2Chronicles 4-6

Sunday Evening Bible Study

November 17, 2002

Introduction

We are in the time of King Solomon’s reign. David has died and Solomon has become strong and secure in his kingdom.

The building of the Temple has begun. Solomon has hired the Phoenicians to help him with the building of the Temple.

2Chronicles 4

:1 Brass Altar

:1 Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

(2 Chr 4:1 ICB) …It was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide and 15 feet tall.

Because of the size of the altar, a ramp was built up to the top.

There would not have been steps because steps were forbidden, lest anyone see the priests’ legs as they went up the altar.

(Exo 20:26 KJV) Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

This was known as the “Altar of Burnt Offering”

Solomon’s altar is about four times the size of the altar that Moses made:

(Exo 27:1 KJV) And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

Hundreds of years later, a descendant of Solomon’s, Ahaz, would decide to change things around a bit and make his own altar based on a pattern he saw in Damascus. (2Ki. 16:10-15)

:2-5 Brass Sea

:2 Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim

molten sea – This was like a huge free-standing pool. It was made by pouring molten brass into a mold.

(2 Chr 4:2 ICB) It was round and measured 15 feet across from edge to edge. It was over 7 feet tall, and it measured 45 feet around.

:3 And under it was the similitude of oxen

Cast into the “sea” was a design of oxen encircling the sea. There were two rows of oxen-like images, ten little oxen every 1 ½ feet.

:4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north…

The sea rested on twelve oxen, three on each side, facing outward.

King Ahaz would one day decide to cut these oxen off and put the sea on the ground.

(2 Ki 16:17 KJV) And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.

:5 And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.

handbreadth – about three inches thick

three thousand baths – 17,400 gallons of water, about the size of a small swimming pool. A “bath” is 5.8 gallons.

1Kings 7:26 states that this sea contained 2,000 baths.

It may be that the sea held 2,000 baths while the overall system, including the 10 lavers, totaled 3,000 baths.

Another possibility is that the sea could hold 3,000 baths, but was only filled with 2,000.

:6-8 Lavers, Candlesticks, Tables

:6 He made also ten lavers

laver – a brass vessel used for washing. The Temple Institute has come up with what they think the lavers looked like, and it resembles something like a large coffee urn with spigots.

Ezra indicates that the priests washed in the sea, while the things that were used for the sacrifices were washed with the lavers.

The Tabernacle had one laver. The Temple has the brass sea and ten lavers.

The Temple Institute believes that the “brass” items were made of copper.

:7 And he made ten candlesticks

The Tabernacle had one candlestick, a “menorah”. The Temple had ten candlesticks.

:8 He made also ten tables

We think Ezra is talking about tables for the showbread (see vs. 19). The Tabernacle only had one table for the showbread. The Temple has ten tables.

Did each table contain twelve loaves?

:9-10 Courtyards

:9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests

The inner courtyard where only priests were allowed.

:9 and the great court, and doors for the court

This would be the outer court, where the worshippers would be. The doors to this outer court were overlaid with bronze.

:10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

:11-18 Sum of Brass things

:12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters

pommels – gullah – bowl, spring, basin. This is the top of the pillars, the shape of the capitals.

chapiters – kothereth – capital crown, capital of a pillar

:14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;

The bases were like a cart to be able to move the lavers around.

:17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.

Recent exploration has suggested that this is an area near where the Jabbok River meets the Jordan River, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, about 37 miles northeast of Jerusalem.

:19-22 Sum of Golden things

:19 the tables whereon the showbread was set;

This is why we think the “tables” were for showbread (vs. 8)

:22 the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

The doors for the outer court were made of bronze, but the doors on the Temple itself were made of gold.

2Chronicles 5

:1 Work is finished

:1 all the things that David his father had dedicated

As we’ve seen, David had prepared a lot of stuff for the Temple:

(1 Chr 22:14 KJV) Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

After this, David went and put even more stuff aside for the Temple:

(1 Chr 29:2 KJV) Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

(1 Chr 29:4 KJV) Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:

The implication is that David and the leaders of Israel that had contributed to the Temple construction had given so much, that there was a lot left over, and these things were stored in the Temple treasuries.

