March 11 – There Is No God like You

Sunday School Lesson

March 11

There Is No God like You

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 132

 

Background Scripture: 2 Chronicles 6:1-21

 

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

 

12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

 

13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

 

14 And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

 

15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

 

16 Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

 

17 Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

 

18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

 

19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:

 

20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

 

21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

 

Key Verse

 

Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.—2 Chronicles 6:15

 

Lesson Aims

 

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Recount what Solomon said concerning the Lord’s character and faithfulness in keeping promises.

 

2. Explain how Solomon’s prayer can serve as a model for the Christian’s prayer life.

 

3. List scriptural promises that God has kept to him or her.

 

 

Introduction

 

1. Big Sandals to Fill

 

When someone who has been in a leadership position steps down after many years, the next person in the position often faces a daunting task. This is seen in sports, when a coach of a certain team resigns or retires after being in charge of that team for many years. Perhaps in the process the coach has become something of a legend and has led the team to several championships. That’s often referred to as a “tough act to follow” or having “big shoes to fill.”

 

Consider the position that Solomon was in when he became king of Israel. David, his father, was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). This is not to say that David was perfect (as the events involving Bathsheba and Uriah reveal). But the general direction of David’s life was one well pleasing to God, and he had gained the admiration and respect of the entire nation. How does one follow such an individual who has set the bar so high?

 

It is certainly to Solomon’s credit that he possessed a sense of unworthiness to fill his father’s shoes (or sandals): “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7). Then came Solomon’s request of the Lord for “an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (3:9). Thus Solomon recognized an important truth: the key to following in his father’s footsteps was to follow his father’s God.

 

1. Lesson Background

 

One of Solomon’s primary tasks as king of Israel was to finish a project his father had prepared for: building a temple to the Lord. This was something that David himself had sincerely desired to accomplish. But God did not permit David to fulfill his desire, telling him in 1 Chronicles 22:8, “Thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.” David did, however, provide valuable assistance and resources so that Solomon would have a head start in completing the massive building project (22:5).

 

Today’s lesson from 2 Chronicles 6 records a portion of the dedication ceremony for the finished temple over which Solomon presided. As the ceremony began, the king “blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood” (2 Chronicles 6:3). He then called attention to the Lord’s fulfillment of His promise to David that his son, Solomon, would reign in his place and would build a house for the Lord (6:10). The Lord acknowledged that David “didst well that it was in [his] heart” to build such a house (6:8), but that was not the Lord’s intention. Solomon understood that the completed temple was not a personal accomplishment for him as much as it was the keeping of a divine promise. The king was merely an instrument in the hands of the master builder.

 

The temple’s arrangement was similar to that of the tabernacle in that there were three main parts: the Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies), the Holy Place, and the outer courtyard (Exodus 26, 27). Prior to the ceremony of dedication, the priests had carried the ark of the covenant into the Most Holy Place (2 Chronicles 5:7). After they had done so, the temple was filled with a cloud signifying the presence of the Lord. So overwhelming was this presence that “the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God” (5:14).

 

1. Solomon’s Preparation

 

                                                           (2 Chronicles 6:12, 13)

 

1. Place (vv. 12, 13a)

 

12a. And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel.

 

The altar of the Lord before which Solomon stands is the “altar of brass” (2 Chronicles 4:1). This altar is to be used for the daily sacrifices as well as the various offerings and sacrifices brought by the people. Since this altar is situated in the outer courtyard, Solomon is able to stand in the presence of all the congregation of Israel. This altar is not to be confused with the golden altar of incense, which is set within the Holy Place as described in Exodus 30:1-6.

 

12b. And spread forth his hands.

 

This gesture is noted elsewhere in Scripture when an individual calls upon the Lord in prayer (Ezra 9:5; Psalm 88:9; 143:6; 1 Timothy 2:8). Some suggest that the posture resembles that of a young child raising his or her arms to a parent. Solomon may be king of Israel, but he still seems to recognize his status as a “little child” (1 Kings 3:7) in need of his Father’s guidance.

 

13a. For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood.

