September 16th, 2012
II Chronicles 6 (2 Kings 8:12 or 14-53)
“Covenant Confidence”
Bible Memory Verse for the Week: But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. — Jeremiah 17:7
Background Information:
- The fact that Solomon’s prayer occupies more text than the actual construction of the temple further substantiates the argument that the Chronicler is making the theological statement to his own audience about the centrality of prayer in the life of the postexilic community. In fact, it seems as if the writer is calling for the “priests” and “saints” (or “loyal ones”) among his contemporaries to reclaim the discipline of prayer, so that the second temple may become a house of prayer like the first temple and so that postexilic Israel may experience God’s “salvation” and “goodness” (6:41). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 393)
- Notice the following features of this inspired blessing. From beginning to end, it is centered in God, not in humankind. When Solomon mentions David or refers to himself, it is always as someone who is what he is because of God’s gracious choice. Contrast this with the way sinful humanity sings the praises of one of its own: “You are great because you have done so many good things; your actions merit our praise and even recommend you to God.” We find none of that human-centeredness here. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 73)
- (v 1) Throughout the scriptures, the full glory of the Lord is shrouded from the people, because it would consume those unworthy (Ex 33:20). The Bible says that God allows His children to see His presence through a veil, like looking through dark glasses, but one day we will see Him face-to-face, in all His glory, as we go to be with Him (1 Cor 13:12). Solomon explains this when he turns to address the people–that the Lord has said (see Lv 16:2; Ps 97:2) He will dwell in the dark cloud (2 Chr 6:1-2). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 68)
- The cloud, which was in fact “the glory of the LORD,” had first guided the people of Israel out of Egypt (Ex 13:21-22) and then through the wilderness (40:36-38); and it is associated with the angel of God (14:19; 23:20-23), presumably the preincarnate presence of Christ (Payne, Theology, 46-47, 168). At the dedication of the Mosaic tabernacle, almost five hundred years before Solomon, the cloud of God’s glory had filled that earlier sanctuary (40:34-35). In the days just before the Exile, Ezekiel had envisioned the sin of Israel as driving the glory cloud out of the sanctuary (Ez 10:18-19; 11:23); and it had not returned to the second temple, of Ezra’s day. Intertestamental Judaism still speculated about the “shekinah,” as it came to be called, meaning God’s “dwelling.” It appeared during Christ’s first coming (Mt 17:5; Acts 1:9), and it will accompany his glorious second advent (Acts 1:11; Rv 1:7; 14:14 cf. R.E. Hough, The Ministry of the Glory Cloud). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 460)
- The Lord’s words that he mentions about dwelling “in a dark cloud,” refer to God’s presence on the top of Mount Sinai, shrouded in a cloud (Ex 19:9; 20:21), and also in the Mosaic tabernacle, as veiled off in its most Holy Place (Lv 16:2). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 461)
- God’s preference for dwelling in thick darkness had long been known (cf. Ex 20:21) and for this reason his presence was often symbolized by a cloud. This then links with the cloud which filled the sanctuary at the end of the previous chapter, and at the same time no doubt explains why the most holy place was constructed in the way it was. A continuity is thus forged between God’s past revelation and the present temple as a place where his people may meet with him. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 216)
- (v. 4) Solomon praised God for his involvement from beginning to end. Solomon knew that the promise came to David through Nathan the prophet (see 1 Chr 17:3-4), but he acknowledged God’s involvement by saying that God gave the promise with his mouth (6:4; see also 6:15; 1 Chr 16:12; 2 Chr 35:22). David and Solomon worked hard on the temple project, but the king insisted that God brought it about with his hands (6:4; see also 6:15; 1 Chr 21:13; 28:19; 29:12, 14, 16; 2 Chr 6:32; 20:6; 30:12). As the rest of his speech indicated, Solomon did not deny the human instruments involved. Nevertheless, in the final analysis the work resulted from divine action, not human plans or efforts. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 233-34)
- (v. 5) The Name of the Lord was his immanent divine presence on earth; it was his power accessible to the people of God through calling on his Name in prayer. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 234)
- (v. 8) God rewards the desires of a person’s heart, even those that are not realized. Jesus reminds His disciples that God will bless their hearts’ desires, but He also cautions that the attitudes of their hearts will be judged. As the prophet Samuel declared when he anointed David as Israel’s first king, “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart “(1 Sm 16:7 NLT). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 68)
- (12-13) A variety of postures of worship are attested in the OT and the ancient Near East, including standing (here), kneeling (here, 29:29-30), raising of the hands (here; Ps 141:2), and bowing of the head (2 Chr 29:29-30; Ps 5:7[8]). Such outward postures and body positioning convey aspects of respect and submission to the deity. A number of reliefs and cylinder seals show worshipers standing in the presence of a seated god. (John H. Walton, Zondervan Ill. Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Vol. 3, 313)
- (vss. 12, 13) It was unusual for a king to kneel before someone else in front of his own people because kneeling meant submitting to a higher authority. Solomon demonstrated his great love and respect for God by kneeling before him. His action showed that he acknowledged God as the ultimate king and authority, and it encouraged the people to do the same. (Tyndale House Publishers, Life Application Study Bible, 721)
- (v. 13) Solomon mounts a huge platform, to be heard and seen better, and prays on the people’s behalf. The prayer, apart from its conclusion, follows 1 Kgs 8:22-53 closely. It is a prayer about prayer, and it inaugurates the role of the temple as a house of prayer. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 230)
