The high places were not removed

2 Chronicles 15:17
The high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days.

Asa left some of the abomination in Israel, yet he knew the living God and he chose to walk with God in certain aspects of his life. Can we really leave some aspects and choose to follow God in other areas of our life. It goes back to the saying that we cannot have to gods, we will need to choose one or the other to serve. It is dangerous to allow anything else holding us back from a perfect walk with God.

For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God

The famous teaching about man cannot serve God and mammon comes at the end of the parable of the unjust steward. This may not be an easy teaching to understand. It appears that a servant has dealt dishonestly and unjustly with his master's goods. When he was discovered, he went to his master's customers and seemed to have tricked them in order to gain money to survive since he has lost his job. Jesus used this to teach that those who are not faithful and just with money and faith, whatever they have will be taken away, those who deal honestly and justly will be given more.

The Pharisees heard this teaching and complained to Jesus, because they loved money too. But Jesus told them those "For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God". Jesus declared that the age of the law and prophets have given way to the kingdom of God since it was first preached by John the Baptist.

Then the account of the rich man and Lazarus was told, but the author does not mention this as a parable. The rich man died and went to Hades, but poor, afflicted Lazarus also died and went to heaven. The rich man was told that nothing can save him. However the rich man asked if Lazarus can visit his brothers to save them from going to Hades. Then Abraham in heaven told him that if they had not obeyed the Moses and the prophets, they would not obey even a dead man coming back to warn them.




Luke 16
The Parable of the Unjust Steward

1 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures[a] of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures[b] of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail,[c] they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”



The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

18 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.



The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell[d] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

Offerings for the Temple, Solomon Anointed King

Besides the actual grandeur of the architecture for the Temple of the LORD, the interior is also to house vast amounts riches to reflect the offerings of the people. David led the way by contributing his treasures including gold and precious materials. The various leaders of Israel also followed and donated a large amount for the temple.

Previously, David had already anointed Solomon as King. Now David again called for loyalty, respect and cooperation for his son Solomon from the leaders of Israel. Then the people made Solomon King and Solomon started his reign while David was still alive.



1 Chronicles 29

Offerings for Building the Temple

 1 Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple[a]is not for man but for the LORD God. 2 Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: 4 three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; 5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the LORD?”
6 Then the leaders of the fathers’ houses, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the officers over the king’s work, offered willingly. 7 They gave for the work of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, into the hand of Jehiel[b] the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the LORD; and King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Praise to God
 
10 Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said:

      “ Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.
 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
      The power and the glory,
      The victory and the majesty;
      For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
      Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
      And You are exalted as head over all.

 12 Both riches and honor come from You,
      And You reign over all.
      In Your hand is power and might;
      In Your hand it is to make great
      And to give strength to all.

 13 “Now therefore, our God,
      We thank You
      And praise Your glorious name.

 14 But who am I, and who are my people,
      That we should be able to offer so willingly as this?
      For all things come from You,
      And of Your own we have given You.

 15 For we are aliens and pilgrims before You,
      As were all our fathers;
      Our days on earth are as a shadow,
      And without hope.
16 “O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own. 17 I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. 19 And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple[c] for which I have made provision.”
20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God.” So all the assembly blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.

Solomon Anointed King
 
21 And they made sacrifices to the LORD and offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the next day: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 So they ate and drank before the LORD with great gladness on that day. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before the LORD to be the leader, and Zadok to be priest. 23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, submitted themselves to King Solomon. 25 So the LORD exalted Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.


 
26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the period that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. 28 So he died in a good old age, full of days and riches and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29 Now the acts of King David, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 30 with all his reign and his might, and the events that happened to him, to Israel, and to all the kingdoms of the lands.