:2-10 The Ark is put into the Temple

:2 to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

In David’s day, the city of Jerusalem was located southwest of Mount Moriah, where the Temple was built. The Ark is going to be taken from the city up to the Temple complex.

:3 in the feast which was in the seventh month.

The Temple Dedication would take place during the Feast of Tabernacles, which took place in the September-October time frame. The year is 959 BC.

This was eleven months after the completion of the Temple:

(1 Ki 6:38 KJV) And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

It would seem that Solomon purposely chose this particular Feast for the dedication.

Tabernacles - Leviticus 23:34-43

This was the last feast of the year.

Another name for the feast was the “Feast of Booths”, or, Succoth.

It lasted for seven days and ended with a “holy convocation” on the eighth day, where the people came together to worship.

It is on this eighth day that the Temple is dedicated.

During the week, the people lived outside in “booths” or little shelters made of branches.

It was to remind them how they lived for forty years in the wilderness.

During the feast, 189 animals were sacrificed. (Num. 29:12-38)

It was also called the “Feast of Harvest” or “Feast of Ingathering” because it also celebrated the end of the harvest season, after all the crops were in.

It is one of the feasts that we know will be celebrated during the Millennium, when Jesus reigns for 1,000 years (Zech. 14:16).

I think that Solomon has chosen this feast for the dedication of the Temple on purpose.

The feast was to remind the people of how they had lived with God in the center of their nation for forty years as they all lived in tents.

And now, God is again at the center of the nation.

It also reminds us of Jesus.

(John 1:14 KJV) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

dwelt – skenoo – to fix one’s tabernacle, have one’s tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle; to dwell

Just as God was coming to “dwell” in the Temple, Jesus came and “dwelt” among us, taking on a “tent”, a human body.

:4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.

They had learned their lesson the last time they moved the Ark (1Chr. 13; 15:2), and this time it is carried by the Levites, the way it was supposed to be moved.

:5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation

The “tabernacle” refers to the tent structure that Moses had originally made for the Ark, which had been at Gibeon (1Chr. 1:3).

Not only was the Ark brought to the Temple, but apparently the Tabernacle, which had been at Gibeon, was taken down and it along with its “holy vessels” were brought to the Temple.

:7 brought in the ark of the covenant …to the oracle

oracle – d@biyr – the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle; from dabar – to speak, declare, converse. The idea is that this is where God speaks.

:9 And they drew out the staves of the ark …

The Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies lengthwise so that the poles apparently extended into the curtain. The poles could be seen from the Holy Place, but not from outside the Temple.

:9 And there it is unto this day.

I don’t think this is Ezra’s comment. I think that this is probably the comment of the writer who wrote while the first Temple still was standing. Ezra copies these comments into his book.

:10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

At one time, the Ark contained three things (Heb. 9:4):

The two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments on them

This is the “covenant”, why the Ark is called the “Ark of the Covenant”.

A golden pot with manna in it (Ex. 16:33).

This was to remind the Israelites of the manna that God fed them with while they were in the wilderness.

Aaron’s rod that budded (Num. 17:10),

This was to remind the people that God had chosen Aaron and his sons to be priests. It was during the rebellion of Korah that Aaron’s priesthood was challenged and God showed the people that Aaron was to be priest not only by removing Korah and his fellows, but by having Aaron’s rod bloom with leaves and ripe almonds.

Now, in Solomon’s day, all that is left in the Ark is the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments.

We don’t know what happened to the other items.

:11-14 The Glory comes

The Day God Showed Up

A few years back, Miami Dolphin coach Don Shula in a little post season trip, took his wife on vacation to a small seaside town in Maine. He figured it was a place they could relax anonymously. It was raining when they arrived; they decided to take in a movie. As they entered the small theatre, the show had not yet started, the lights were still up. Guess what—to their surprise the scattered handful of people applauded their entrance. After they were seated Don said, “I guess there’s nowhere I’m not known.” His wife smiled and said, “And loved, dear.” A man seated nearby reached over and shook Don’s hand. Shula said, “I have to admit I’m kind of surprised that you know me here.” And the man said, “Should I know you? We’re just happy to see you folks because the manager had said he wasn’t going to start the movie until at least two more people showed up.” -- Associated Press, 2-4-91

It’s kind of important that the right people show up at church. In fact, if the right people don’t show up, we can’t even have church. When we have church, three people need to show up: You, me, and most of all, the Lord.