 

This verse adds a detail to the parallel account in 1 Kings 8:22-30. The reason for a scaffold is quite practical: it allows Solomon to be visible to those gathered (compare Nehemiah 8:1-5). With a cubit being about 18 inches, its horizontal dimensions compute to about seven and a half feet long and broad, with vertical dimension of about four and a half feet. We assume this edifice to be temporary.

 

1. Posture (v. 13b)

 

13b. And kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

 

The king adopts a posture of obeisance as he prepares to address the Lord in prayer. The position for prayer we see here is also found elsewhere in Scripture; one instance is in Psalm 95:6: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” It should be noted that this psalm is attributed to David, according to the quotation found in Hebrews 4:7. Perhaps Solomon can think of no better way to approach God in prayer than that which David recommended!

 

What Do You Think?

 

In what ways might one’s physical posture in prayer reflect one’s attitude toward God?

 

Talking Points for Your Discussion

 

Considering looking up vs. looking down (Matthew 14:19; Luke 18:13)

 

Considering lying prostrate vs. kneeling vs. standing (Joshua 7:6; Daniel 6:10; Luke 18:13)

 

Other

 

1. Solomon’s Prayer

 

                                                             (2 Chronicles 6:14-21)

 

1. Sovereign God (v. 14)

 

14a. And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth.

 

Solomon begins his prayer with an acknowledgment of the Lord’s uniqueness. Those outside of God’s covenant people worship many gods in Solomon’s time and continue to do so today. But the king’s declaration remains just as true today as when originally uttered: there is no God like thee.

 

14b. Which keepest covenant.

 

One way the Lord demonstrates His uniqueness is by dealing with people on the basis of covenant. That the Lord God of Israel desires a close covenant relationship with people is foreign to other religious mind-sets. Solomon has already recognized the covenant God made with Israel (see 2 Chronicles 6:11) and with David (6:10).

 

What Do You Think?

 

What decisions do Christians make differently when their belief that God keeps His covenant promises grows?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

Regarding financial priorities

 

Regarding witness to unbelievers

 

Regarding changes in what is viewed as risky

 

Other

 

14c. And shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts.

 

This acknowledgment highlights an important ingredient of that covenant. The covenants that God makes with individuals require certain conditions to be met by the parties to the covenant. God’s part is to show mercy; the people’s part is to obey God with all their hearts as they do as God commands (Deuteronomy 7:12-14; compare Mark 12:30). Although he was not perfect, a good example of the latter is David (next verse).

 

1. Sacred Promises (vv. 15-17)

 

15a. Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him.

 

The example of God’s faithfulness that hits closest to home for Solomon concerns David, his father. The record of God’s covenant with David is found in 2 Samuel 7. The intended result of the covenant is stated with the Lord’s promise in verse 16: “thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

 

Imperfect King David faced severe consequences for his adultery and related sins (2 Samuel 12:10-19). Nevertheless (and this is Solomon’s emphasis), the Lord continued to honor His covenant with David. A key reason God did so with David and not with David’s predecessor on the throne, Saul, was because David’s repentance was deeply sincere (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51) while Saul’s repentance seemed hollow (1 Samuel 13:8-14; 15:10-31).

 

15b. And spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

 

Solomon’s description of God’s commitment to keeping His word is noteworthy. The one true God both speaks and acts. The gods of other peoples and nations can do neither (compare Numbers 23:19; Jeremiah 10:5; etc.).

 

What Do You Think?

 

What can we do to be more mindful of the long history of God’s faithfulness? Why is it important to do so?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

In worship contexts

 

In small group contexts

 

In family contexts

 

During alone times

 

Other

 

16. Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

 

Here we see again the combination of the Lord’s convenant faithfulness and the expected response of obedience. Regarding the former, Solomon reiterates the Lord’s intent to keep His promise to David of a man . . . to sit upon the throne of Israel (again, compare 2 Samuel 7:16). Ultimately that covenant promise is fulfilled in Jesus, a descendant of David (see Matthew 1:6-17; Luke 1:30-33; Acts 2:29-32; etc.).

 

But participation in that promise by individual children (descendants) of David is dependent on their living in obedience to the law of the Lord as David himself had walked. If they fail to do so, they will be subject to the Lord’s discipline.