- In the middle of this courtyard, Solomon had a bronze platform constructed for the occasion. We do not know its precise purpose. Did he go on top of it so that he could be better seen and heard by the people as he led them in prayer, or was the platform some special sign of royal respect for the Lord? Probably a little of each. It is interesting to know that archeologists have discovered pictures of near-eastern monarchs kneeling or standing in prayer upon similar platforms. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 75)
- This verse forms an insertion made by Ezra and is not found in 1 Kgs 8, between v. 22 and 23. It seems to clarify the fact that Solomon was not “before the altar” to perform a priestly function. He stood rather on an elevated “bronze platform” so that his prayer could be better seen and heard by the people. The term for “platform” normally designates a “basin” but here denotes a “stage,” especially if rounded. The way that the king “then knelt down” (cf. 1 Kgs 8:54) gave public acknowledgment to the fact that he too was only God’s servant, administering a kingdom that was not his own. (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 461-62)
- (vss. 21-39) An ascription of majesty to Yahweh follows, pointing out that since the very heavens cannot contain God, the temple, which is so infinitesimal, cannot hope to do so. That may be the reason for the Chronicler’s frequent references to Yahweh’s hearing “from heaven” (seven times in the chapter). Though the writer follows his source closely, it is significant that he stresses the house of Yahweh as the place where prayer is both offered and answered. It is thus the meeting place of God and man, for not only is Yahweh implored to hear the prayer of the king but also the prayers of “your people Israel.” (Jacob M. Myers, 1 Chronicles, a New Translation, 36)
- (vss. 32-33) Although the author of Chronicles is often held to be the same as for Ezra-Nehemiah, these two collections breathe a different spirit in their attitudes toward foreigners and outsiders (Ez 4:1-4; 9:1-3; Neh 9:2; 10:38-31; 13:1-3, 23-27). The prophets envisage the Gentiles coming to Jerusalem to worship the Lord (Isa 56:6-8; Ps 87; Zech 8:20-23; 14:16-21). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 50)
The questions to be answered are . . . Why does Solomon spend so much time reminding the congregation of God’s faithfulness? What is the purpose of his dedicatory prayer? Why does the Chronicler report all of this for his post-exilic audience as well as for us?
Answer: I believe Solomon realizes the fragility of the faith of God’s people. Solomon desires to firmly embed into their hearts and minds God’s faithfulness to them in spite of their faithlessness to Him. Solomon’s prayer is that God will continue to be as gracious, forgiving, compassionate, merciful and loving to His people as He has been in the past. The Chronicler desires for his audience to be reminded of this so they might see the extent of God’s grace and mercy in light of their apathy, disobedience and rebellion and thus encourage them to be more devoted, repent and return to their former glory.
The phrase for the Day is . . . Covenant Keeper
What is the Chronicler attempting to communicate to his post-exilic audience in 2 Chronicles 6?:
I. God’s repentant people should be encouraged to hang onto God’s covenant promises because of His faithfulness in the past (2 Chr 6:1-15 see also: Gn 18:19; 21:1-2; 28:15; Ex 12:25; 13:11; 32:13; Num 23:19; Josh 21:45; 22:4; 23:14-15; 2 Sm 7:28; 1 Kgs 8:15-26; 2 Kgs 10:10; 1 Chr 11:3, 10; 2 Chr 6:4, 10, 15-17; Ps 119:50, 162; 145:13; Jer 17:7; Acts 26:6-7; Rom 4:20-21; Phil 1:6; Ti 1:1-2; Heb 6:13-20; 10:23; ch 11; Jas 1:12; 2 Pet 3:9)
God had kept His promise. This is another way of affirming the divine authenticity of the temple. It was prophecy come true, and this history-in-advance shows that present history was indeed His story. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 225)
The Chronicler took the space to copy out this long prayer from Kings because it illustrates so well his image of a God who took sinners back. Sin is not condoned: there is a stress on repentance in 6:24-26 (they “turn from their sin”), 6:29, 37-38 (“return to You with all their heart and with all their soul”). In 6:37 the rendering of NKJV, “come to themselves,” adopted from the Jerusalem Bible, nicely evokes the parable of the prodigal son (Lk 15:17), but it is a little loose, and a closer idiomatic rendering would be “think again” or “have second thoughts.” The NEB renders “learn their lesson” and the New Jerusalem Bible “come to their senses.” The Hebrew phrase means recalling what one did when carried away by self-will and reconsidering it in the cold light of day. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 233)
Repentance is a matter of heart and mind; it is a mental and spiritual realignment with God’s will. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 233)
The great Husdon Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, used to say that the right way to translate the text, ‘Have faith in God’ (Mk 11:22) is this: ‘Trust the faithfulness of God.’ This translation does not put the emphasis on your faith and say that you have to hold on desperately to God. (The All-Sufficient God: Sermons on Isaiah 40 by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 71-72)
6:14 Your covenant and mercy. Solomon’s words of praise touch on both sides of the covenant relationship between God and His people. God keeps His covenant, and the people must walk in it “with all their hearts.” Violation of the covenant invites divine retribution (Dt 7:9-12; 30:15-20). This idea of the covenant is central in the books of the Chronicles. (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 609)
We note the way Solomon also speaks about the permanence of the temple. It is a place where God dwells forever (v. 2). The returned exiles could find comfort in these words, even though their house was by no means as magnificent as the one Solomon had built. The sacredness of the site did not depend on dressed stone and gold leaf but on the firm promise of God. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 72)
The fullness of God’s promise to David, however, has only now become plain. Solomon is the first Israelite born to be king; in him, God’s promise to build a house for David has been fulfilled. Further, he has built a house for God, and brought the ark into a permanent dwelling (2 Chr 6:10-11). (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 134)
II. God’s broken people should be encouraged to hang onto God’s covenant promises because of His faithfulness in the future (2 Chr 6:16-39; Dt 7:9; Ps 41:2-3; 85:8; 94:14; 121:7-8; Prv 3:25-26; Jer 31:31-34; Eph 6:7-8; Phil 4:19; 1 Thes 4:14-18; 2 Tm 2:13)
All God’s promises relate, one way or another, to his purpose of glorifying himself by blessing his human creatures. (J. I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, 229)
What God begins, He always completes, and the beginning of it is the promise of its completion. (Steve Brown, Follow the Wind–Our Lord, The Holy Spirit, 71)
“The Mosaic covenant explicitly assured that repentance would lead to restoration to the land (see Dt 4:29; 30:1-3).” (Pratt, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 239)
In verse 17, Solomon says, “Let Thy word be confirmed which Thou hast spoken to Thy servant David.” Solomon has already said that God’s word to David has been fulfilled (6:10). Why should he now ask that His word be established? That comment by Solomon reveals that even he saw that the Lord’s working in his own kingdom was not the end of the promise to David. Even Solomon acknowledged that more was to be expressed from God’s promise to David. (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 77)
Underlying Solomon’s whole conception of the pattern of subsequent generations’ life with God is an intimation, perhaps a foreboding, that it will be characterized by unfaithfulness rather than its opposite–an impression borne out by the account of those generations, to which most of the rest of 2 Chr is devoted, and to which Solomon’s prayer is closely related in the Chronicler’s mind. Solomon rehearses again and again, therefore, a particular scenario: Israel sins, God removes the covenant blessings (resulting in defeat in battle and exile, v. 24, drought, v. 26, famine, plague etc., v. 28). Israel turns again (re repents) and prays–and to this Solomon adds his petition that God should forgive and restore to blessing. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 131-32)
When the appointed day had come Solomon himself, clothed in robes of spotless white and assuming for the time the office of the priest as well as the king, took charge of the inauguration ceremonies accompanied by a great company of priests and vast choirs of singers. With the princes and the people of Israel on every side he stood upon the platform. The opening chorus of praise was about to begin the service, when suddenly it was perceived that God Himself had already descended and taken possession of the building, for all the house was filled with a cloud of deepest darkness, and with a thrill of awe and unutterable joy all recognized the awful but glorious symbol of Jehovah’s immediate presence. God had come to dedicate His own temple. As soon as Solomon recovered from the deep prostration of this glorious manifestation he proceeded to utter the wonderful prayer of dedication, which seemed inspired of the Holy Spirit and which covered all the future of his people. (A.B. Simpson, The Christ in the Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, 382-83)
The concept of God’s rest introduces a note of finality which suited a revelatory era that stretched from David to the Chronicler’s day and, as he believed, was to usher in the kingdom of God centered in the temple and a restored Davidic monarchy. It was not to be: God fulfills His word in ways often surprising to the human mind. However, the expectation which this formal assumption of a resting place implies did not fall into the limbo of disappointed dreams. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 234)
The opening paragraph of the prayer shows clearly that although a measure of fulfillment of God’s promises has been realized with the dedication of the temple (v. 15), this does not detract from, but rather, in the Chronicler’s understanding, affords increased weight to, the prayer that God will now go on to fulfill his promise to establish the Davidic dynasty. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 219)
Several of the petitions expressed in these verses concerning the life of Israel as a whole, though taken direct from 1 Kgs 8, could nevertheless have seemed to particular relevance to the community of the Chronicler’s day. Unfortunately we do not know enough in detail about the conditions then prevailing to be sure of this in every case. One example, however, seems well attested on both literary and archaeological grounds, namely that in the middle of the fourth century BC the Jews were involved in the abortive revolt against the Persians led by the Sidonian Tennes and which may have resulted in the deportation of some of their number to Hyrcania (cf. D. Barag, Basor 183, 6-12). Vv. 24-25, 34-35 and 36-39 might have been read especially with this, as well as the fact of continuing exile for many of the Jews in Babylon and elsewhere, in mind. Again, we certainly know from the much earlier post-exilic period of great difficulties which the community faced in its attempts to restore the agricultural prosperity of the land (cf. Hag 1), and it is possible that drought (vv. 26-27) with its attendant famine and other afflictions (vv. 28-31) would have recurred from time to time. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 219)
Other crises in Israel’s collective life are likewise understood to be punishments from God brought on by sin; however, Solomon’s prayer gives assurance that prayers of repentance directed toward the temple will lead to forgiveness and restoration. So, drought may be averted by prayer and repentance (6:26-27). Likewise famine, whether caused by “plague, blight, mildew, locust, or caterpillar,” or by besieging armies, may be turned aside by prayer (6:28-31). Indeed, not only the needs of the community, but the personal needs of individuals may be brought before the Lord at the altar, in confidence that God will “hear from heaven, your dwelling place, forgive, and render to all whose heart you know, according to all their ways, for only you know the human heart” (6:30). Solomon’s prayer assumes that God cares, not just for Israel collectively, but for each person individually. This affirmation is central to the teaching of Jesus, who taught his followers to address God personally, as “Father” (Mt 6:7-15//Lk 11:1-4), and to lift their needs and wants before God in confidence that they would be heard (Lk 18:1-8). (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 136)
In particular, Solomon was concerned with the promise, “You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel” (6:16). These words allude to the dynastic promises given to David in several places in Scripture (see 2 Sm 7:1-17//1 Chr 17:1-15; Ps 89, 132). The Davidic line was established as Israel’s permanent dynasty. Yet, conditions applied to the individual kings in the family of David. They enjoyed the benefits of this promise only if they walk before [God] according to [his] law (6:16). Here the Chronicler varied from the text of 1 Kgs 8:25 (“walk before me”) to specify that walking before God meant obedience to the Law of Moses. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 236)
IIa – Oath and Justice (6:22-23)
Solomon’s first specific petition was that God pay attention to the times when a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath (6:22). This procedure is well documented as part of the service of the tabernacle (see Lv 6:3-6; also Amos 8:14). Oaths were required in cases of default (see Ex 22:7-15), adultery (see Num 5:11-31) and theft (see Lv 6:3-5). Taking an oath was a sacred act involving the potential of divine curse for fraud or violation (see Lv 19:12; Jdg 17:1-4; Ezek 17:13-19; Ps 15:4). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 238)
IIb- Defeat in War (6:24-25)
Military defeat is often listed as a consequence of violating the covenant (Lv 26:14-17; Dt 28:25, 26, 47-52). (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 609)
Solomon’s second petition concerned situations when the Israelites have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned (6;24). The explicit qualification because they have sinned (6:24) suggests that not all military failures result from sin (see 16:1; 25:13; 32:1). Even so, defeat and captivity by an enemy is frequently mentioned in Mosaic literature as a covenant curse for national rebellion against God (see Dt 28:36-37, 64; Lv 26:17). The prophets also reflect the same perspective (see Isa 8:5-8; Jer 5:10-17; Hab 1:2-11). The Chronicler frequently pointed to military defeat as a judgment for sin, especially in the Divided Monarchy (see 2 Chr 12:5-8; 21:12-17; 24:20, 23-24; 25:20; 28:1-7; 33:10-11). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 238)
IIc- Drought (6:26-27)
In antiquity Palestine was much more fertile than it now is, and moreover its luxuriance was seen by its inhabitants in contrast with the aridity of the deserts east and south, where the nomads contrived to exist on the near edge of starvation and thirst (cf. Dt 8:7-9). When prolonged drought hit ancient Canaan there was no escape to more fortunate surrounding lands, and from the West came no relief ships carrying cargoes of grain. The cattle perished, the springs dried up, and in the homes of the people men, women, and children thirsted and starved (cf. Amos 4:6-10). In the past century the willingness of Western nations to send famine relief to stricken areas has conspicuously differentiated Christian from non-Christian civilization. (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible Vol. 3, 458)
Rain and drought are presented as covenant blessings and curses (Lv 26:3, 4; Dt 11:13, 14; Jer 3:3; Joel 2:23-27; Hag 1:9-11). (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 609)
26-27 Ancient Israel was an agrarian society with sufficient rainfall in most of the land that irrigation was not necessary. Agriculture was dependent on the regularity of the seasonal rains, particularly both the early rains to soften the ground for plowing in the fall, and the latter rains to swell the crop before harvest in the spring; adequate rainfall was a sign of divine blessing, and low rainfall of divine anger (Lv 26:3-4; Dt 11:13-14; 28:23-24; Prv 16;15; Jer 3:3; 5:24; Hos 6:3; 10:1; Joel 2:23; Cant 2:11; Acts 14:17; Heb 6:7; Jas 5:17; Amos 4:6-8). The divine response to Solomon’s prayer about drought is a promise of healing the land (7:13-14). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 49)
Significantly, Jeremiah (14:2-6) makes the same connection between drought and sin that Solomon does, continuing in the next verse, “Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you” (Jer 14:7). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 85)
Throughout the OT rain is considered a divine blessing and drought a covenant curse (see Lv 26:3-4; Dt 11:13-14; 28:23-24; Prv 16:15; Jer 3:3; 5:24; Hos 6:3; Joel 2:23; Amos 4:6-8).
Here Solomon acknowledged that in such circumstances God must teach Israel the right way to live before the he once again gives rain (6:27). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 239)
IId- Disasters (6:28-31)
The pious believer of the OT looked at the promise of the land as one aspect of that great cluster of promises that reached their apex in the promise of the Messiah (see Gn 12, 13). So one can readily see why it was important for Israel to retain a physical presence in the land. It was not only their homeland but also the cradle of King Messiah. That is why God’s people simply had to lift up their eyes and look around at the landscape to see how affairs stood between them and their God. The land’s physical condition reflected the people’s moral condition. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 84)
The list of seven (famine, plague, blight, mildew, locusts, grasshoppers, siege) is not intended to exhaust the possibilities; rather, it is meant to emphasize that there is no trouble on earth beyond the scope of prayer. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 85-86)
Also significant is the anticipated impact on God’s people when God hears and answers the prayers of those in affliction. God’s saving response empowers his people to live good and holy lives (“Teach them the right way to live,” v. 27). It increases their reverent faith for God and their fervent love for one another (“so that they will fear you and walk in your ways,” v. 31). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 86)
Famines and plagues of various sorts are often listed as covenant curses (Lv 26:16, 20, 25, 26; Dt 28:20-22, 27, 28, 35, 42). (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 609)
28-31 W. Shea (“Famines in the Early History of Egypt and Syro-Palestine,” Diss. U or M, 1976) describes famines in the ancient Near East as deriving from natural causes such as drought, disease, or insects (Gn 12:10; 26:1; 41:1-57; Ru 1:1; 2 Sm 21:1; 24:13 // 1 Chr 21:12; 1 Kgs 18:1-2) or from warfare through the confiscation and burning of crops (Jdg 6:3-6; 15:3-5) and siege (Lv 26:25-26; 2 Kgs 6:24-25; 25:1-3; 2 Chr 32:11; Isa 51:19; Jer 14:11-18; 16:4; 21:7-90; 52:6). The fear of famine and hope of escaping it are common themes (Ps 30:18-19; Job 5:20-22; Jer 5:12; 42:13-22).
“Pestilence” refers to diseases affecting animals (Ex 9:3; Ps 78:48-50) or men (Lv 26:25-26; Nm 14:12; 2 Sm 24:13 // 1 Chr 21:12; Ezek 5:12; 7:15), and possibly, in this context, crops. Israel’s unique geographical location on the sole land bridge between the continents of Europe; Asia, and Africa and the large amount of commerce throughout the area would have made the land subject to the easy spread of outbreaks and epidemics from the surrounding regions. (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 49-50)
IIe- Foreigners (6:32-33)
Solomon asks the Lord to answer the prayers of those foreigners who have been drawn by the light of Israel’s hope “so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name” (v. 33). In his own way, the Chronicler is reminding his people why God permitted them to return to the land and rebuild the temple. God wanted his saving purposes to be fulfilled. A truth like this was easy to forget when Judah’s earthly power was at such a low ebb. After experiencing exile and the continued hostility of the surrounding nations, it must have been hard for them to see non-Israelites as anything but enemies. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 88-89)
Nothing is said here of these foreigners being proselytes. Rather, the text affirms that God’s attentiveness to the Jerusalem shrine is inclusive and unconditional: all prayers directed toward Jerusalem, even those of foreigners, are heard. (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 136)
From its outset Israel’s sanctuary was thus designed to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isa 56:6-8). The goal of the nation’s election was a universal knowledge of God (v. 33; Gn 12:3; Eph 2:11-13, 19); and even in OT times aliens who would come in faith to Yahweh were assured of reception as proselytes into Israel (Ex 12:38, 48; Ru 1:16; 2:12). They would be attracted by God’s “great name,” which involved his actual Presence in the temple. For when the structure is said to “bear” his Name (v. 33), the Hebrew reads literally that his name “has been called on” it. This means that God has taken the temple to himself as possession and dominion (just as in election/adoption, Dt 28:10, or as in marriage, Isa 4:1). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 462-63)
IIf- War (6:34-35)
Defeat is here assumed to result from sin–the flip side of the affirmation in Chronicles that victory in battle demonstrated God’s blessing (see 1 Chr 18:13; for defeat as punishment, see 1 Chr 5:25-26; 10:1-14; 21:12). Further, the promise that God will bring a penitent people back to the land clearly presupposes the exile, and would have been particularly meaningful to the Chronicler’s community. (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 135-36)
IIg- Exile (6:36-39)
Exile and captivity are often listed as curses for violating the covenant (Dt 28:36, 37, 64). Solomon’s request was realized twice within the history of Chronicles itself. First Manasseh (33:10-13) and later the entire remnant of Israel (36:20-23) suffered exile in Babylonia and were restored to the Promised Land. (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 610)
Solomon envisions a time when their faithlessness will bring on them the punishment God had threatened: “If you do not obey the LORD…the LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies…The LORD will scatter you among all nations” (Dt 28:15, 25, 64). Only God could restore them at such a time. So Solomon asks the Lord to be true to his promise and to allow himself to be found in his temple by a penitent nation. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 82)
Building on the basic Mosaic covenantal structures (see Dt 4:29; 30:1-3), Solomon set down conditions upon which he hoped God would return his people from exile.
1) They must have a change of heart (6:37). A deep seated change of affections and loyalties must take place (1 Kg 8:48; 2 Chr 7:14; 12:6, 12; 30:11; 33:12, 19, 23; 34:27; Jer 24:7; 29:13).
2) They must repent or turn away from their sins (Dt 4:30; 30:2; Isa 19:22).
3) They must plead, that is, ask sincerely and earnestly.
4) These inward changes must be expressed in prayer. “We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly” (6:37). The piling up of confessional language reveals the intensity required in these prayers.
5) They must turn back to [God] with all their heart and soul (6:38). No insincerity was acceptable.
6) This sincerity must be expressed by praying toward the land…toward the city…toward the temple (6:38). The physical act of turning toward Jerusalem in prayer (see Jon 2:4, 7; Dn 6:10) expressed a reorientation of life toward the only source of deliverance, invoking the Name of God.
The results of this kind of repentance were as expected. God would hear their prayer, uphold their cause, and forgive (6:39). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 241-42)
The Mosaic covenant explicitly assured that repentance would lead to restoration to the land (see Dt 4:29; 30:1-3). The Chronicler records two times when temporary exile occurred. Northern Israelites exiled Judahites during the reign of Ahaz. No mention of prayer appears in that account (see 28:6-15). Nevertheless, the Chronicler’s version of Manasseh’s life illustrates Solomon’s petition in action. He was exiled and brought back because of his repentance and prayer (see 33:10-13). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 239)
It is not the eloquence of the prayer itself, nor the worthiness of the one who utters it. “Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart” (v. 30). Forgiveness is the essential prerequisite. Forgive us first; then consider the moral texture of our lives. We might paraphrase it in this way: “If you, O Lord, were to judge us strictly and consider our lives apart from the filter of your grace, none of our deeds could endure the light of your presence. We could have no hope ever of your help. But you do not examine only the visible side of things, as we do. We are easily impressed by great outward acts of piety, but you see into our hearts. You detect the faith your great love has planted there, a faith in our Savior that purifies all we do.” (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 86)
The function of the introduction of these verses at this point is to show that Solomon does not think, nor does the Chronicler, that God’s promise has been finally fulfilled with the arrival of the ark. There remains a prayer that God would continue to remember his steadfast love to David, meaning that he should express it also to his descendants. The irony in the fact that the period of David and Solomon would never be equaled thereafter as a time of peace and righteousness is perhaps fully intended, and has been taken as a suggestion that the Chronicler’s picture of the “rest” of God on Zion in Solomon’s time has some eschatological significance (Williamson), i.e. that there remains a hope that God’s rest with his people has some future reality unfulfilled in his own day. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 134)
III. Believing in God’s covenant results in salvation for God’s contrite people (2 Chr 6:40-42; Jn 3:16-36; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 10:43; Rom 10:13)
Without Jesus we face a hopeless end. But with Jesus we have an endless hope.
