"32 "Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of YOUR people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of YOUR great name and YOUR mighty hand and YOUR outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house,
33 "HEAR FROM HEAVEN" YOUR dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to YOU, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know YOUR name and fear YOU, as do YOUR people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by YOUR name."..........
......;;"1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple."
Most everyone is familiar with 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if MY people who are called by MY name humble themselves, and pray and seek MY face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will HEAR FROM HEAVEN and will forgive their sin and heal their land." GOD was speaking to Solomon after King Solomon had prayed a Prayer of Dedication over the temple built under his direction. In the Prayer of Dedication Solomon spoke of "a foreigner" (or outsider) intervening for Israel and Solomon asked that GOD to "HEAR FROM HEAVEN" and do what the foreigner asked of HIM. Most of us today are such, foreigners, who know and recognize "YOUR great name and YOUR mighty hand and YOUR outstretched arm"!
Solomon must have known that the children of Israel would stray from their love of GOD. In 2 Chronicles 6:36 Solomon prayed "for there is no one who does not sin". Now Solomon was reportedly "the wisest man" ever, and he knew that the nation of Israel would require those who would "intercede" on their behalf. That the nation of Israel would stray was not the big news, rather that "there is no GOD like YOU, in heaven or on earth" (2 Chronicles 6:14) was the thing Solomon began his prayer with.
Can you imagine a modern day ruler being so humble when praying to GOD before the nation he is ruling over? To acknowledge before a HOLY GOD that the people you lead are imperfect, LIKE ALL PEOPLE, is a humbling thing! GOD, however, deserves to have "all the peoples of the earth...know YOUR name and fear YOU"! Do we know and fear HIM? Do we realize WHO GOD really is and how powerful HE really is? Do we???
GOD responded to the Prayer of Dedication with an unmistakable display of HIS awesome power and might! A fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices. The entire temple was filled with the glory of the LORD! In Exodus 33:20 GOD informs Moses that "man shall not see ME and live"! The Glory of GOD is something that, I'm afraid, is greatly underestimated. We don't FEAR GOD because we don't really understand how "magnificent" HE is!
Solomon desired to have GOD "HEAR FROM HEAVEN", and GOD didn't disappoint! Do we have a desire to have GOD "HEAR FROM HEAVEN" and send a fire from Heaven to consume everything on our altar? Is the altar big enough to contain all of the offerings we cherish more than GOD? The Power of GOD is NOT something to mess around with! Scripture indicates we will "HEAR FROM HEAVEN" at least one more time! A fire will be sent "down from Heaven" and CONSUME! Are you ready to "HEAR FROM HEAVEN"???
No comments:
Post a Comment