TODAY’S READING FROM THE ONE YEAR BIBLE: Solomon, David's tenth son, and the completion of the temple; The Romans 7 Dilemma
JULY 21 2 Chronicles 4-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23
The subject of 1Chronicles was King David and that which is a delight to the heart of God- the testimony of Christ prefigured in the Ark of the Covenant and the temple that was to be built as the center of worship in Jerusalem.
In 2 Chronicles we see the plan of the father (David) realized through the obedience of the Son (Solomon).
This obedience prefigures the obedience of Christ, the Son of God, who said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18)
Both 1 and 2 Chronicles record the failures of David and Solomon and the kings of Judah.
In 1 Chronicles we see God’s condemnation of rationalization and in 2 Chronicles we see God’s condemnation of ritualism. God's people can have the king, the kingdom, and the temple in place and still not acknowledge the reality of what these represent in their daily living. David rationalized that he could get away with adultery, murder and assessing his greatness and power by taking a census of his troops. Solomon built the temple and provided for its rituals but then followed after other gods.
Solomon came to be king over a nation that was called into existence by Yahweh who revealed Himself as the one and only true God. David’s passion was to give recognition to the fact that their national strength was due to their submission to the Throne of God. (This is why David’s sin of numbering his troops was so grievous. It implied that their strength was in their numbers rather than reliance on God.)
The temple was to be a memorial to the God of Israel and the gospel truth of how a man can be put in a right relationship through faith in God’s provision for Atonement. It was to be a reminder to Israel that their God was not as the gods of their neighboring nations and therefore they should turn away from every form of idolatry. It would be proved that the witness of the temple was not strong enough to do that. Like the tabernacle and the Law of Moses, the Temple had revelational value, but no empowerment value. (See today’s New Testament reading on Romans 7).
In 2 Chronicles we see the continuity of the Bible’s storyline in that the temple is built on the mountains of Moriah. ‘Moriah’ literally means ‘seen of God’, or as I like to paraphrase it— ‘center stage’. This is where father Abraham brought his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed. This is where he was given a promise that ‘the Lord would provide’ Himself as a sacrifice (Gen 22:14). Not only is the temple built on the shelf of rock known as Moriah, but it is built on the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite, who offered it freely to David, so David could build an altar according to the word of the Lord (2 Sam 24:18-19). However David insisted that he could not make offerings that cost him nothing. He purchases it with 50 pieces of silver and there David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. It is here at the altar of David that judgment for sin was mixed with mercy. Here the wrath of God against David’s sin would be stayed and satisfied. It is here that the Temple would be built. It is here that the greater Son of David would be offered on the altar of the cross as an atoning sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath against sin and open the floodgates of mercy to those who believe.
In the temple the pattern and the proportions of the Wilderness Tabernacle are maintained. Everything is bigger. . It is an amplification of the design given by God to Moses. It is not designed to be portable, although many of its treasures will be carried away by the enemy.
The design spells out the way that man is to approach God through faith in the perfect sacrifice of Christ. The altar of brass that prefigures the cross is there. Brass represents judgment. Here offerings would be made. It is massive by comparison to the original one in the tabernacle (30 feet long and 30 feet wide and 15 feet high in comparison to the 7 ½ foot length by 7 ½ foot width and 4 1/12 foot height of the Tabernacle altar).
Instead of the golden laver, signifying cleansing on the basis of the once and for all sacrifice of Christ, there is the Golden Sea. It is in the proportion of a swimming pool (7 ½ feet deep, 45 feet in circumference, holding 16,500 gallons of water (3,000 baths). The priests washed themselves in the Sea and the utensils were washed in ten smaller basins, with five set on the north side and five on the south.
In the middle court the lampstands were multiplied. Instead of one, there were now ten, five against the north wall and five on the south. The table was multiplied, with ten altogether, five on the north and five on the south.
We see an addition to the pattern in that Solomon adds brazen doors to the entrance of the courtyard and golden doors to the entrance of the main room of the temple (middle court) and the Holiest of All (2 Chron 4:9,22) in addition to the outer curtain and veil.
Today’s readings give us some important glimpses into the glory of the finished work of Christ.
“So Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the Lord.” (5:1)
The installing of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holiest of All was a grand event, celebrated with the with 120 priests playing trumpets and singers in unison sounding to the glory of God, that “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!”
“and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:13b-14, NASB)
Notice the prophetic picture. When the work was finished the glory of the Lord filled the house SO THAT THE PRIESTS COULD NOT STAND TO MINISTER BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD. The Shekinah glory represents God’s perfection in the Holiest of All, Christ Jesus. The works of the flesh are excluded. We are redeemed by God’s work on our behalf, rather than the work of priests. Jesus stands as our Representative, as our Perfect Mediator, Perfect Offering, Perfect Advocate, and therefore, our Perfect Savior.
1 Timothy 2:5 (NASB) 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Notice also Solomon’s affirmation of God’s promises establishing the line of David and the city of David, Jerusalem as the place where the Name of the Lord will be honored. (6:6)
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Romans 7:1-13
Paul having taught about our being justified by faith in Christ alone (3:24-5:21), deals with sanctification by faith in Christ alone (6:1- 8:39). We are justified by faith in His work on the cross and we are sanctified by reckoning on the facts of our identification with Christ’s death and our participation in His resurrection life at work in us by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 7 highlights that religious self-effort, self-reliance, and legalism actually prevent rather than promote holy living.
The law is spiritual. It has revelational value. But it cannot make you holy. Only Christ living His life through you can do that.
Remember the words of John Bunyan,
Run John run
The law demands
But gives me neither feet or hands
Better news the gospel brings
It bids me fly and gives me wings.
The gospel has revelational and enablement value!
The law cannot save us, neither can the works of the flesh.
We need to repent of our “leaning on the flesh”, that is, depending on our own self-justifying works, and trust in Christ— all that He has done for us and all that He is in us to do God’s will through us by the Holy Spirit.
Notice how many times Paul uses the word, “I”, or “ego” in the Greek. The “ego trip” of self-effort will not bring you into the experience of liberty from the rule of sin. Paul eloquently expresses the dilemma of a person who has been justified by faith in Christ trying to live the Christian life through fleshly adherence to the Law. Instead, he cries out in Romans 8, take the better way – trust fully in the indwelling life of Christ. “The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus alone can make us free from the law of sin and death”. (Romans 8:3) Abide in Him!
Holiness does require effort on our part. But it is the “easy yoke”kind of effort in which we are challenged and enabled to keep in lockstep with the Spirit.
READING FROM PSALMS:
The Psalmist expressed the desire of those who have been made right with God and have come to life in Christ to become like Him.
15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. (Psalm 17:15; NASB)
Proverbs 19:22-23 (NASB) 22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar. 23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
PRAY FOR THE NATIONS
(Taken from The Prayer Guide, "Operation World"; Get your copies at www.operationworld.org)
PRAY FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL
Geography
Area: 20,700 sq km
A further 7,540 sq km of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights have been controlled by Israel since 1967.
Population: 7,285,033 Annual Growth: 1.71%
Capital: Jerusalem
Urbanites: 91.7%
Religion
Largest Religion: Jewish
| Religion | | Pop % | Ann Gr |
| 148,615 | 2.04 | 0.5 | |
| 31,045 | 0.4 | 5.6 | |
| Jewish | 5,492,915 | 75.40 | |
Answer to Prayer
Within Israel, interest in the gospel is increasing, notably among Jews, and especially in the last few years. The hard shells that surround Israelis are beginning to crack open to the gospel. The numbers of Messianic Jews are rising rapidly, now up to 12,000 or possibly even higher. Some of these even come from a Haredi background. Messianic Jews are becoming a recognized part of Israeli society, but greater growth has intensified persecution.
Pastor David
So, naturally, we proclaim Christ! We warn everyone we meet, and we teach everyone we can, all that we know about him, so that, if possible, we may bring every man up to his full maturity in Christ. (Colossians 1:28, J.B. Phillips paraphrase)
New Life Community Church, Concord, MA 10742
Meeting Sundays at 10:30 AM at the Emerson Umbrella for the Arts, 40 Stow Street, Concord MA
Mailing Address: Post Office Box Five, Concord, MA 01742
Church Offices: 35 Bypass Rd. Lincoln, MA 01773 978-369-0061
Home Office: 978-371-3176
New Life Fine Arts
"Theater you can believe in."