God has not only told us the best, but He has not withheld the worst. He has faithfully described the ruin which the Fall has effected. He has faithfully diagnosed the terrible state which sin has produced. He has faithfully made known his inveterate hatred of evil, and that He must punish the same. He has faithfully warned us that He is “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). (Arthur W. Pink, The Attributes of God, 54)
“But you must know that God is just as well as merciful! It is not unmerciful for God to punish men according to His threatenings. Yea, His truth and faithfulness oblige Him to do it. God Himself has determined the way and the time for the exercise of His mercy. If these are neglected, no mercy will be shown. The very devils may as well hope for mercy as impenitent unbelievers who neglect the day of salvation and do not seek for mercy in a Gospel way. You cannot take a more direct and dangerous route to turning away the heart of a merciful God from you than by abusing His goodness in strengthening yourselves in rebellion against Him. This is both a most vile abuse of it and an a most unreasonable inference from it. Paul asks, “shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” and answers emphatically, “God forbid!” (Romans 6:1). Such a thought is to be abhorred.” (Roberts; Sanctify the Congregation, 131)
“It is, then, the hope of glory which makes suffering bearable.” (John R. W. Stott, The Cross of Christ, 323)
36-39 In “captivity,” caused by “sin.” Solomon’s confession that there is no one who does not sin emphasizes the consistent biblical teaching on man’s total depravity (cf. Dt 28 passim; Jer 13:23; 17:9; Eph 2:3). The resulting exile to “a land far away,” as well as Israel’s subsequent restoration on repentance, had been predicted as early as Moses (Lv 26:33, 44-45); and it all came about (2 Chr 36:16; 22-23), even as Solomon had prayed. (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 463)
Men of the OT can often be found protesting their righteousness (as in Ps 7 and 17 which we have cited). Yet as we take into account the context of the OT as a whole, it becomes clear that they cannot mean by it that they possess some natural or inherent righteousness which makes them acceptable to God. Ps 143 illustrates the point well. In v. 2 of that Psalm the Psalmist confesses–in a tone very similar to v. 36 of our present chapter–that “no man living is righteous before thee.” Yet he can look to God to hear his supplications (a word that affords a further parallel to our chapter) on the basis of God’s righteousness (v. 1). This idea of God’s righteousness as a saving quality is highly illuminating for an understanding of the OT, and shows how close it is to the NT’s understanding of God’s dealings with humanity (Rom 3:21f.). In Ps 143 the Psalmist appeals to God on the basis not of his own merit, but rather on that of his covenant status, as is illustrated by his invocation of God’s faithfulness alongside his righteousness (v. 1). (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 133)
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION: What does this message have to do with Christ and me?:
A- Know, apply and trust in God’s covenant promises to you. (Job 42:2; Mt 19:26; Mk 10:27; Jn 10:28; Rom 8:32; 11:29, 36; Phil 1:6)
Prayer is to be the essential instrument in the continuing relationship between God and his people. It is that which activates existing promises. Notice how Solomon’s first petition (vv. 16f.) is that God would keep promises that he has already made. Indeed Solomon can testify that he has actually begun to keep them (v. 15) and the circumstances in which he was speaking were perhaps as high a point as he could conceive in the keeping of them. Yet he is not content to leave it at that, but implores God to continue to keep his promises. This says much about the role of prayer in the relationship between God and man. If we feel that prayer is not worth while on the grounds that God is sovereign and will do what he pleases in any case, we fail to perceive that it should identify and come to desire the things which he desires for us. When Solomon pictures future generations at prayer it is again conceived as a laying claim to things promised long ago (vv. 26, 27). (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 129-30)
David said to Solomon: “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever” (1 Chr 28:9). When the conditions are not met, the promise remains to be fulfilled, but with a different person in view. The enumeration of the failures of the succeeding Davidic kings has its purpose in showing that the Person has not come who will fulfill the promise to David. (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 75)
To “walk before” God is to adopt a way of life which complies with the will of God. In the Chronicler’s idiom this spells Torah. The term “Torah” or “law” is a metaphor which pictures life as a journey. It means literally “directions.” The related verb is used in this literal sense in the Hebrew of Gn 46:28, “to point out (the way to Goshen).” So the Torah was God’s guiding principles for His people’s lives. There is an indication of this in 6:27, where the related Hebrew verb is employed: more literally one might render “that You may direct them to the good way in which they should walk.” I am reminded of a NT text which affirms that God has laid out in advance a mode of living for His new people, namely “good works” to “walk in” (Eph 2:10). (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 231)
To borrow J. B. Phillips’ famous title, we are always in danger of making our God too small. The greater we realize he is, the more we shall bring to him in intercession, and the more we shall expect from him. (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 148)
This passage and others like it in the OT (for example: Dt 7:7, 8; 9:4-6) make it clear that the Israelites always understood themselves to be a people who could stand before God only on the basis of grace. It was God who brought them out of Egypt and called them to himself. It was God who selected Jerusalem as the dwelling place for his Name. It was God who chose David to be the founder of a dynasty, and it was God who named David’s son Solomon as the one who would build him a temple. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 73)
Good prayer is built on God’s promises. Chronicles has many good prayers like this, and Solomon’s is no exception. We may wonder why Solomon chooses to repeat some of the same words he had just spoken in response to the sight of God’s glory-cloud again at the opening of this prayer (compare v. 15 with 6:4). One of the Chronicler’s purposes is to paint for his readers a picture of how a faithful shepherd of God’s people acts. Here he makes use of the opportunity to show the king as a man who lives from the words and promises of God. He not only uses God’s promises to interpret what he sees with his eyes (v. 15), but he also uses God’s Word as the anchor of his hopes and the basis for his prayers. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 77)
Above all else, Solomon learned a lesson from his father, David, that was later crystallized by Isaiah the prophet. It is not that “the arm of the LORD is…too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isa 59:1; cf. Ps 51:1-3). The temple as a “house of prayer” serves to bridge the gap between God and his people caused by their sins, because God is a “forgiving” God (2 Chr 6:21, 25, 27, 30, 29). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 395)
Will God forgive iniquity? Not unconditionally–there must first be repentance. Solomon’s prayer reiterates the solemn teaching. Does God aid men to repent, seeking to persuade our free personalities to perceive and turn away from evil? And to what length does divine mercy go? Judaism insisted, “To the limit of human imagination and beyond” (Gn 18;22-33). Christianity answered, “Even to the Cross.” (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible Vol. 3, 459)
B- Seek to identify and remedy the source of your unbelief (Mk 4:24; 9:24; Lk 8:18)
Unless promises are related to reality, promises are irrelevant.
