2 Kings 11:10 (KJV)
And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.
It looks to me like it was somewhere near 150 years between the time David gave these weapons to be placed in the temple of the Lord and when they were given in this passage to defend the young new king.
When David understood that the Lord would not have him build the temple, rather than growing upset over it, he set about providing the resources for Solomon, his son and the next king in Jerusalem, to build it. He gave gold, silver, lumber, and much more. Solomon used the money and materials for building. He also kept the things his father had given as furniture, decoration, and, in this case, weaponry.
A lot had transpired over those 150 years. I am reminded how Rehoboam lost the golden shields and replaced them with brass. Yet through all that had happened, these spears and shields had remained.
It would not have been difficult to forget their true purpose. Someone could easily have come to view them as priceless artifacts—a desecration to put them to any use except admiration.
But the truth was, they were weapons.
- David knew that.
- The priest in this passage knew that.
- And now the men charged with protecting the young king knew that.
There is nothing in a church house that should be turned into a museum piece. Some things may be kept for many years and used throughout those years. Some things may even be saved for decades. The last church I pastored had several hundred thousand dollars in a savings account. There was no reason to spend it carelessly, but when the time came, there would also be no reason it must remain in the bank. It was meant to be used in God’s timing and for God’s purposes.
Over the years I’ve seen things like children’s programs, old pictures, missionary posters, flannel graphs, and other items turned into idols. Nothing in the house of God ought to be viewed that way.
Use them for the Lord—or get something you will use.
#UseWhatGodGave #FaithfulStewardship #ToolsForTheWork #ServingInGodsTiming #NoMuseumChurch
Don’t Turn God’s Tools into Relics: David Prepared for a Battle He Would Never See
Ministry is full of moments, but it’s the people God places in our lives that leave the deepest mark.
What do you think about this moment in Scripture? Have you ever seen something in a church become more of a museum piece than a ministry tool?
Leave a comment and share your thoughts—I’d enjoy hearing your perspective.
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