Solomon has spent the last seven years building the Temple. The building has been completed for eleven months, and the time has come for the dedication ceremony. The entire process started with the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant up to the Temple Mount from the city and putting it inside the Holy of Holies. The priests are now exiting the Temple …

:11 all the priests … did not then wait by course

Before he died, David had put some order to the priesthood. He had taken all the priests and divided them into 24 divisions (1Chron. 24). Each division, or course, would serve in the Temple for a two week period. For the Temple dedication, there were priests from each of the divisions present to serve. The point here is that all the priests were on duty that day, they all got to participate in the dedication of the Temple.

:12 the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun

The singers were all in their place. They were divided among the three families of the Levites (Gershom, Merari, Kohath) and the main men who headed each singing family were Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.

:12 having cymbals and psalteries and harps

These Levitical singers had instruments. Clashing cymbals and stringed instruments.

:12 an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets

That’s a lot of noise! The trumpets were probably made of silver – Num. 10:2,8

:13 as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound

(NIV) The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice,

Lesson

God is looking for unity

Sometimes it seems that all we’re good at is finding out how we can’t get along.

Illustration

Differences between Christians

I was walking across a bridge recently. I spied this guy who looked like he was ready to jump off. So, I thought I’d try to stall him until the authorities showed up (or at least until I had time to put film in my camera). “Don’t jump!” I said. “Why not?” he said. “Nobody loves me.” “God loves you,” I said. “You believe in God, don’t you?” “Yes, I believe in God,” he said. “Good,” I said. “Are you Christian or Jewish?” “Christian,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Protestant or Catholic?” “Protestant,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “What kind of Protestant?” “Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Independent Baptist or Southern Baptist?” “Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “New Evangelical/Moderate Independent Baptist or Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist or Lose-Your-Salvation Armenian Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Historical Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR For Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Anti-Disney Boycott Pro-Choice Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist,” he said. “Me, too!” I said. “KJV Only Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist OR Modern Versions Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist?” “MODERN VERSIONS Pro-Disney Boycott Pro-Life Fundamentalist Against Women in Ministry Dispensational Premillennial Calvinistic Conservative Independent Baptist” he said. “Auugghh!!! You heretic!” I said. And I pushed him over.

God wants us to learn to sing with “one voice”, to be on the same side, to be unified.

In the Old Testament –

(Psa 133 KJV) A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is a wonderful thing when people learn to get along together.

{2} It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

Unity is like the anointing oil on the priest.

Oil in the Bible is a picture of the Holy Spirit.

There is a connection between the work and power of the Holy Spirit and unity among the brethren.

{3} As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

The dew of Hermon speaks of refreshing, watering, life. Unity brings these things.

In the New Testament –

(Phil 1:27 KJV) Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

The Greek word for “conversation” has to do with “citizenship”. We display to others that we are citizens of heaven when we learn to stand together, working for the gospel. Unity is how we walk in a manner “worthy” of Jesus.

Unity is not just getting along with each other, but also being on the same page as the Lord. Unity with God’s purposes. God wants the gospel preached.

(Mat 18:20 KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We talk about Jesus being with us when there are two or more gathered together in His name. But the verse before this one talks about how we are to be “together”:

(Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

God shows up when we learn to work with each other. God shows up when we work with Him.

:13 to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD

Lesson

God is looking for praise

God shows up when His people praise Him.

(Psa 22:3 KJV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

(Psa 22:3 ICB) You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.

Why does God show up when His people praise Him?

Is it because He has a big head and likes to hear nice things said to Him? No!

When we praise Him, we are showing that we trust Him.

(Heb 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Praise is pretty powerful stuff.

Jehoshaphat found himself surrounded by three enemy armies who had joined together to wipe him out. He called the people to fast and pray, and God spoke encouraging words through a prophet.

