As Israel was about to enter the promised land, Moses instructed the people to "seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes" (Deuteronomy 12:5). Moses told the Israelites to stop pagan worship practices and focus on worshiping God. In the wilderness, they built the tabernacle where God would show his presence and where the people would worship him. Once settled in the promised land, Moses told them to build a permanent holy place.
During the time of the judges, the people of Israel often worshipped the gods of nearby nations instead of the one true God. When the kingdom began, there was hope that the whole nation would unite in worshipping God. Yet, the first king, Saul, lost the kingdom and his life partly because "he consulted a medium for guidance" instead of the Lord (1 Chronicles 10:13–14). Many kings in Israel's history followed Saul's example of disobedience and led the nation into pagan religious practices.
King David, in contrast, was "a man after His own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). As king, one of David's main goals was to restore the importance of the ark of the covenant. The Israelites had ignored it during Saul's time (1 Chronicles 13:3).
David failed in his first attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem. This was because he and the Levites did not ask for the Lord's guidance on how to transport it (13:1–14; 15:13). David later succeeded in bringing the ark to Jerusalem (15:1–16:1).
The holy place and worship in Jerusalem were essential for seeking the Lord. After placing the ark in its tent in Jerusalem, David created a new role for the Levites as music ministers (1 Chronicles 16:4–6). David often urged leaders to "seek the Lord your God" while building the temple (22:19; compare 28:8–10).
King Solomon's first action to strengthen the kingdom was to gather all the leaders at the altar in Gibeon to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 1:1–6). The Lord met Solomon there and gave him unmatched wisdom and wealth. Later, Solomon finished the temple and established it as a place to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 6).
Isaiah the prophet encouraged people waiting for God's promises to seek him. “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). God's covenant and promise are certain, and they are for those who seek the Lord (55:3).
Passages for Further Study
1 Chronicles 10:13–14; 13:3; 16:11–13; 22:19; 28:8–10; 2 Chronicles 6:19–40; 7:14; Psalms 27:4–8; 105:4–6; Isaiah 55:6–7; Jeremiah 29:13–14; Matthew 6:31–33; Romans 2:7