and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,
David is dying, and the last thing he hands his son is not a strategy for the throne but a standard for it. The charge sets one condition over the whole reign: God's written word, kept day by day. Does obedience really decide whether a life goes well?
A dying man's concern
At the end, David's concern is God's testimony after he is gone. One writer places him beside two apostles who felt the same:
Leslie M. GrantAs David was about to die, his words to Solomon have serious significance. Paul and Peter cared about the testimony of the Lord after their death, and so did David. None of them acted from selfish motives. Each was moved by concern for God's glory among His people.
Strength proved by obedience
Verse 2 tells Solomon to be strong. Verse 3 tells him what strength looks like. The Lord said much the same to Joshua when he took command after Moses:
H. L. RossierThere are many similarities between David's words to his son and the Lord's words to Joshua. The king must first of all be of good courage and be a man. Obedience to the Lord and dependence on Him are the proofs of this strength. He must use that strength to walk in His ways. The Word of God directs the walk itself, as we see here and in Psalm 119.
Four words, one Word
The verse piles up terms: statutes, commandments, rules, testimonies. Each names a different side of God's word, and together they make up the whole:
H. L. RossierThe Word has different characteristics and it is necessary to pay attention to all of them… His statutes are the things He has established, and His authority stands behind them. His commandments are the expression of His will, and we must submit to them. His ordinances (or judgments) are the principles He conveys and according to which He acts. His testimonies are the thoughts He has communicated to us, and faith must receive them. All this made up "the law of Moses" for the Israelite and was to be the divine standard for the walk of the faithful.
Written, and meant to be handled
"As it is written in the Law of Moses" points to something Solomon could hold. Every king of Israel had a standing duty about that book. Neglecting it did damage long after Solomon:
W. W. FeredayBefore Israel entered the land, the Lord gave a rule for the day when the people would have a king: "when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law… And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God." Suppose every ruler in Israel had obeyed this instruction. Suppose each had made his own copy of the law and read it all the days of his life. Then the long line of evils King Josiah later had to face would never have existed.
What prospering means
"That you may prosper" is the promise attached. One writer takes it as a rule that outlasts Solomon's throne, and says what kind of prosperity is in view:
C. H. MackintoshSimple obedience to the word of God always has been, is now, and always will be the deep and real secret of all true prosperity. For the Christian, of course, the prosperity is not in earthly or material things, but in heavenly and spiritual things. And we must never forget this: it is the height of folly to think of prospering or making progress in the divine life if we are not giving wholehearted obedience to all the commandments of our blessed and adorable Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The same principle reaches us now, and it shows where such a life gets its strength:
H. L. RossierOur life finds its nourishment and its strength in the Word of God. Only by keeping it can we travel through a hostile world without fear and see all we do prosper. It teaches us to walk in the way of God. Can there be a greater blessing than to find a perfect path here on earth? It is the path of Christ, and the eyes of God rest on it with delight.
The condition Solomon did not meet
Solomon did not keep the charge. What followed shows the cost when a condition is dropped:
Leslie M. GrantThe Lord had told David that his sons must be diligent to walk before the Lord in truth, with all their heart and soul. If they did, David would never lack a descendant to sit on his throne. David reminded Solomon of this conditional promise. Sad to say, David's sons did not meet the conditions. Solomon began well, but very soon turned away from the truth of scripture, and his sons turned further still.
Summary
- Charge — David's dying concern was God's testimony after him, not his own name.
- Courage — verse 2 calls for strength; verse 3 shows what it is. Obedience and dependence, the same word once given to Joshua.
- Contents — statutes, commandments, rules and testimonies make up the whole Word. All four need attention.
- Copy — the standard was in writing. Kings had to copy out the law and read it for life. Skipping that bred later ruin.
- Consequence — obedience is the real secret of prosperity. For the Christian that prosperity is spiritual. Solomon started well, dropped the condition, and his sons fell further.