(2 Chr 20:21-22 KJV) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. {22} And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

It wasn’t until after the singers began to praise the Lord that the deliverance came. It came because they trusted God.

:13 For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever:

This was the message of their praise.

mercy – checed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness. It means loyal, steadfast, or faithful love and stresses the idea of a belonging together of those involved in the love relationship. It has the idea of God’s faithful love for His unfaithful people.

Lesson

Focus on His love

All that God does towards us is based on His love.

That’s easy to believe when you’ve just won the Lottery, but for most of us, life isn’t always pretty. We often face some disappointing circumstances.

Remember Jehoshaphat? Look at the content of what the singers were singing:

(2 Chr 20:21 KJV) …Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

And they were doing this while being surrounded by enemy armies.

Sometimes we don’t understand why difficult things happen. Could even difficult times come out of God’s love?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had a time in their lives when they might have questioned God’s love for them.

They probably wondered what was going on when they had to make a choice between following God and being thrown into a fiery furnace, or compromising and giving in to the world.

(Dan 3:16-18 KJV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. {17} If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. {18} But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

They were thrown into the furnace as a result of their stand. But they weren’t alone in the furnace.

(Dan 3:25 KJV) He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

And as a result of their taking a stand and doing what was right, pagan king Nebuchadnezzar was impacted with the truth about God.

(Dan 3:28 KJV) Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Illustration

Tad Stewart took a church in Teheran, Iran. He was married, had a wonderful family. And there they were on the streets of Teheran, Iran, during revolution and revolt and riot. The government under the Ayatollah closed his Presbyterian church. It was a small, struggling Presbyterian church. Hardly had any members. Very few showed up for worship. But the government came in and burned all the Bibles and Sunday school curriculum, and took the church newsletters, ripped them up, threw them away, and put them in the garbage. Then they took a big padlock and locked the door of the church. They wiped their hands and said, “Aha! We have closed Christianity in Iran.”

Tad Stewart and his wife opened their small home, and on Sunday mornings people would go through the underground network. Nobody dared to say where they were going, but they came along the streets early in the morning while it was still dark and they came to the home for breakfast and for worship. Church attendance grew until it doubled, and then it tripled. People had no Bibles, only what they had at home. And they smuggled them. You would have thought they were pure gold.

Tad said when he opened the Bible and read it, because it had been taken from the people, they finally realized what a treasure was theirs. He said, “When I read from it, you could have heard a pin drop.” He said it was as if this was the very Word of God. He said for the first time in people’s lives they began to take it seriously. Suddenly electricity and faith broke out in that church, and soon that church grew and made an impact all over the city of Teheran, all over the nation of Iran, and even over that part of the Middle East.

God works in difficult times. He still loves us.

Illustration

Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “A sacrifice of praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult thing to do. It requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of all, our human logic. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly and precisely, even as our logic screams that God has no idea what He’s doing. Most of the verses written about praise in God’s Word were penned by men and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations.”

Joni is quadriplegic, paralyzed as a young girl from a swimming accident.

How can I be so sure that God loves me?

(Rom 5:8 NASB) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

We can know beyond all doubt that God loves us because Jesus died on a cross in our place.

For some of you, you may be at the point where you need to turn to Him for the first time and give your heart to Him.

For some of you, you need to go back to the cross and remember how much He loves you.

(Rom 8:32 KJV) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

“All things” can include the tough times as well, but tough times meant for our good.

:13 the house was filled with a cloud

This is what we call the “Shekinah”, the radiance, glory, or presence of God dwelling among His people. The word shekinah is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “to dwell”. The Hebrew word for the Tabernacle, mishkan, also is related to this word.

This happened because of the one voice, praising God and His love:

(2 Chr 5:13 NKJV) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice …that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,

:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

could not stand to minister – this doesn’t mean that they all fell down or that they didn’t like their job anymore. It means that they couldn’t do their jobs inside the Temple and they had to go outside.

Lesson

Just enjoy the Lord

Sometimes you need to quit what you’re doing for awhile and just enjoy the Lord.

Dwight L. Moody, was a great American evangelist of the late 1800's. He had been encouraged by two gals in his church in Chicago that he needed the Holy Spirit. They talked to him through the summer of 1871, but his moment didn’t come until fall, in the city of New York.