 

Sadly, this is exactly what will happen to Solomon himself. When he grows old, he will allow his many wives to lure him into worshipping their gods. As a consequence, the Lord will inform him that his kingdom will be divided (1 Kings 11:9-13). But the promise made to David will remain intact (compare Psalm 89:20-37).

 

17. Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

 

Solomon recognizes that the primary impetus in God’s word being verified, or proven true, is God himself. People do serve as instruments in carrying out His plans and purposes, but ultimately it is God who must see to it that those plans and purposes are accomplished.

 

What Do You Think?

 

If God were to remind you to bring to fruition a promise that you have made, what promise would that be? Why?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

Regarding a promise to Him

 

Regarding a promise to someone else

 

Regarding a promise made to yourself

 

1. Small House (v. 18)

 

18. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

 

Here Solomon expresses awareness of the sacred mystery surrounding the temple. God has indeed promised to place His name in this structure (2 Chronicles 6:20); however, His people must not conclude from this that God can somehow be limited to that structure. In fact, it is absurd to think that the Creator of heaven and earth and all the vastness that exists within them could ever be confined to any earthly dwelling (compare 2 Chronicles 2:6; Isaiah 66:1 [quoted in Acts 7:48-50]; Acts 17:24, 25). He will put His name there, which is another way of stating that His presence will dwell in the temple. This is represented by the presence of the ark of the covenant (see the Lesson Background).

 

Sadly, God’s people will eventually associate His presence with the temple to the degree that it will become a kind of good-luck charm (Jeremiah 7:4). They will come to trust in it more than in the Lord himself. Isaiah will remind the people of his day that the place where God truly desires to dwell is with the person “that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15; compare 66:2). That is no less true today (Matthew 5:3, 4; Luke 18:13, 14; 1 Peter 5:5, 6; etc.).

 

Of Architecture and Attitudes

 

Recent decades have seen Christians engaged in so-called worship wars. Some battles have been over architecture. Should a church building “look like a church”? Is it a good idea to worship in a rented strip mall location among secular businesses? Or should Christians worship in homes as they did in New Testament times? One cartoon showed two men looking up at a basketball goal that had a stained-glass backboard as one remarked to the other that it was a compromise between “traditional” and “multipurpose.”

 

For the Israelites of Old Testament times, the decision was easy because God had already made it. He is the one who specified how the tabernacle was to be constructed and furnished (Exodus 25:8-27:21; 39:42, 43). He is the one who specified it to be the only place for proper worship (Deuteronomy 12:5-14). In building the temple, Solomon followed the pattern for the tabernacle in an upscale way.

 

Which is more important to God: the style and location of the building where we worship, or how we view fellow believers whose choice of worship style and location differs from ours?

 

—C. R. B.

 

What Do You Think?

 

What steps can we take to maintain a sense of humility before God?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

In learning from bad examples (Exodus 10:3; 2 Chronicles 36:11-20; Acts 12:21-23; etc.)

 

In learning from good examples (Numbers 12:3; 2 Kings 22:18-20; Matthew 11:29; etc.)

 

1. Sincere Plea (vv. 19-21)

 

19. Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee.

 

Is Solomon stunned by what he has just acknowledged about the one He is addressing? How can he request anything of God, let alone be speaking to Him? Humbly the king confesses his status as a mere servant (twice) and asks that the Lord have respect to his prayer and to his supplication and hearken to his cry. Solomon knows who the real king of Israel is and how dependent even he is on His provision.

 

20. That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

 

Solomon also recognizes that his own need for the Lord’s help and mercy can occur any time—day or night. He asks that the Lord’s eyes may be open and that He hearken unto the prayer that Solomon offers toward this temple. Solomon knows that his allegiance must not be to a building, but only to the God who has placed His name there and is committed to His covenant people.

 

21. Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

 

In pleading not only that his prayers be heard but also those of the people Israel, Solomon contrasts this place (the temple) with the Lord’s dwelling place, even . . . heaven. In doing so, he again affirms that the true residence of the Lord is in Heaven. It can never be in a temple such as the one Solomon is dedicating, as magnificent as it may be.