The essence of Satan’s strategy . . . is to weaken a Christian’s faith in such precious and great promises as, e.g., Rom 8:28 (“in everything God works for good with those who love him”), by means of the lie that the tribulations and misfortunes that befall Christians can deprive them of any hope for a bright future (1 Thes 3:2-5). Satan’s game plan is to destroy the Christian’s confidence that God’s plans are “for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). So to be victorious against Satan, Christians must understand the necessity of being armed with “the shield of faith” i.e., of having an arsenal of promises from God’s word (cf. Rom 10:17) ready for use as a shield to quench all the fiery darts of Satan (Eph 6:16). According to 1 Pt 5:9 Christians must resist the devil steadfastly in the faith. Since the promises of Scripture are the proper object of faith (Rom 4:20), Christians must use, against each temptation to become discouraged, at least one of God’s “many and very great promises” (2 Pt 1:4). If tempted, e.g., to be covetous and despondent about not having enough of this world’s goods to be financially secure, the Christian must “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Tm 6:12) by affirming that, since God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5f.), covetousness is totally contrary to childlike faith in God. By meditating on this and similar promises of “the faithful God” (Dt 7:9; cf. Heb 10:23; Ti 1:2) until filled by “all joy and peace in believing” (Rom 15:13), Christians perform the essential task of holding their “first confidence firm unto the end” (He. 3:14). (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Volume Four: Q-Z, 343)
We carry our religion as if it were a headache. There is neither joy nor power nor inspiration in it, none of the grandeur of the unsearchable riches of Christ about it, none of the passion of hilarious confidence in God.” — Oswald Chambers
As Francois Fenelon, a French Christian from the eighteenth century, wrote: “All our falls are useful if they strip us of a disastrous confidence in ourselves, while they do not take away a humble and saving trust in God.” (Matt Redman, The Unquenchable Worshiper, 38)
Let imagination be denied its proper function in the religious life, and the result will be to limit that life to a very low and abject plane. The professor of religion who is without an inspiring ideal is spending the life of a creeping, torpid, spiritual pauper. All our religious virtues gain or lose as our ideals of religious work are grasped or abandoned. There is a logical impediment to the growth of faith in the heart of the man who has given up his ideals. All faith is twofold in its action, personal and vicarious, and the one type of action can no more go on without the other than the systole can be separated from diastole in the action of the heart. (Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator, 2 Chr, 20)
C- Look to Jesus as the Author and Perfecter of your faith. All God’s promises find their “YES” in Jesus (2 Chr 6:42; 2 Cor 1:18-22; Heb 9:15)
We read once more that when the glory of the Lord filled the house the priests could not stand to minister because the cloud of the “glory of the LORD filled his temple” (1 Kgs 8:11). This is the secret of getting rid of self. Get filled with God and then there will be no room for you. Do not try to turn yourself out but take Him in, and sin and self will go in the blessedness and glory of a divine preoccupation. (A.B. Simpson, The Christ in the Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, 385)
If we focus on God and not ourselves, we will be more self-confident and have more self-esteem. God is a constant. It is we who are variables.
Believers who are the most desperate about themselves are the ones who express most forcefully their confidence in grace…Those who are the most pessimistic about man are the most optimistic about God; those who are the most severe with themselves are the ones who have the most serene confidence in divine forgiveness…By degrees the awareness of our guilt and of God’s love increase side by side. (Kent and Barbara Hughes, Common Sense Parenting, 113)
“Humility is the obverse side of confidence in God, whereas pride is the obverse side of confidence in self.” ~John Baillie (Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction—Discipleship in an Instant Society, 143)
Think of all the people in this world today who grope aimlessly in the dark for something to believe in. Now they find it in some self-help book; now they look for it in some charismatic teacher; now they even ransack their own souls in the hope of unlocking some hidden potential. We too were once in the very same predicament. But God set his heart on us from all eternity, forgave all our sins in the precious blood of his Son, called us by name in our baptisms, and made his love known to us through the preaching of the gospel. In the full assurance of faith, we can say, “God chose me to be his own, called me by the gospel of his Son Jesus.” Far from being some vague warm, fuzzy feeling, God’s love is specifically for me, located in his Son, and brought to me in the gospel. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 74)
In Advent we sing of how we mourn in lowly exile here. This is not our home, because here nothing lasts, and far too often we find ourselves stumbling into sin again. “For there is no one who does not sin” (v. 36). Our true home can only be where our Savior is, a place where at last we will be free from all that torments us. Soon Jesus will come again to bring us home. That is why the church also sings, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!”. We know that God will answer Solomon’s prayer once more, and bring us back from exile. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 92)
One might think it strange to hear this emphasis on the Lord’s anointed, and on David the king, in a passage dealing with the temple. After all, for the Chronicler’s first readers, only the temple was left. The earthly dynasty of David had long since disappeared as a visible sign of God’s favor. Why emphasize something that was missing from Israel’s life? Why else but to stir up in God’s people a longing for the Messiah to come! Each one of God’s promises would find its perfect fulfillment in him. In fact, this entire picture of Solomon–completing the work of David, building God’s temple, interceding for his people in prayer–may also be seen as the Chronicler’s depiction of the King who would be the incarnation of God’s Name, the fulfiller of all promises, the builder of a spiritual house to which we belong, and the one who intercedes for us in prayer (see Jn 17). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 95)
Though the purpose of the temple was for the Lord “to dwell” there “forever,” there was still the attached condition that Israel must continue faithful (7:19-20; Mt 23:37-38). They did not; and the temple was twice destroyed (586 B.C. and A.D. 70). But Christ has promised that he will yet reign on Mount Zion (Mt 23:39) and rule forever in the New Jerusalem (Rv 21:2). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 461)
Worship point: When you begin to realize the real life that God desires for you to possess as a result of your trusting in the Lord . . . your worship will naturally become more easily expressed.
