We've talked a bit about the prayers of people found in this story as of late. Here in 2 Chronicles we have Solomon dedicating the Temple...
He said:
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.
18 “But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"
A couple of foreshadowing lines. "your servants who continue wholeheartedly* in your way." This is followed by the famous verse in 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Wholeheartedly needs as asterisk by it* (*= for very, very short intervals). Israel was already in a famine two chapters later!
Then in our Christmas season now..."will God dwell on earth with humans." Never underestimate the difficulty of the Jews in understanding Jesus was God. They had such a high view of God that the idea of Him ever becoming human was off-the-charts-crazy. Maybe we should have both 1. a higher view of God, 2. a greater appreciation for his identification with us!
16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.
18 “But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!"
A couple of foreshadowing lines. "your servants who continue wholeheartedly* in your way." This is followed by the famous verse in 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Wholeheartedly needs as asterisk by it* (*= for very, very short intervals). Israel was already in a famine two chapters later!
Then in our Christmas season now..."will God dwell on earth with humans." Never underestimate the difficulty of the Jews in understanding Jesus was God. They had such a high view of God that the idea of Him ever becoming human was off-the-charts-crazy. Maybe we should have both 1. a higher view of God, 2. a greater appreciation for his identification with us!
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