In broad daylight he walked down one of the busiest streets, Broadway or Fifth Avenue - he scarcely remembered which - while crowds thrust by, with the clop-clink of cabs and carriages and the shouting of newsboys in his ears. The last chain snapped. Quietly, without a struggle, he surrendered. Immediately an overpowering sense of the presence of God flooded his soul. “God Almighty seemed to come very near. I felt I must be alone.” He hurried to the house of a friend nearby, sent up his card, and brushed aside an invitation to “come and have some food.” “I want to be alone. Let me have a room where I can lock myself in.”

His host thought it best to humor him. Moody locked the door and sat on the sofa. The room seemed ablaze with God. Moody dropped to the floor and lay bathing his soul in the Divine. Of this communion, this mount of transfiguration, he later would comment, “I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.” Turmoil of mind glided into peace, and conflict of character snapped into integration. That masterful strength which had hammered at the gates of hell and charged full tilt at the world, the flesh, and the devil was melted and remolded, leaving him gentle as a babe and utterly dependent upon a power beyond his own.

From Moody The Biography, by John Pollock, pgs 103-108.

These “God Moments” happen when we are together in unity, praising Him for His love.

2Chronicles 6

:1-11 Solomon blesses God for the Temple

:1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

thick darkness – ‘araphel – cloud, heavy or dark cloud, darkness, thick darkness

The word is used to describe God’s presence:

Ex 20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God [was].

De 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

God’s presence is described as a “cloud”

(Lev 16:2 KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Lesson

Know the Word

I think that some of the events were planned. Solomon built a special platform so he could speak to the people and pray for the people. The Levitical choirs had obviously gotten together and rehearsed. The priests had all planned to be there that particular day. But I don’t think they had planned for the cloud and the glory. I certainly don’t think that the priests have rigged up some kind of smoke machine.

What was going on? Had someone knocked over one of the candlesticks in the Temple?

Solomon recognized what was going on. He didn’t panic.

He knew what the Word said.

He knew that God had shown up.

I think it’s important that we are so immersed in God’s Word that we filter all of our life and experiences through the Word.

If something unusual happens, do we know how to relate it to the Word?

For example:

Let’s say that someone claims that God has just filled their hair with gold dust.

I have a little problem with that. Okay, a big problem. I have a hard time seeing this in God’s Word, anywhere.

Let’s say that a very troubled person walks in to church, and we all start feeling very uncomfortable about this. Should we ask the person to leave? I don’t think so. This is exactly the kind of wonderful opportunity God wants us to take advantage of.

Bad people came to Jesus. Jesus touched the lepers. Jesus was the friend of sinners. When the Pharisees thought He should know better and not talk to a certain woman, Jesus ministered to the woman.

If God shows up or does a work, would you recognize it?

:5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

God had indicated that there would be a day when there would be a single place of worship that the Lord would choose.

(Deu 12:10-11 KJV) But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; {11} Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

This is the law of the “central sanctuary”. One day there would be a single place to worship.

God had also indicated that one day there would be a king.

(Deu 17:14-15 KJV) When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; {15} Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

It was almost 400 years between the giving of this law and the first king, Saul.

But these things hadn’t happened until recently in Solomon’s day.

:8 Forasmuch as it was in thine heart …

Lesson

God looks at the heart

God cares about the condition of our hearts.

Sometimes it’s not what we actually accomplish that God looks at, but what our hearts are aimed at that counts.

This works in a negative sense in regards to when we sin. Jesus said,

(Mat 5:27-28 KJV) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: {28} But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

It’s not just committing the physical act that constitutes sin, but the things that are in your heart that can be sin.

All that we do will be judged by our motives.

Paul talks about how our works will be judged one day:

(1 Cor 3:12-15 KJV) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; {13} Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. {14} If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. {15} If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Our works will pass through a fire of judgment. The things that were not “wood, hay, and stubble” will make it through the fire.

Paul gives a clue as to what the valuable things consist of:

(1 Cor 13:1-3 KJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. {2} And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. {3} And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

The things done in love will be profitable. They will stand the test.

