What I Noticed Today (2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136)
2 Chronicles 6
2 Chronicles 6 is comprised of Solomon’s prayer of blessing over the people of Israel, and his prayer of dedication of the temple.
In verses 1-11, Solomon blessed the people of Israel by retelling the story of how God had selected the Israelites from among all the peoples, brought them out of Egypt, and how God had chosen Jerusalem in which to build His house. Now, Solomon stood before them having fulfilled God’s promise to allow him to build the Lord’s house.
In verses 12-42, Solomon continued with a prayer to dedicate the temple.
- He humbled himself before all the people by kneeling on a platform with his hands raised to heaven (vv. 12-13).
- Solomon asked God to fulfill his covenant promises made to his father, David, and to help the people through various trials and to forgive them when they sinned (vv. 14-31).
- Solomon asked God even to hear the prayers of the Gentiles so that Israel could be a blessing to all nations (vv. 32-39).
- Finally, Solomon prayed for God to forgive the future sins of the nation Israel (vv. 40-42).
Note: I counted six times in this chapter when Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of His people and forgive them when they repented of their sins.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- God’s house was finished, with all the fixtures dedicated and in place, but it was still empty until the singers praised the Lord, and only then did God’s glory fill His house. God’s presence today does not depend on the physical building but on the hearts of His people who come before him in worship. It saddens me that many of God’s children today see little value in worshipping God. They come late to the service, just in time to hear the pastor’s message, but miss the opportunity to prepare their hearts to be in the presence of the Lord.
- It is a beautiful thing when a leader humbles himself before the Lord in public and prays for the nation, the people, and for himself as their leader. I wish there were leaders today who had the courage to stand before the people today, humble themselves and offer prayers to the Lord on behalf of the nation!
2 Chronicles 7
The dedication of the Temple of the Lord.
Note: The temple was built on the same ground where David had sacrificed on the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chronicles 21:25).
In verses 1-10, when Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down, consumed the offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
- The people bowed down and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord.
- Large numbers of oxen and sheep were sacrificed to dedicate the temple.
- The people fasted seven days, held an assembly on the eighth day, dedicated the altar for seven days, and then feasted for seven days. After these celebrations, the people returned home.
In verses 11, Solomon completed the construction of the Lord’s Temple and His palace.
Note: While the author summarized the completion of the Temple and Solomon’s palace in one sentence, their actual construction took approximately 20-years (1 Kings 6:38-7:1)!
In verses 12-22, the Lord appeared to Solomon at night:
- God promised Solomon that when the people sinned, He would forgive them if they would repent and turn back to Him.
- God promised David that if he followed Him faithfully, He would establish his throne as He had promised David.
- However, warned God, if Solomon or the people turn away from Me then I will cast you from My sight.
Psalm 136
Psalm 136 is a praise psalm similar to Psalm 135. The “Lord’s loyal love” (or “steadfast love” depending on the translation) is repeated in each of the 26 verses.
In verses 1-3, the psalmist calls on the people to thank the Lord, who is the Lord of Lords.
In verses 4-25, the psalmist lists the reasons for praising the Lord: His wonders, His creation, His help to Israel, bringing them into the Promised Land, and freeing them from their enemies.
In verse 26, the psalmist calls on the people to give thanks to the God of Heaven because of His enduring love.