 

The last line of the verse seems to presuppose that the reason someone would be praying toward this place would be for forgiveness of sin. That is indeed the greatest need of human beings, even that of kings as wise as Solomon! The most meaningful prayer anyone can voice is a plea for forgiveness. Such a request is repeated within the remainder of Solomon’s eloquent dedicatory prayer (2 Chronicles 6:25, 27, 30, 39).

 

The God of Israel must not be treated as though He were some kind of genie who automatically provides whatever His people demand. He is the holy God of Heaven, the one whose splendor and majesty have earlier filled the temple to the degree that the priests were unable to enter and render their service.

 

The Need to Ask

 

A true story involves a couple we’ll call Mary and Joe. They married too young, and probably not for the best of reasons. A child soon came; then Mary was pregnant again. During that pregnancy, Joe had an affair and left. Alcohol became an overpowering factor. He married again . . . and again.

 

One night after the third marriage failed, Joe held a bottle in one hand and a gun in the other. He prayed, “God, I can’t go on like this. If you are there, please forgive and help me.” Joe went to a Bible study where he met a woman who introduced him to Jesus. His new life in Christ gave him the power to overcome his addiction. He also found the strength to seek forgiveness from Mary (now a Christian herself) and their teenage children. When they responded positively over the phone, Joe drove 1,000 miles to ask forgiveness in person. That was decades ago; today their relationships with Christ bind them in forgiving love.

 

A strange story? Perhaps. But forgiveness is how God deals with us, loving us and giving us the strength to do the same. Solomon’s life experience taught him that God is gracious and forgiving. But we do well to remember two things: (1) it’s better not to do things for which one needs forgiveness, and (2) God’s forgiveness has its limits.

 

—C. R. B.

 

Conclusion

 

1. Solomon’s God Is Our God

 

As we consider the portion of Solomon’s prayer recorded in today’s text, we have noted its primary themes. These are (1) God’s fulfillment of His covenant promises to David and (2) Solomon’s acknowledgment of the temple in Jerusalem as the place where He would put His name. It was a visual reminder of God’s desire to hear the prayers of His covenant people Israel. But how does such a prayer apply to Christians?

 

It is important to note the manner in which Solomon begins his prayer: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth” (2 Chronicles 6:14). Those words can be prayed with the utmost confidence by any follower of Jesus today. The enduring truth is that there is no god like the God of the Bible.

 

This God is the one who has revealed himself to fallen, lost humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 1:2 tells us, God “in these last days [has] spoken unto us by his Son.” Jesus is the superior and final revelation of God; despite the “many roads to Heaven” heresy that continues to deceive people, if anyone rejects Him as Savior, that person rejects all hope of salvation and eternal life (John 3:36; 14:6).

 

God is also still in the covenant-keeping business. The covenant Solomon alluded to in his prayer was mainly the covenant God made with David; the new covenant established by Jesus fulfills that promise to David. God still requires of us, as He did of those under previous covenants, that we walk before the Lord “with all [our] hearts” (2 Chronicles 6:14). Paul uses similar terminology when he tells Christians to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1).

 

We can also be certain that God will keep His promises to us as He did with David, a point noted by Solomon in his prayer (2 Chronicles 6:15). Paul declared that “all the promises of God in [Christ] are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). What God has spoken by His mouth He will carry out with His hand, as Solomon affirmed in 2 Chronicles 6:15. God continues to speak throughout the rest of Scripture, and His words and actions are as dependable for us as they were for Solomon. His God is indeed our God.

 

 

1. Prayer

 

Father, we praise You as the covenant-keeping God of mercy. We thank You for the mercy offered through the new covenant established by Jesus’ blood. May we walk before You daily with all our hearts. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

 

God will keep both His promises and those who faithfully walk with Him.

 

How to Say It

 

AhazAy-haz.

BathshebaBath-she-buh.

CorinthiansKo-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin).

EphesiansEe-fee-zhunz.

EzraEz-ruh.

IsaacEye-zuk.

IsaiahEye-zay-uh.

SolomonSol-o-mun.

UriahYu-rye-uh.

 

 

 

Kid’s Corner

Telling the Truth about God

March 11, 2018

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

 

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

(2 Chronicles 6:12) Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.

