Is God someone who we can depend upon and trust to fulfill His promises? How often do you keep your promises? Does trust come naturally to people or do naturally lack the faith in people? How is trust and faith developed? The people of Israel fell into depravity over the years as men followed their own hearts instead of setting it towards God to find courage to act as He would want. God stripped away everything that the people in Israel held dear. The people of Israel may have thought that the story ended there alone and helpless but God was true to his promise. Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Temple
The covenant remains unbroken: Ezra Summary
Where will you set your heart in moments of uncertainty: Ezra 7 and 8
What plans does God have for your future? How should you go about life when you do not know what God would have you do? The temple in Jerusalem has been rebuilt and king Artaxerxes reigns Persia. Ezra a descendant of Aaron the high priest set his heart toward the Lord as he sought to study the law of the Lord, practice it and teach it to the people of Israel. Have you ever thought that you would start doing great things once you get to a certain age or geographic location? Ezra sought God wholeheartedly while he was still held in captivity in Persia. God’s hand was upon Ezra was evident in all he did because the requests made to the king were always granted. Did Ezra recognize God’s hand upon his life in these moments? As Ezra lived from day to day did he have moments where his faith wavered? Continue Reading…
When opposition looms find hope in God: Ezra 5 and 6
Where do you find strength and confidence? When was the last time that you stepped out to complete a task with people actively working to stop you? Did you have hope to complete the task? In Ezra 5 and 6 the people of Israel who have returned from exile are facing the same moment of crisis. Will they continue to follow God and rebuild the temple despite the enemies and rulers who had forbidden the work? Where did the Israelites find their hope and strength? What reassurance would you want before you would step out in faith to follow God? When we are surround by people of the world that are claiming that are work we intend is useless and fruitless, what will we do? Continue Reading…
What is in greater need of rebuilding: Ezra 3 and 4
In Ezra 3 and 4 the peoples who returned to Jerusalem from Persia are starting to rebuild the temple of the Lord. The first priority for the people was not to build up the physical building of the temple but they sought to rebuild their adherence to God’s commands. The rebuilt the altar of the Lord and started to sacrifice again to God. Why was it of greater importance for the people to seek out God than to build the Temple? The people knew that it was God alone who was working to bring them home and they needed to submit to Him to have any lasting success. The rebuilding of the temple was secondary to the rebuilding of the people dependance upon God. Continue Reading…
More than a homecoming to Jerusalem: Ezra 1 and 2
All you know is life in a foreign land and your homeland of Israel is only a memory. You were under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon and recently Persia gained control of you under King Cyrus. How would you view your future? Would you believe in hope? In the midst of these emotions God moved to prove His faithfulness in fulfillment of the words spoken by Jeremiah.
Can you imagine awaking to your daily routine to hear the king of Persia say, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:2-4 Continue Reading…
Arise, cleanse, and restore the Temple: 2 Chronicles 29 and 30
What was important to Hezekiah? After the reign of Ahaz the kingdom of Judah is left in complete disarray. The temple is defiled and the people are worshiping idols and sacrificing their children. What would you do if you were Hezekiah? “In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.” 2 Chronicles 29:3 The greatest concern of Hezekiah when he took over the reign of Judah was to restore the people’s dependance on God. What effect did Ahaz’s damage to the Temple have on the people when they were barred from entry? How should leader handle a situation where people have lost all regard for God?
It was vitally important for Hezekiah to tell the people of Judah how they strayed from God as seen in 2 Chronicles 29:6-11. The heart of Hezekiah is laid bare before the priests and Levites of Judah, “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.” 2 Chronicles 29:10,11 Why is a tenderhearted leader so important? Hezekiah needed the priests and Levites to help point the people of Judah back to God. His openness before the people shows how sincerely he desired that all of Judah seek after God. If you are a leader do you openly share your heart with those you lead? What effect does that openness have? Continue Reading…
Upon Mount Moriah deliverance is found: 2 Chronicles 3 and 4
Can you imagine the splendor of the Temple that Solomon built to the Lord on Mount Moriah? We are given a brief, yet precise, summary of the materials and items that were collected and assembled with great craftsmanship in of 2 Chronicles 3 and 4. Is there any building that exists today that can compare to the majesty of the Temple? Why was the Temple so richly adorned? Was gold, silver, bronze, precious gems, and the ornate wood important because when collected and completed the Temple was a worthy place for God to dwell on earth? Would the willing hearts of the people who gave these precious materials be of greater worth and significance? God doesn’t need any material thing from us. When we willingly cast aside the items we cherish and give them over to God we express what we truly think of God. Continue Reading…
Desire and intention of the heart: 1 Chronicles 29
I love how peoples hearts are filled with joy and thankfulness after an encounter with God. In 1 Chronicles 29 the offerings to be used towards the building of the Temple are collected. How often does a leader request something from the people they lead but they count themselves above following their own recommendation? When David tells the people about collections of materials for the Temple, he is first of all giving abundantly towards the Temple.
“Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple, namely, 3000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings; of gold for the things of gold and of silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work done by the craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?” 1 Chronicles 29:3-5 Continue Reading…
True worship of God expressed in love: 1 Kings 7 and 8
Why did Solomon build such an amazing Temple? Why are we given such details about the actual Temple building and all of the fixtures within the Temple? Does God look at the physical building when people gather to worship him or does He look upon the motives of the people who are gathering to worship Him? What do you think God cares about? The question of how we worship God is nothing new because we are always trying to obtain a direct, tangible, and concrete definition of what faith in God truly looks like. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.” Hebrews 11:1,2 In Hebrews we are told that the men of old gained approval by faith and a long list of noteworthy people of renown are listed. So why did Solomon build this temple for the Lord? What does worship look like? What is expressed in worship? Continue Reading…
Unthankfulness to God for blessings leads to idolatry: 1 Kings 5 and 6
What is inspirational and life changing about 1 King chapters 5 and 6 where Solomon’s building of the Temple is detailed? I have historically just read the passages where all the details about the Ark of the Lord, the Tabernacle, or the building of the Temple with little interest or reflection on all the details. When we skip over passages of scripture that do not initially have a moral or an exciting story we are missing opportunities to get a glimpse of God. What can you glean from 1 Kings chapters 5 and 6? Continue Reading…
