Keep My Statutes and Ordinances

March 25, 2018 Background Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:12 – 22 Lesson Passage: 2 Chronicles 7:12 – 22 Today’s lesson details God’s second appearance to Solomon. Both times, God appeared to Solomon at night in a dream (or perhaps a nighttime vision). In the pretext of today’s lesson, Solomon had prayed and presented a lavish offering of livestock before God at the temple’s dedication. God sent fire to consume the offering as an indication that the offering was acceptable to Him. The fire from God was also an indication that God would hear Solomon’s prayer that was made along with the offering. The fire was not the answer to Solomon’s prayer but an indication that God would hear his prayer. The dream was God’s way of verbally expressing to Solomon the answer to the prayer he prayed. God agreed to Solomon’s request to hallow the temple and make it a holy place that would be special to Him. God further agreed to do the things that Solomon requested for the people of Israel relative to the temple. If Israel respected the temple and its grounds, then God would hear the prayers that they offered before Him. Not only did this apply to them being at the temple, but even if they were in captivity in a foreign land and turned towards the temple when they prayed. God promised to hear and answer them—conditionally; based on the conditions of them, humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face (not His hand!), and repenting of their unholy actions. The statutes and ordinances God had already given Israel through Moses defined holy living. God continued to demand holy living of His people. This was not going to change. The temple in all of its majesty would not be pleasing to God if His people remained unholy. The temple would indeed be sanctified but God’s higher calling was for His people to be sanctified even more so than the temple. As Israel lived up to their calling in God to live holy, God would fulfill all of the promises He made to them. On the other hand, if Israel failed to keep God’s statutes and ordinances as God required of them, then God would allow the temple to be destroyed and become a mockery even as it was built to be a wonder to all who beheld it. Furthermore, God would remove them from the promised land of Canaan in addition to destroying the temple. Just as the glory of the temple was intended by Israel to show God’s favor that was upon them, the destruction of the temple would show the world His displeasure with them. God will not accept any god before Him—including if they attempted to make the temple their god. Neither would God accept the temple as a bribe to waive Israel’s requirement of holy living. The destruction of the temple would let the other nations know that Israel had turned her back on God and served and worshiped idols. If this public humiliation was going to be avoided, then Israel would need to keep God’s statutes and ordinances. Robert C. Hudson February 26, 2017