samuel as the next king; Saul takes him to his court to play the harp for him

1020 - David defeats Goliath; becomes friends with Jonathan, the king’s son, who protects him from Saul’s attempts to kill him

1010 - David becomes a commander in saul’s army

1007 - David flees Saul’s house as Saul tries repeatedly to kill him. He spends time hiding and going from place to place, as some mighty men come to support and encourage him. Twice 1005 - David has opportunity to kill Saul but refuses

1000 – Saul & Jonathan die in battle; David becomes king over Judah, the southern kingdom, and Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s son, over Israel, the northern kingdom

993 – Ish-Bosheth is murdered; David becomes king over all Israel

992 – David returns the ark to Jerusalem; David wants to build a temple but God says no; Nathan promises him an everlasting kingdom

982 – after 7-10 years of war, the empire is solidified; he finds Mephibosheth and shows grace to him

980 – David sleeps w/ Bathsheba and has Uriah killed

979 – Solomon is born to Bathsheba; heir to the throne

978 – David’s son Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar

976 – Absalom, Tamar’s brother, murders Amnon; Absalom is banished for 3 years

969 – Absalom revolts against David and steals the hearts of his people

964 – David counts the fighting men, displeases God, and there is a plague

962 – David’s health begins to fail

961 – David charges Solomon and the men with the construction of the temple and charges his son to walk with God after his death

961 – David dies

David’s life is an extraordinary life - David has been brought by God from the life of a simple shepherd boy to the life of a king, giant slayer, poet, lover, warrior, leader of the people, and man after God’s own heart. This morning, we’re going to look at 1 Chronicles 29, the last chapter of his life, where King David is addressing the nation of Israel about the construction of the temple, the place where the ark of the covenant will be, replacing the tabernacle as the central place of worship in Israel: