Week 17. April 26
This past week, we read about the grand temple that Solomon
built. It must have been a beautiful building,
and everything was covered with gold.
I
love the fact that David had been given all the instructions and the design for the temple by
God. (1 Chronicles chapter 28,
especially verse 19.) Even though he didn't get to build it, or live to see it, David must have
spent many hours thinking about it, and drawing the blueprints and drawing
models and planning. And it was amazing
to read about all the preparations and ordering all the materials: the cedar
logs and the metals, & hiring all the craftsmen and artisans who did the
work… and he also planned carefully for the administration of all the money and
property, and the organization of the perpetual work of the temple.
Did you catch that the priests were divided
into groups who served in the temple for 2 weeks a year. This plan was still being used when Jesus was
living; see Luke chapter 1, verses 5 and 8-10. (by the way, in the middle of that long list
of priests names on page 453, I liked the name “Happizzez” (verse 15) (it’s a happy name)
The insight in the section we read on April 20 was
interesting to me. Sounds like the
temple was re-built or re-modeled several times over history. And how interesting it is, that the site of
Solomon’s temple was the same place where Abraham and Isaac went to make the
sacrifice when God provided the lamb (instead of Isaac). Our scriptures this week called the site the threshing
floor of Araunah, which is the same as Mt Moriah. (Reference Genesis 22:2, 1 Chronicles 21: 18,
and 2 Chronicles 3:1.)
In Chronicles we finally got to see the psalms being used in
worship. I wonder what the music sounded
like then, with all the musicians and all the instruments.
David was not a perfect man, but he had a close relationship with God. David is the one
who said: “The Lord searches every heart and understands every thought and
every desire.” (1 Chronicles 28: 9)
And “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased
with integrity.” And he said he had
handed everything over to Solomon willingly and with “honest intent”
Honest intent… Since God
knows our heart, He also knows the intent of our heart. That is a lot to ponder.
Keep reading, till next week….Audrey
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