1 & 2 Chronicles – Page 10

2 Chronicles 6:1-11 – Praise to the Lord!

Read 2 Chronicles 6:1-11

I love how the Bible uses speeches like Solomon’s to testify to God’s movement among the people. Each time we recall what God has done and share that with others, we reveal God’s character to those who many not otherwise understand.

There may have been people present that day who didn’t realize what the LORD’s promise to David had been. Solomon was “catching them up,” so they would know that the construction of the temple was not just something Solomon arranged on a whim. The temple had been the desire of his father, David. Now that construction was complete, that dream was realized at last, and Solomon gave God the credit.

2 Chronicles 5:2-14 – The Ark Arrives

Read 2 Chronicles 5:2-14

It’s passages like this that make even my heart sing! The palpability of worship truly inspires. We know moving the Ark of the Covenant is serious business to be done in just the right way prescribed by God. Rather than fear, the people rejoiced.

With the temple construction complete, it was time to move God’s presence back in. Only after the arrival of the Ark could the temple be truly finished. The work King David had initiated was fulfilled. In readings to follow, Solomon will pray and dedicate the space. For now, we’ll focus on worship!

2 Chronicles 4:1-5:1 – Furnishings and Finishes

Read 2 Chronicles 4:1-5:1

The temple played such a central role in the history of God’s people. This was the place Solomon built for God’s presence to have a home on earth among his people. It’s good for us to appreciate some of the details to enhance our own understanding. Sadly, this beautiful temple, adorned in gold, bronze, and magnificent furnishings, no longer exists in all its glory.

Try to picture a 30-foot by 30-foot altar–that’s no small space! But considering all the sacrifices that would soon take place, having a dedicated space that large makes sense. Visualizing objects of similar size can be helpful. A decent sized bedroom is twelve by twelve. Two cars parked front end to back end would be approximately 30 feet. The question remains then, why 15 feet tall? Were there stairs, too?

2 Chronicles 3:1-17 – That’s a LOT of Gold!

Read 2 Chronicles 3:1-17

What a majestic place! We can only imagine what the Lord’s temple looked like from these descriptions. Even more details can be found in 1 Kings 6 and 7. It seems the Chronicler wants to impress his readers with the sheer description, all the way down to golden nails weighing over one pound each! I understand the Chronicler is known to have exaggerated for effect.

Yet the description of the temple exudes opulence. Any structure covered in that much gold with jewels had to be amazing. I can’t even think of a place I’ve visited that would look anything like this. Have you?

2 Chronicles 2:11-18 – A King’s Reply

Read 2 Chronicles 2:11-18

King Solomon has now received King Hiram’s response to the letter we were privy to in the last reading. We learn a few things of note in Hiram’s letter of reply. What did you notice?

First and foremost, we learn that King Hiram has great respect for the God of Israel. Generally speaking, the people of Tyre were not Israelites and they did not worship God. They had many gods distracting them from the truth. Yet, King Hiram says very affirming things about our God. He actually shows a lot more reverence than most non-believers today.