KEEP THE BEST FOR LAST
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Opening Prayer
Father, thank you for all you have done for me. Please help me to testify to your goodness and mercy wherever I go today.
Read 2 CHRONICLES 5:2—6:11
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 5
2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.
3 And all the men of Israel came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.
4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark,
5 and they brought up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests, who were Levites, carried them up;
6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.
7 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
8 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles.
9 These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.
10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
11 The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.
12 All the Levites who were musicians-Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.
13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud,
14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.
2 Chronicles 6
1 Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;
2 I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”
3 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them.
4 Then he said: “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said,
5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel.
6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’
7 “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
8 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.
9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood-he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’
10 “The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.”
Reflect
God pours out his glory when his people praise him. May that be our desire today.
For the last time, the ark of the covenant would be publicly visible, as the people gathered to see it being brought in solemn procession into the Most Holy Place. Sacrifices beyond number were made, while musicians and singers praised God. Inside the ark, as a symbol of the covenant, were the two replacement tablets of the Law given to Moses.1 With due care and dignity, the ark was placed carefully under the carved cherubim and thereafter was only visible to the high priest—and then only on one day in the year.
It was a memorable occasion. In the UK, elaborate preparations had been in place for years, in readiness for the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the subsequent coronation of King Charles III. All the planning and rehearsals ensured that the processions and services proceeded smoothly, so that due honor was given to each monarch. Similarly, there was nothing haphazard about the entrance of the ark into the temple. This is what Solomon had been working toward for years. It all needed to be etched into the national consciousness, so that the story of that day would be retold for generations.
Yet it was only when God himself drew near in his glory (5:14) that the temple came alive as the acceptable dwelling place of God. He filled the building. In this truly remarkable moment, Solomon blessed the people and recounted the story that had inspired him to undertake this project. This was God’s gracious initiative, both in conception and timing. The integrity of God means that promises made to his father, David, had been fulfilled. ‘A promise is a promise, and a promise must be kept’ is not only true of God, but should mark God’s people, who should be looking to honor promises fully and not to find an escape clause.
Apply
‘He is good; his love endures forever’ (5:13). Let that be our recurring watchword, however our day unfolds.
Closing prayer
Lord God, forgive me for representing you poorly when I have not followed through on a commitment or fulfilled a promise. As you are faithful, please help me be steadfast in all that I do.
1 Deut 10:1—5.
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