Worship & Woes...

9/28/2011

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1 kings 8-9
mt 22-23

In kings, Solomon has just taken the throne, given to him by his dad (not without controversy from a jealous brother of course), David. He has just been met by the Lord in a dream, and when asked what he wanted - anything and it would be given to him - he asked for the gift of a discerning heart, for he was just a ‘little child and does not know how to carry out his duties (v7)’. I hope to come back to this story soon (1kngs3)... so good!!

So here we are, Solomon is king, and is now at work in these chapters to build a temple to the Lord, and a palace for himself. The descriptions of these in chps 6&7 are pretty crazy... but what I read today was of Solomon’s worship, his prayer, his deep understanding of the purpose behind the temple.. “but will god really dwell on earth? the heavens, even the highest heaven cannot contain you. how much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, O lord my god.” He continues pleading with the lord in verses 8:31-40, asking on behalf of Israel and it’s people (... i read these pleas and see God’s love for us in how he love’s Israel) that the Lord would hear them always, forgive them, and never forsake them.

The lord hears his prayer, and consecrates the temple saying “my eyes and my heart will always be there.” Makes me wonder... where will his feet be, his hands, maybe his mouth... where will these be? Solomon understood this... this was a place of worship, where we seek to see and feel with the eyes and the heart of our lord.. His feet then moving us to touch with his hands and speak with his mouth to those the spirit leads us to...

It doesn’t seem coincidental that today, I too read the seven woes in mt23 (CRAZY scene Jesus saying these things to the pharisees, in front of them.. scary woes for leaders today). In verse 20-22 Jesus talks about swearing by the temple & the alter, and how these are not the dwelling places of God.. so swear by heaven Jesus says, where God’s throne sits! We don’t need a stinking temple (however glorious it may be)! Solomon was fulfilling his father’s promise of building a temple to the lord, and he had a very good head & heart about it’s purpose.. the vision of the lord was clear, and good. Jesus unlocks us from the burden (a burden created by man) of coming to the alter, the temple.. heaven is where God’s throne is.. so like Solomon did in front of all his people immediately after the temple was finished, let us “spread our hands to Heaven” and ask that his eyes, his heart might become our own.. that his discernment, his wisdom, might be our guide..