The LORD told King David that his son, King Solomon, would build Him a house, a temple that would replace the tabernacle (tent of meeting) that Moses had constructed during the wandering of the Hebrews in the wilderness. Daily sacrifices by the priests were to be made on the LORD’s altar, and Solomon stood in front of this altar to pray. King Solomon had completed the building of the temple; therefore, he called all Israel (at that time people from all twelve tribes) to gather for the dedication of the temple. He prayed in the presence of all the people, a prayer for the LORD and the people to hear.

(2 Chronicles 6:13) Now Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

King Solomon made a stage large enough for all the people to see him. At four and a half feet high, his upper body would have been higher than the heads of all the people when he was standing. The altar would not block their view because it was behind him, and by being in the center of the outer courtyard people of all backgrounds and tribes could more easily see him. We might assume that the priests and nobles filled most of the outer courtyard. The stage platform was square at seven and one-half feet by seven and one-half feet. When King Solomon bowed down on his knees he acknowledged and proclaimed by His actions that the LORD was his Lord and King. He reverently spread out his hands toward heaven to indicate that he was the LORD’s servant who had come before the LORD to praise Him, to lead the people in worship, and to make intercession for them.

(2 Chronicles 6:14) He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart;

King Solomon praised the LORD by proclaiming to the LORD before the people the truth about God and God’s attributes. Many nations worshiped false gods and idols, but King Solomon stated and prayed before the people that the LORD was their God, the God of Israel, and ONLY the LORD was the God of Israel. We might praise God by praying something like: “Lord, You are my God” or “Lord, You are our God and You are our ONLY God.”

King Solomon continued with a confession of his and their faith as Israelites; a faith that was built on the actions of God in freeing the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and giving them the promised land as God had promised Abraham. They knew from God’s words in the Law of God (Moses’ writings and the prophets), God promises, and God’s actions that there is no God in heaven or on earth as great and wonderful as the LORD.

Next, King Solomon praised the LORD for the covenant that God had made with them: that the LORD would be their God and they should obey His commands found in the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch, the Torah). They should love the LORD with all their heart, soul, and strength (see Deuteronomy 6:5).

King Solomon continued his confession of faith by saying the LORD loves His people, and He has shown them His love; however, the LORD can show them His love by blessing them at all times when His people follow Him with all their hearts. When His people rebel against Him and break the covenant and refuse to repent, the LORD must discipline them, and they may not see the LORD’s discipline as an expression of His redeeming love (see the continuation of King Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:22-42). When the Jews were later sent into exile in Babylon and the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, neither the Jews nor their neighbors  saw this destruction as an expression of God’s love for the Jews.

(2 Chronicles 6:15) who has kept with Your servant David, my father, that which You have promised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

King Solomon continued to glorify the LORD by telling the people as he prayed to the LORD that God had kept His promise to his father, King David. God kept a “personal promise” to King David, which would benefit all Israel, regarding the building of the temple by his son, and King Solomon recognized that God had fulfilled that promise. He acknowledged the fact that King David considered himself a servant of God, and because he was a true servant of God the Lord made him a personal promise. In addition, King Solomon did not take any personal credit for the completion of the temple, and he gave the LORD the credit for building the temple with His powerful hand. In giving God all the glory for what everyone saw, King Solomon said in his prayer that God gave the promise and God made the promise come true.

(2 Chronicles 6:16) “Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David, my father, that which You have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way, to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’

King Solomon prayed that the LORD would keep His promise to his father, King David, for the sake of King David, but God was thinking bigger than King David. As he prayed, King Solomon also acknowledged the fact that as one of King David’s sons sitting on the throne of Israel that he (the first in fact to follow King David) and the Davidic kings who followed him must be careful in everything he/they did and that he/they must live the way God’s law told him/them to live, with his father, King David, being his/their example. Wise King Solomon could not say he did not know any better when he turned from God’s law and built temples to pagan gods in the hills around Jerusalem. Indeed, King Solomon and his sons were not careful in everything they did, and they did not live the way God’s law told them to live; therefore, the nation of Israel was divided into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah with disastrous results. King David sinned, but he repented and returned to obeying the LORD with all his heart (though God still disciplined him as He had warned in His Law). King Solomon did not repent and return to the LORD with all his heart. He did not destroy the high places where he had built temples for the idols that his many foreign wives worshiped, which misled God’s people. After a succession of mostly wicked kings, for many years the Judeans had no Davidic king sitting on a throne in Jerusalem. God’s promises did point to the eventual coming of God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Davidic King, Who is the King of kings.

