Nation Turning to God
I carefully read 2 Chronicles 6 this morning and realized the relevance to our situation in the United States today. Solomon had just built the temple that his father had wanted. God told David that his son would be the one to build the temple to unite the nation, and Solomon had fulfilled that prophecy. At the dedication, Solomon commits to God the actions of the nation. (All text taken from 2 Chronicles 6, NIV) Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. Solomon BOWED BEFORE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY OF ISRAEL. In our nation, it is illegal to pray in schools, display the ten commandments, or say anything about God is a political assembly, but here was THE KING OF ISRAEL BOWING before God in front of the nation and declaring their dependence on Him. Solomon acknowledges the enormity of God and that the massive temple that he build would not be enough to contain God. He prayed that God would hear their prayers, in the temple and directed toward it, that every time someone pleaded to God, that God would listen. In our nation, how many people want to spill out their feelings, worries, and concerns to someone? Instead of God, they use Facebook, liquor, friends, or coworkers to vent to. Solomon intended the temple to be a conduit for communication between God and man. Living in the aftermath of Jesus' sacrifice means that we don't have to turn to a building to talk to God. We can anytime we want. He knows our fears and our situation, He knows about the economy, jobs, and our debt. He cares and He deeply wants to help, but we are not willing to publicly acknowledge Him. If only our politicians would bow and raise their hands before God and pray for our nation. If only we took the warnings to Israel at face value. God never changes, and He has never blessed a nation that did not acknowledge Him. without depending on Him, there is no way that we can succeed. (to be continued...)But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet, LORD my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
