The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 9:7-9,
"Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' People will answer,'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'"
Following Solomon's completion of the temple and his royal palace, the Lord "appeared" to him a second time. I'm not certain the nature of the "appearance" but we are provided what the Lord told Solomon. In what the Lord had to say, it is abundantly clear the role Israel was to play in the Lord's redemption of all mankind, of all nations.
In frightful foreknowledge and accuracy, the Lord provided Solomon his intentions and what his response would be should Israel turn from the Lord, the very thing Israel, in fact did. The Lord observed he had consecrated the temple Solomon had built and promised his presence would reside there forever. Unless... Israel turned from him.
It is within the Lord's articulated concerns that we see the role Israel was to play in bringing the knowledge of God to the world and the role Israel would play among the other nations. In order for Israel to further the Lord's priorities and agenda, Israel would need to maintain their fidelity with the Lord. If that didn't happen (and it didn't) the Lord expressed how this would impact other peoples.
If any of Solomon's descendants turned from the Lord, the Lord said he would expel the people from the land and reject the new temple Solomon had just completed. This, not just for the benefit of Israel's understanding of the Lord's justice, but for all nations to see. The Lord goes on to observe just how this would be viewed by the other nations, "Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples." Verse 7. Other nations would ask, "All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?'" Verse 8. Then we read, "People will answer,'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'" Verse 9.
The impact of the Lord rejecting his people on the other nations of earth is unmistakably important for the Lord as he expressed himself to Solomon. God did not secure for himself a people in Israel such they would be pampered and coddled by the Lord. God chose Abraham (the man of faith) and his offspring to be useful, to participate in his agenda of reconciling all peoples from all nations to himself. How Israel might do as the Lord's people was measured, in part, on how that impacted the other nations on earth.
We do well to recognize the Lord's agenda, his priorities and what he intends through his work in the redemption of all mankind. All of Scripture points to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the Lords intent of redeeming all who will embrace him in faith.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' People will answer,'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'"
Following Solomon's completion of the temple and his royal palace, the Lord "appeared" to him a second time. I'm not certain the nature of the "appearance" but we are provided what the Lord told Solomon. In what the Lord had to say, it is abundantly clear the role Israel was to play in the Lord's redemption of all mankind, of all nations.
In frightful foreknowledge and accuracy, the Lord provided Solomon his intentions and what his response would be should Israel turn from the Lord, the very thing Israel, in fact did. The Lord observed he had consecrated the temple Solomon had built and promised his presence would reside there forever. Unless... Israel turned from him.
It is within the Lord's articulated concerns that we see the role Israel was to play in bringing the knowledge of God to the world and the role Israel would play among the other nations. In order for Israel to further the Lord's priorities and agenda, Israel would need to maintain their fidelity with the Lord. If that didn't happen (and it didn't) the Lord expressed how this would impact other peoples.
If any of Solomon's descendants turned from the Lord, the Lord said he would expel the people from the land and reject the new temple Solomon had just completed. This, not just for the benefit of Israel's understanding of the Lord's justice, but for all nations to see. The Lord goes on to observe just how this would be viewed by the other nations, "Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples." Verse 7. Other nations would ask, "All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?'" Verse 8. Then we read, "People will answer,'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'" Verse 9.
The impact of the Lord rejecting his people on the other nations of earth is unmistakably important for the Lord as he expressed himself to Solomon. God did not secure for himself a people in Israel such they would be pampered and coddled by the Lord. God chose Abraham (the man of faith) and his offspring to be useful, to participate in his agenda of reconciling all peoples from all nations to himself. How Israel might do as the Lord's people was measured, in part, on how that impacted the other nations on earth.
We do well to recognize the Lord's agenda, his priorities and what he intends through his work in the redemption of all mankind. All of Scripture points to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the Lords intent of redeeming all who will embrace him in faith.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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