Spiritual Challenge: Know the promises of God. Recall them on a regular basis. Trust in God to fulfill His promise as you contemplate His faithfulness that is a result of His nature. Think about how your life should be lived as a result of actually responding to life’s challenges on the basis of what you claim to believe. Look to Jesus Christ in whom all the promises of God find their “Yes”.
(Mt 28:20; Rom 8:28, 31, 37; Phil 4:19; Eph 1:2-14)
Quotes to Note:
God’s covenantal love, made efficacious through the death of Christ, is the source of all blessings, both for believers today and for those who received “the promise of eternal inheritance…under the first testament” (Heb 9:15). He reserves these blessings, moreover, for those who are his “servants,” because faith must always be manifested by obedience (v. 16; Jas 2:17-26). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 462)
The basis of any relationship between God and Israel can only ultimately be God’s keeping covenant and showing steadfast love (v. 14). God’s action in establishing the relationship must precede any obedience on Israel’s part. And when that obedience comes it is in the form, as we have noted, of a response which is profoundly personal, and which cannot therefore be constituted by a series of prescribed acts. We can take this thought a little further by a consideration of what is meant by the ideas of “judging” and “righteousness” in v. 23.
The OT’s theology of judgment is perhaps best exemplified in the Psalms. What strikes the modern reader, for whom the idea of judgment is full of grim foreboding, is the way in which the Psalmists confidently and joyfully seek it (Ps 7:6-8; 17:2, where RSV’s “vindication” represents the same word–mishpat–that is usually translated “judgment”). This is because judgment has, for the saint of the OT, the idea of deliverance. The deliverance is often from enemies, though that is incidental to our point. What is essential to it is that the deliverance is based on a relationship which already exists between the saint and God–a relationship defined by God’s covenant commitment. RSV’s “vindication” in Ps 17:2 is an attempt to catch this sense. The word mishpat can also sometimes be translated “right,” or even “cause,” as in vv. 35 and 39 of our passage. These last verses show that Solomon has this sort of judgment in mind in his prayer. God will hear the prayers of penitent Israel not because, by their praying, they merit his favor, but because he returns to his prior commitment to them. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 132-33)
God alone is a righteous judge–knowing the hearts and minds of people (6:22-23). Solomon considers the consequences of turning from the Lord: loss of His power and defeat by the enemy (6:24-25). Next Solomon considers how God often uses disasters to get His children’s attention–such as a drought or famine, which forces people to awaken out of spiritual slumber and turn to God. Of course, in a fallen world, not all disasters are instances of God’s judgment or results of sin. Sometimes the brokenness of this world reminds us of nothing else except our longing for the healing of the world to come. God is warning His people, through Solomon, that these things will come to pass if they fail to repent of their sins and cling to Him (6:26-31). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 69)
22-23 Solomon’s prayer transfers to the temple the oath procedure which had ordinarily been administered at the tabernacle or other holy sites (Nm 5:13; Lv 6:3-6; Jdg 11:11; Amos 8:14). Similar procedures are elaborated for cases of default (Ex 22:7-15), adultery (Nm 5:11-13) and theft (Lv 6:3-5). Taking an oath was a solemn act (Lv 19:12; 15:1, 4; Ezek 17:13-19; Ps 15:4), ordinarily accompanied by a self-maledictory curse; the terror of the accompanying curse was apparently designed to elicit a confession (Jdg 17:1-4). Lifting the hand toward heaven was the common gesture while making the oath (Gn 14:22; Ex 6:8; Dt 32:40; Ps 144:8; Isa 62:8; Dan 12:7; Ezek 20:5; Rv 10:5-6). (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 49)
There is no better place to see the difference between godly and worldly leadership than right here. Leaders of this world are full of their own visions. They like to be seen as men of action who know how to take charge of the situation and can bend it to their own will. Godly leaders want to be filled with the vision of God and let God’s Word shape their hearts and minds and will. They do not trust in their own wisdom and have no confidence in their own power to change things for the better. Instead, they rely upon God, who alone can make things right. The worldly leader strikes the pose of a man who is ready for action. A godly leader often finds himself on his knees, hands held heavenward in prayer. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 76)
Solomon, on the other hand, understands that the Lord is utterly free, completely unbound, and absolutely independent of any location or human being. The temple is incapable of boxing him in. “The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (v. 18). If God is to be found on earth with humans, it can only be on the basis of his promise, “This place of which you said you would put your Name there” (v. 20). If God is to live in communion with his people and answer their prayers, it must be on the basis of forgiveness, “Hear from heaven…and when you hear, forgive” (v. 21).
Simply put, Solomon’s second request is for this transcendent God to hear the prayers of the king and the people whenever they seek him in this house where he has promised to be found. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 79)
As a result of this divine accessibility, the temple became the heart of Israelite religion. No matter where they were, faithful Israelites in all times and places could turn toward the place of the Name (see Ps 5:6; Dn 6:10; Jon 2:4). The centrality of the temple in Solomon’s day gave rise to the Chronicler’s conviction that the temple must be reinstated to its central role in the post-exilic community. Only there could the restored people gain access to their transcendent God in heaven. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 238)
Rest could be assured only if the mighty ark were present because it was the symbol of power. But that is not enough: the priests would have to put on salvation and the devotees delight in the good–a motif not present in the Psalm parallel. Once more the king prays, in the words of the Psalm, for the continuity of the Davidic line, which for the writer would have messianic significance. Only thus could the Davidic hope be realized and the promise to him be fulfilled (1 Chr 23:25)–a blessing devoutly to be wished for in his time. (Jacob M. Myers, 1 Chronicles, a New Translation, 37-38)
Christ:
The “Yes” of God’s promises
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