God’s Renewing Word of Prayer
Introduction
2 Chronicles 7:1-10: After Solomon offered his prayer to the LORD (2 Chronicles 6:12-42), he dedicated the Temple and offered sacrifices to the LORD. Then Solomon and all the people celebrated the Festival of Shelters, a harvest festival (see Leviticus 23:33-43; Deuteronomy 16:13-17).
Scripture Reading
The Dedication of the Temple
(1 Kings 8.62-66)
1 When King Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered, and the dazzling light of the Lord‘s presence filled the Temple. 2Because the Temple was full of the dazzling light, the priests could not enter it. 3 When the people of Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the light fill the Temple, they fell face downward on the pavement, worshiping God and praising him for his goodness and his eternal love. 4Then Solomon and all the people offered sacrifices to the Lord. 5He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so he and all the people dedicated the Temple. 6The priests stood in the places that were assigned to them, and facing them stood the Levites, praising the Lord with the musical instruments that King David had provided and singing the hymn, “His Love Is Eternal!” as they had been commissioned by David. The priests blew trumpets while all the people stood.
7Solomon consecrated the central part of the courtyard, the area in front of the Temple, and then offered there the sacrifices burned whole, the grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar which he had made was too small for all these offerings.
8Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the Egyptian border in the south. 9They had spent seven days for the dedication of the altar and then seven more days for the festival. On the last day they had a closing celebration, 10and on the following day, the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people home. They were happy about all the blessings that the Lord had given to his people Israel, to David, and to Solomon.
Today’s Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 7:1b
Fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered, and the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence filled the Temple.
Reflect
After King Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven, burning up the sacrifices as a sign of God’s presence and approval. How did the people react when they saw the fire? In what ways does your community of faith experience God’s presence?
Pray
Merciful God, thank you for the ways in which you keep your promises to your people. I praise you for your goodness and eternal love. Make me ever mindful of your will so that I may live and serve according to your ways. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Job 42:1-17: The story of Job concludes with Job being blessed by the LORD.