Today’s Devotion
Topic: If My People…
(Self Assessment 177)
Background:
Many of us can recall from our knowledge of Bible history that King David purported in his heart to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord had a better idea. He would rather have Solomon build Him that temple and not his father David, because the latter had been a man of war whose hands were stained with blood.
Solomon got on with the building soon as he succeeded his father as king of Israel. When he had finished building the house of God, he offered sacrifices and dedicated it to the Lord, and the glory of the Lord filled the entire temple.
That night, something significant happened while Solomon was alone in his room. Let’s look deeply at what happened and see what we can learn from it.
Text: 2 Chron 7: 12- 18
12 The Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a temple for sacrifices.
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, 14 if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will always be there.
17 “As for you, if you walk before Me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe My decrees and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.’” Amen
Questions:
1. Kindly read verse 12 again. Does what the Lord said suggest that although Solomon was building Him a temple, it could have remained an ordinary building until He (Jehovah) decided to choose that particular place as His temple? If so, will that be the reason why we still dedicate ourselves and the things we do for His honour back to Him?
2. Again, why do you think Jehovah said He had chosen the place for Himself as A TEMPLE OF SACRIFICES, and not necessarily HIS HOME? How does the temple of sacrifices compare with our bodies which are the temples of the Holy Spirit?
3. In verse 13 and 14, Jehovah establishes a covenant regarding this temple Solomon had built. He said no matter the calamity He permits on earth;
i. “If His people who are called by His name…” In our contemporary world today, who and who qualify to be known as God’s people, who are called by His name?
ii. “…Will humble themselves and pray…” How important is both humility and prayer when it comes to getting the attention of God for an intervention? Also, why will prayer in times of difficulty require so much humility?
iii. “…And seek My face…” What does it mean to seek the Lord’s face, especially in times of difficulties? How different will this be from exploring prayer and humility?
iv. Jehovah said, “…then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Why do you think the Lord was requiring all the virtues above before He would “hear from heaven and forgive their sins”? Also, what does it mean for the Lord to heal our land?
4. In verses 15 and 16, the Lord gives details of His part of the covenant and spells out in verses 17 and 18 what Solomon’s part of the covenant should be also. Now, what does it mean to walk before the Lord faithfully and do all that He commands you to do?
5. What have you learnt from today’s Bible study?
Kindly reply through this same social media platform (WhatsApp/ Facebook). We learn a great deal from the answers you share.
(www.yonghana.org; Like our Facebook page: Y OUTREACH NETWORK)
