Title: What Are You First? (2 Chron 1:1~13)
Contents
What are you first? (2 Chron 1:1~13)
It is said that the era in which we live today is taught and is called the era of the three nothings.
The first is the age of indifference, the second is the age of irresponsibility, and the third is the age of insensitivity.
Dear saints, don't you want to be moved? God, who moved us with the love of giving even his own son, wants to be touched through us.
The protagonist in 2 Chronicles today is Solomon.
Solomon's father was King David.
Solomon was a man who received many blessings from God. God gave Solomon excellent wisdom and knowledge. He also gave us wealth, wealth, and glory. There was no one before or after that enjoyed the power, wealth, and glory as Solomon did.
Why did God pour special blessings on Solomon alone?
Because he moved God through worship. Does God have no one to impress you today? you are looking for Just as he poured out blessings on Solomon, he is looking for people who worship with emotion to bless him.
So, what was special about Solomon's worship? What aspects of Solomon's worship service moved God? Let's try to find them one by one as we read the text.
(1) The throne of Solomon son of David was established, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
In 2 Chronicles, it is said that the throne is simply getting stronger, but in 1 Kings, various events appear.
They commit many killings to secure their kingship.
Eliminate Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25), who is trying to usurp the throne. Abiathar the priest is fired and expelled. (1 Kings 2:26-7)
He kills Joab, the commander of the army. (1 Kings 2:34) He also removes Shimei who cursed David. (1 Kings 2:46)
In today's language, it may have been the beginning of a dictatorship. I don't know if I should call him a tyrant and impeach him.
However, it is interpreted differently depending on who evaluates the history and how.
You don't even have to look at people's ratings. Look at God's evaluation.
(Verse 1b) And the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
God is with Solomon. All of this was done with God.
In other words, it is what God wants.
Dear brothers and sisters, what kind of work do you want to do on this earth?
No matter what others say, do you want to do something that only I can be comfortable with, no matter what God says?
Or do I want to do what my loved ones want, even if it is a little difficult right now?
Do you want your family to do what God wants, even if it is a little difficult right now?
This is called God-first.
A person who lives with God first is a person with God like Solomon.
This is the biggest secret to living life.
Do you want to prosper? Do you want to become a believer? Then, walk with God.
Those who walk the path of destruction, those who live the life of chaff, are people who live day by day according to my emotions and feelings.
Even the one who made Solomon king, believe that it is not Solomon himself who makes him superior to all kings, but only one Jehovah God.
(2) And Solomon commanded the captains of thousands and of hundreds and of the judges of all Israel, and of every prince and chieftain of all Israel,
(3) And they went with all the congregation to the high place of Gibeon, for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had built in the wilderness.
Solomon is not only with God himself, but also leads all his co-workers and people to worship.
(Proverbs 1:7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Solomon is a wise man.
(1:12) Therefore I will give you wisdom and knowledge, and I will also give you wealth and riches and honor.
To Solomon, who fears God, lives in God-centered, God-first, and God-first, our God gives Solomon unprecedented wisdom and knowledge that has never been there before or after.
It was a confession that Solomon made the chieftains and princes of Israel and went to God to offer sacrifices, saying, "Inara is not mine, but the kingdom of Jehovah God."
It is the same meaning that you start the week today by coming to church and worshiping. I confess that I am not living for myself, but for God and His glory.
What was Solomon thinking as he offered the sacrifice at the high place of Gibeon?
How bad would it be to offer Jehovah God, the creator of the universe, to idols like this at a place where sacrifices were made? So, in 2 Chronicles 1-7, only the story about the building of the temple appears.
He did not seek health, wealth, or honor for himself, but wisdom for the people.
This is what it looks like to be with God.
Solomon's devotion does not end there.
(6) And they came to the altar of brass that was before the LORD, which was before the tent of meeting, and offered a burnt offering on it of a thousand sacrifices.
The famous Thousand Burnt Offerings will appear.
Opinions differ as to whether the offering was made for a thousand days or a thousand sacrifices. Regardless of the date, even if you continue to feed thousands of livestock, it will take about a week to a fortnight.
What we should notice here is that Solomon came to God in the best form he could have.
It means that you have given all the time you can give, the material you can give, and the heart you can give.
It was not given during difficult and difficult times, but rather that he did not distance himself from God even though he became king and his throne was strengthened, but rather focused on God. (This is in stark contrast to those who come to church when they are sad and cling to it, and then leave the church if they can afford it.)
The reason he was able to do this was because everything in his heart was filled with God.
Faith is evidenced by actions like this.
Our church now also wants to hold formal Japanese worship services.
Sister Surin will be an interpreter. Of course, there will be a lot of trial and error. However, since our God is a God who sees the heart, we will promote Japanese worship with all our time, devotion, and heart.
We believe that the same blessings as Solomon will come to Sorin sisters who participate.
If we move, we will also adjust the worship time. There will also be a Friday worship service. There will be one more afternoon service for Sunday worship.
Just as Solomon took all the people to the high place of Gibeon, I want our church to have many people yearning for worship. That is why we want God-centered people to arise on this earth. I want to find the purpose of life in worship. You want to discover your own identity.
When we praise and worship at Jesus Mission Church, I hope in the name of Jesus that evil spirits will dissipate, hatred and jealousy will disappear, and works overflowing with gratitude and grace will occur every week.
What kind of grace did our God bestow upon Solomon?
(Verses 11, 12) And God said to Solomon, "It is with this heart that you do not seek wealth or riches or honor or the destruction of the enemy's life, nor longevity, but wisdom and knowledge to judge my people over whom I have made you rule. Therefore, I will give you wisdom and knowledge, and I will also give you wealth and riches and honor. The kings before you were not like it, and after you there will be none like it.
Please worship God. I want you to yearn for the worship of God. Please eat the word. He will grant the same grace as Solomon to you and me who eat, pray, and obey the Word.
Be honored like Solomon.
May the Spirit of God be with you, like Solomon.
Be always great like Solomon.