(2 Chronicles 6:17) “Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David.

The LORD’s promise came true, but not has King Solomon hoped, because his sins eventually led to the destruction of both the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah. The LORD’s promise contained conditions that King David’s descendants did not fulfill, not even wise King Solomon, and because they did not fulfill the conditions God stipulated, David’s dynasty was removed from providing kings who would continuously reign over Israel. God’s promise was ultimately fulfilled when King Jesus, a son of David, lived a perfect life, died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God: “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19).

(2 Chronicles 6:18) “But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built.

In King Solomon’s effort to further glorify God in prayer, he speaks about the awesome nature of God. In answer to his first question, the answer is a resounding YES! When the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in the virgin, Mary, God came to live on earth with human beings as fully man and fully God. In some sense, the Holy Spirit inspired King Solomon to be prophetic in his prayer regarding the first coming of the Son of God. The rest of King Solomon’s description of the nature of God is true. God is far greater than all creation, and God in His nature is greater than the temple King Solomon had built. Nothing built with human hands can contain the infinite omnipotent omnipresent God.

(2 Chronicles 6:19) “Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You;

Once again, King Solomon emphasized his humility when he prayed. He did not take God’s attention to his prayer for granted. Instead, he reverently asked God, “please pay attention to my prayer,” rather than demanding that the LORD listen to him pray. He came before God bowing as the LORD’s servant rather than coming as the King of Israel demanding to be heard. After proclaiming the greatness of God in prayer before God’s people, he made supplication; he earnestly cried and begged for God’s help.

(2 Chronicles 6:20) that Your eye may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.

King Solomon asked the LORD to look toward the temple and listen to the prayers of His people throughout the day and night. Your “Name” is another way of saying “LORD” or “a combination of all the Biblical names for God summed up in one word “Name.” King Solomon prayed that as God promised He would be available to listen to His people with His steadfast love and power; that God would be ever ready to hear the prayers of His people when they prayed toward the temple. When concluding his prayer, King Solomon listed many situations when the people could and should pray to God toward the temple.

(2 Chronicles 6:21) “Listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; hear and forgive.”

King Solomon prayed not only for himself and his dynasty, he also prayed for the people. He prayed that the LORD would show them His favor; which in the New Testament we read as “grace” or “unmerited favor.” King Solomon’s subjects heard him ask God to listen to them pray when they prayed toward the temple, so they were encouraged to do so. He also once again acknowledged that the temple was too small a place for God to live, so he prayed that when they prayed toward the temple that God, Who lived in heaven, would answer their prayers; furthermore, when He heard them pray that God would forgive them for their sins. In subsequent verses in his prayer, King Solomon gave examples of the situations that might draw them to pray to the LORD. Today, Christians do not pray toward a temple; they pray in Jesus’ name.

 

Telling the Truth about God

March 11, 2018

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

 

“King Solomon prayed: ‘LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way’” (2 Chronicles6:14).

 

When King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem, he glorified the LORD before the people by declaring several truths about God. The name “LORD” in all capital letters signifies the official name of God that God revealed to Israel through Moses. Some Bible translations will translate LORD as YHWH, Yahweh, or Jehovah. The nations that surrounded the Kingdom of Israel worshiped many different gods, but not the LORD. Bible students are familiar the names of some of these gods: the most common name is “Baal,” and the Israelites tended to turn from the LORD to worship the gods of their neighbors (see Judges 3:7). When Solomon praised the LORD before all Israel at the newly dedicated temple, he declared that no other God anywhere is as great as the LORD. For example, God expressed His greatness and power over the gods of Egypt when God freed the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, led them into the Promised Land, and enabled Solomon to build a temple to the LORD in Jerusalem. These events in their history showed that God can and will keep all His promises. The LORD kept His promises to Abraham and King David, which Solomon called expressions of God’s covenant of love for His people. Next, King Solomon described what people need to do to continue receiving the blessings of God’s love. They need to dedicate themselves as servants of the LORD and continue wholeheartedly in the ways of the LORD.

