…but the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.
1 Chronicles 22:8

David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). He earnestly desired to build a temple (a house for God’s name). But God disallowed David to build the temple. God’s reason? David was a man of bloodshed. Most of that bloodshed was in the context of war. God sanctioned, and even led David to fight those wars. Nevertheless, the house of worship was not to be built by the man of war and bloodshed.

What can we learn from this?

Even a man after God’s own heart was stained in God’s eyes by violence.

Consider the Beatitudes. God’s blessings are on the meek, the merciful, and on the peacemakers. No blessing is pronounced on those who defeat their enemies. In fact, a blessing is pronounced on those who bless those who persecute them.

Maybe we should be concerned about our increasingly violent culture. Maybe we should be concerned about how much violence fills our entertainment.

Praise God that the Prince of Peace, Jesus, is building His temple, the Church!