We may not always be able to do the things we want to do.

Yet it seems that God will give us credit even for the wanting to do it.

:12-21 Solomon asks God to hear

:13 Solomon had made a brazen scaffold …

Solomon had a bronze platform (or, stage) made that was 7 ½ feet long, 7 ½ feet wide, and 4 ½ feet high. This will put him up above the people so he can address them.

This platform is in the outer court where the people are.

:13 and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

Solomon stands up on the platform, then gets on his knees and puts his hands in the air.

Lesson

Responding to God’s presence

In a way, this isn’t much of a “faith” thing for Solomon.

He doesn’t have to simply trust that God is there. He can tell. There’s this cloud that has filled the Temple.

The priests have come streaming out, speechless at what has just happened.

God showed up. And Solomon responds.

Illustration

A seminarian turned in his typed-up sermon to his homiletics professor for grading. When he met with him for a conference the professor started out very positively. He said to the young man, “I like your exegesis. You have presented the meaning of the text In a helpful and clear fashion. Your three points make sense, they show balance and progression. Your introduction and your conclusion both show a great deal of thought. The illustrations you used seemed most appropriate. However, I am going to give you a D on the sermon.” The seminarian was taken aback and said, “Why a D if it’s all that good?”

The professor said, “Well, frankly, it’s because of your sermon title. It is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Nobody will want to come a hear a sermon entitled: ‘The Pericopes of Jesus in Relationship to the Eschatology of the Apostle Paul.’ I tell you what I’ll do. You see if you can come up with a better sermon title and I’ll reconsider the grade. What you want is a title that will reach out and grab people by the heart. A title that will compel them to come and hear what you have to say. Imagine that title out on the sign in front of a church with such impact that if a bus stopped in front of the church and the people on the bus saw the sign, it would be so powerful it would motivate them to immediately get off the bus and run into the church.”

The young man said he would give it his best shot. So he went home and he wrestled with this task all night long, sweating bullets. The next morning he showed up at his professor’s office and handed him his new sermon title, which read: “Your Bus Has a Bomb on It!”

If I was on a bus with a bomb on it, I’d respond. I’d get up and respond. I’d run. I’d do something.

I think that too often we can come to church and think that it’s about as exciting as “The Pericopes of Jesus …”. It doesn’t make much sense to us. It doesn’t impact our lives at all.

God is here.

There’s a bomb on the bus.

React. Respond.

:14 O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee

Lesson

There is none like God

:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

Lesson

God is bigger than your box

Solomon knows that God isn’t going to fit in this Temple, no matter how big or elegant it is.

:20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night

Solomon is asking God to pay attention to the prayers of His people as they pray in the Temple or toward the Temple.

:21 which they shall make toward this place:

Daniel took this seriously. Even when he was living in Babylon, Daniel made sure he prayed in the direction of the Temple.

(Dan 6:10 KJV) Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

:21 hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

God is in heaven, not the Temple.

Solomon is asking that God will honor the prayers prayed towards the Temple by hearing from heaven.

:22-23 Honoring oaths

:22-23 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;

The idea is that somebody suspects his neighbor of doing something, but the neighbor denies it. If the neighbor swears an oath (“By the Temple I’ve not done this thing”), Solomon asks God to hold people accountable to these oaths.

In other words, may God get the guy who tries to use the Temple to swear an oath he doesn’t really mean.

Lesson

Oaths and Truth

Sometimes we have a hard time getting people to believe us.

Illustration

Area 51

You’ve all heard of the Air Force’s ultra-high-security, super- secret base in Nevada, known simply as “Area 51?” Well, late one afternoon, the Air Force folks out at Area 51 were very surprised to see a Cessna landing at their “secret” base. They immediately impounded the aircraft and hauled the pilot into an interrogation room. The pilot’s story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost, and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation. By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really was lost and wasn’t a spy. They gassed up his airplane, gave him a terrifying “you-did-not-see-a-base” briefing, complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison, told him Vegas was that-a-way on such-and-such a heading, and sent him on his way. The next day, to the total disbelief of the Air Force, the same Cessna showed up again. Once again, the MP’s surrounded the plane, only this time there were two people in the plane. The same pilot jumped out and said, “Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night.”