Finally, Solomon warned about the consequences of turning from the LORD.

 

 

Thinking Further

Telling the Truth about God

March 11, 2018

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

Name _______________________________

 

1. How did King Solomon glorify and praise the LORD? How can we glorify and praise the LORD?

 

 

2. When King Solomon glorified and praised the LORD, what are some of the actions God took in behalf of His people Israel?

 

 

3. What did King Solomon say the LORD expected from His people?

 

 

4. On what basis did God say King David would always have one of his descendants sitting on the throne of Israel?

 

 

5. How did the LORD eventually answer King Solomon’s question asked in 2 Chronicles 6:18?

 

 

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. How did King Solomon glorify and praise the LORD? How can we glorify and praise the LORD? He bowed down before the LORD before all the people and as he prayed he stated some of the truths about the nature and character of the LORD for everyone to hear. We can pray to and praise God the Father and Jesus Christ and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us pray rightly. We can tell others the truth about God in Christ, Who He is and what He did, which will glorify God. We can point people to the Bible where they can learn the truth about the true God.

 

2. When King Solomon glorified and praised the LORD, what are some of the actions God took in behalf of His people Israel? God made and kept His covenant with them. God showed His love for them. God kept His promise to King David that his son would build the temple, and God’s powerful hand had made His promise come true.

 

 

3. What did King Solomon say the LORD expected from His people? They were to follow the LORD with all their hearts.

 

4. On what basis did God say King David would always have one of his descendants sitting on the throne of Israel? If his sons were careful in everything they did and lived the way God’s law told them to live, God would allow them to sit on the throne of Israel.

 

5. How did the LORD eventually answer King Solomon’s question asked in 2 Chronicles 6:18? When God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to be born of a virgin and live among us as fully God and fully human.

 

 

Word Search

Telling the Truth about God

March 11, 2018

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

                             Name _______________________________

 

C D L G X G R U P I W I G T F

K F R E B T O I L X J S P O L

T V W O D J H D T S M A W I D

H D P A L S W A O G K A F E P

W I K N R M P N W S Z C T J C

G Y U O T S T H O R D S E R T

P L W N U L A B Q S E S M M J

V N V Q Y A R C T T U O N A Q

E O E O F M E N R S R Z X H C

V U J D P B A S L I O C F A Q

O S K S I V R U A T F J U R F

L Y V N R V S H O Y C I S B M

M G A E O A O E F I N K C A Q

V O S V P D B R V Y O S O E O

I Z W G K J Y E P Z V G F Y G

 

God

Tested

Abraham

Only

Son

Love

Isaac

Moriah

Sacrifice

Servants

Worship

Knife

Lamb

LORD

Provide

 

 

 

 

True and False Test

Telling the Truth about God

March 11, 2018

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

                              Name _______________________________

 

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. King Solomon invited only the nobles and priests who lived in Jerusalem to a private dedication service of the temple that King David only half-way completed before he died. True or False

 

2. Before King Solomon prayed, he got down on his knees on a bronze stage and lifted his hands toward heaven. True or False

 

3. There is no God like the LORD in heaven or on earth. True or False

 

4. God shows us that He loves us, and God expects us to follow Him with all our hearts. True or False

 

5. When the temple was completed, King Solomon glorified God because the LORD had made His promise to King David come true. True or False

 

6. The LORD promised King David that he would always have one of his descendants sitting on a throne in Israel. True or False

 

7. All of King David’s sons were careful in everything they did, and they always lived according to the law of God. True or False

 

8. King Solomon taught that God would live on earth with human beings. True or False

 

9. In his prayer, King Solomon declared that the temple in Jerusalem could not hold God. True or False

 

10. King Solomon asked the LORD to listen to his people Israel when they pray toward the temple. True or False

 

True and False Test Answers

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

 

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. False
8. False
9. True

   10.True

 

 

Prayer

 

Father, we praise You as the covenant-keeping God of mercy. We thank You for the mercy offered through the new covenant established by Jesus’ blood. May we walk before You daily with all our hearts. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.