Solomon has built a lavishly detailed temple to God and is dedicating it in the presence of Israel and God.
There are some profound lessons in 2 Chronicles 6 vs 4-21.
We see Solomon acknowledges that what God says, God does (vs4). This is a powerful reminder that spiritual informs physical and as such gives us pause to stop and think about where physical, ritualistic, and superstitious ideas come from that are acts to somehow illicit favour from imagined gods.
HINT: The devil always mimics God’s Way, but distorts it to feed our internal god-complex and our biological feel-good hormones so that we feel like we’ve had a spiritual experience but it was nothing more than an emotional high.
In this way the devil keeps us deceived enough to not question things as we skip along unicorns straight into the pits of hell singing tralalala.
GOD ALWAYS INVOLVES US IN HIS PLAN!!!
Notice, how God has built the temple through people. This DOES NOT mean God cannot, after all God spoke everything we know into being.
But, there is a lesson here about God’s Generosity, also found in the opulence of the temple decor, that is a carryon from Genesis where God breathes into dust, and creates women from a rib.
GOD WANTS TO SHARE HIMSELF WITH US IN A UNIQUE WAY THAT ISN’T THE PRIVILEGE OF ANYTHING ELSE IN CREATION (vs18).
In verse 21 we find a fascinatinly tantalizing think, “How does God who is bigger that creation live amongst us?”
From a Theological perspective 2 Chronicles 6 opens with a statement that marries into verse 21, “God dwells in thick darkness.”
- God has given us His Spirit that dwells in us.
- God searches our hearts and minds.
- We are God’s Temple.
- Our prayers, relationship, and obedience to God shape us to let go of self and to be made Christ-like.
The thick darkness is us. Because we are corrupted, we only see partially the things of God. As we are transformed, renewed, and sanctified, we increasingly love what God loves. We are in process of becoming children of Light as God is Light.
Verse 14, shows us something profound about God- faithfulness and steadfast love.
GOD WANTS TO RESCUE US, TRANSFORM US OUT OF DARKNESS, AND WANTS TO FULLY RESIDE IN US.
Solomon built a physical temple and this brick and mortar where just typological expressions of Messiah King Jesus.
Jesus is our High Priest, our Holy Place, our King, and our place of worship has always been to be gathered around the throne.
Have a fantastic Friday.
JESUS LOVES YOU.
Amen.
#Hayibo 