The reason people swear an oath is because they need some way of getting another person to believe them.

Jesus said,

(Mat 5:33-37 NLT) "Again, you have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' {34} But I say, don't make any vows! If you say, 'By heaven!' it is a sacred vow because heaven is God's throne. {35} And if you say, 'By the earth!' it is a sacred vow because the earth is his footstool. And don't swear, 'By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. {36} Don't even swear, 'By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black. {37} Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.

The whole point is not that you can’t put your hand on a Bible in court and swear to tell the truth, but the point is that your whole life ought to be based on truth. You shouldn’t need to swear an oath because people will know that you are a person who tells the truth.

Sometimes we think the “little lies” aren’t that big of a deal.

Sometimes we get caught by someone and they say, “Did you say such and such?” We think it’s not that big of a deal to simply say, “No, of course not”.

But I think that sometimes we set ourselves up for people not believing us when we tell the “little lies”.

God wants us to be people of such integrity that people know that we’re going to tell them the truth.

:24-25 Prayers when defeated

:24-25 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy

Sometimes defeated times can come as a result of sin in our life.

:26-27 Prayers in drought

:26-27 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain

Sometimes drought comes as a way of getting our attention.

:28-31 Prayers in any distress

:28-29 If there be dearth in the land …

Solomon asks God to hear the prayers of the people no matter what the problem.

:30-31 for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men

Lesson

God knows our hearts

:32-33 Prayers of strangers

:32-33 Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel …

Solomon asks God to listen to the prayers of “strangers”, Gentiles, non-Jews, who pray in the Temple.

:34-35 Prayers in war time

:34-35 If thy people go out to war against their enemies

Solomon asks God to honor the prayers of the people when they are at war.

:36-42 Prayers of repentance

:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,)

Lesson

All men are sinners

All men are not basically good.

All men are sinners.

(Rom 3:23 KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

:39 forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.

Lesson

God wants to forgive

God is going to honor Solomon’s prayer because God delights in forgiveness.

He wants His children to come home.

Illustration

Ernest Hemingway wrote a story about a father and his teenage son. In the story, the relationship had become somewhat strained, and the teenage son ran away from home. His father began a journey in search of that rebellious son.

Finally, in Madrid, Spain, in a last desperate attempt to find the boy, the father put an ad in the local newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, Meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.” The next day, in front of the newspaper office, eight hundred Pacos showed up. They were all seeking forgiveness. They were all seeking the love of their father.

-- George Munzing, "Living a Life of Integrity," Preaching Today, Tape No. 32.

:41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place

resting place – the Temple

:42 remember the mercies of David thy servant.

Lesson

God’s mercies

Solomon is asking God to continue the mercy that He showed to David.

mercy – checed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness. Found 248 times in the Old Testament.

This word is found in three verses in our section this week:

(2 Chr 5:13 KJV) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

(2 Chr 6:14 KJV) And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

(2 Chr 6:42 KJV) O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

It means loyal, steadfast, or faithful love and stresses the idea of a belonging together of those involved in the love relationship. Here it connotes God's faithful love for His unfaithful people.

(Hosea 2:19 KJV) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

The book of Hosea is written by a man who was told by the Lord to marry a prostitute. After he married her and had a couple of children with her, she went back to work. God told Hosea to go and find his wife and bring her back. It was all to be a picture of how God loves us, seeking us out even when we’ve walked away from Him.

(Micah 7:18-19 KJV) Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. {19} He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

God loves to be merciful.

(Micah 6:8 KJV) He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

God wants us to love mercy.

He wants us to love His mercy.

He wants us to love being merciful to others.

Illustration

One night in 1935, Fiorello H. La Guardia, mayor of New York, showed up at a night court in the poorest ward of the city. He dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench. One case involved an elderly woman who was caught stealing bread to feed her grandchildren. La Guardia said, “I’ve got to punish you. Ten dollars or ten days in jail.”

As he spoke, he threw $10 into his hat. He then fined everyone in the courtroom 50 cents for living in a city “where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat.” The hat was passed around, and the woman left the courtroom with her fine paid and an additional $47.50.