Solomon Blesses the Lord

 

 

 

1 Kings 8:12-21

 

May 5, 2021

 

Solomon Blesses the Lord

Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.   I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.”   Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.   And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying,  ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’   Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.   But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.   Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’   Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.   And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

 

A chosen people a chosen land, and a chosen city, and the One who did the choosing is the Creator of heaven and earth.  He even chooses the king who was to build the building and put into King David's heart the desire to do so and go ahead of Solomon getting all the materials needed to do so.  God did not need a house to stay in, but Israel needs God's presence, and so do you and me.

 

When Jesus came to earth and took your sins and mine to the cross, He took the full wrath and judgment you and I deserved and won a victory over sin, death, and the grave, and made possible the Holy Spirit of God to indwell all who will by faith put their trust in Him.

 

Many have chosen not to do so, some have chosen religion, whereas many in the Church live by Christian Principles but not in a relationship with the living God. If you have the Holy Spirit living in your life, you may still choose to sin, but He will not allow you to enjoy living there.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice