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BIBLE REFERENCE: 2
Chronicles 7:13-16
WORDS
TO REMEMBER
TEMPLE
- (1) the place where the Jewish people worshiped and sacrificed
in Jerusalem. The first temple was built by King Solomon
as a house for God. (2) human body also referred as a temple
in 1 Corinthians 6:19
TABERNACLE
- Also known as the Tent of Meeting, this was a tent used
by the Israelites for meeting with God. This was a place
where God chose to show his presence. God gave Moses commands
to build the tabernacle according to his plan. This tabernacle
would be a copy of the real one in heaven. BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
The background
for this biblical tidbit takes place after King Solomon had
built and prayed a Prayer of Dedication for the temple. King
Solomon asks the Lord in his prayer to hear the prayers of
the people when they go up in the temple. He also asked the
Lord to be merciful upon the people who would sin against
Him. The selected passage is God's response to Solomon's prayer.
In this response, God requests a few things from the people.
As we examine these requests, they are just as prevalent today
as they were during Solomon's day. When trials and tribulations
enter our lives we must:
- "Humble
ourselves" - this means we must put aside our pride,
egos, and independence. Instead of trying to solve sticky
problems and situations ourselves we need to cast our anxiety
on God for he cares and knows what is best for us. The majority
of the time when we handle situations ourselves we make
them worse.
- "Pray
and seek my face" - A little more background here
for you. Before the temple was built, the Israelites used
the tabernacle to worship God. Both the temple and tabernacle
had the same layout and the high priest and the priest were
the only ones allowed inside the first room , the Holy Place.
The inner room or the Most Holy Place could only be entered
by the High Priest once a year. When he entered he made
atonement for his sins as well as the people's sins. When
Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated the
two rooms in the temple was torn. This symbolized that now
we can talk and converse freely with God. This can be done
anytime or anyplace. Don't ever feel you have done so wrong
that you can't face God -- he waits patiently for you to
seek his face. (Refer to Luke 23:45; Hebrews 9:7, 11-12
and 28)
- "Turn
from their wicked ways" - After we have put aside
our egos and had a "little talk with Jesus", we
must repent and confess our sins. In 2 Corinthians 7:11
there is a list of seven characteristics of TRUE REPENTANCE:
earnestness, eagerness to clear yourselves, indignation,
alarm, longing, concern, and a readiness to see justice
done. Are you feeling any of these characteristic in your
life now about a situation? Confess your sin, don't merely
feel sorrowful, but make it your goal to completely remove
the bad habit or refuse to repeat the same sin continuously.
If
we follow these requests, God will hear our prayer and heal
our land (country, illness, children, friends, etc.) "For
we are the temple of the living God...I [God] will live with
them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they
will be my people. --- 2 Corinthians 6:16
Scripture
used from the New International Version Bible (NIV) and New
King James Version (NKJV).
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