Dec 20, 2006              A Chosen and Sanctified House              Kathleen Maples

When the temple was ready, they brought up the ark of God, which was the commandments, the Word of God, the Testimony of God to the people. The priests, those sanctified and set apart for God's use, to minister to God and to the people for God, carried the ark into the holy place. The whole congregation was there. There were animal sacrifices being made that could not be numbered. All the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, were brought to be placed in the temple.

1Ki 8:4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.

Only those ordained and sanctified by the Lord of the tribe of Levi were to bear the ark, the Word of God.

1Ki 8:6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.

1Ki 8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

They drew out the long wooden poles on which they carried the ark on their shoulders. The ark would not be moved again. The Word was there to stay.

1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

I wonder what happened to the omer of manna the Lord instructed Moses to place in the ark when they were in the wilderness after leaving Egypt?

1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

There had been so much preparation. Everything was done in order, and done the way the Lord wanted. His glory filled the house because everything had been prepared the right way. Oh, I want to see this....

1Ki 8:12 Then spoke Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

1Ki 8:13 I have surely built thee a house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever.

1Ki 8:22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:

1Ki 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:

We need to remember that "with all their heart" part. We can't be half hearted about the things of God. We can't walk before Him with our hearts divided and full of mixture. Our hearts must be singly devoted to the will and ways and Word of God, and if and when it is, the rest will be taken care of. Remember Jesus said our Father knoweth what things we have need of, (regarding food, clothing, shelter, and the like) but we are to seek first HIS kingdom, and all these other things would be added. (Mat 6:33).

1Ki 8:28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee today:

1Ki 8:29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

It is important to remember that Solomon prayed a prayer here that was very much the will of God and heart of God for the people. Lord, that your eyes be open and toward this house where your name is, that your ears hear the prayers of your people in this place. Oh, He would not tell us to pray if He did not plan to hear and answer.

1Ki 8:30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

1Ki 8:33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

1Ki 8:34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.

When the people sin and turn from God, and are smitten before their enemies because they sinned (for the child of God cannot stand before their enemy with sin in their life), and when they turn and confess Your Name, and pray, hear Lord, and forgive their sin, and bring them back into the promises of Your Word.

1Ki 8:35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

1Ki 8:36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.

When they have sinned and the heavens over their heads are as brass and their prayers get nowhere, and Your blessing is withheld because of their sin, and they turn, and pray and confess Your Name, and turn from their sin, then hear and forgive and teach them the good way wherein they should walk and give rain upon thy land. Amen.

1Ki 8:37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;

1Ki 8:38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

1Ki 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

1Ki 8:40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

If there comes a famine, a hunger for lack of food, (or a lack of the Word from the Lord), and the people are plagued, they have been plundered and besieged where they live, and no matter what the sickness or plague, if they pray and make supplication, knowing the plague of sin in their own heart, hear and forgive, Lord, according to their ways, because you alone know their heart and whether it is sincere or not.

If the sinner, the one who doesn't know You comes and prays here, hear oh, Lord. Answer and forgive, so that all in the land may know and fear thee as do Your own people. If Your people are in a battle against their enemy, and they turn their head toward this place and pray, hear in heaven, and maintain their cause, grant them victory over their enemies. If they sin, and there is no man that sinneth not, and You get angry, Lord, and they get carried away captive by their enemy, and if they repent and turn their hearts back to You, in their captivity, and return to You with all their heart, in the land of their enemies, and pray, hear and forgive, Oh, Lord, and help them Lord, deliver them, Lord, that their captor may have compassion on them.

1Ki 8:52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.

1Ki 8:53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.

Solomon prayed the heart of God for the people. This prayer illustrates what God wants to do when people err. It also illustrates how the child of God, who is the temple of the Holy Ghost is to treat those who sin against them-with mercy, compassion, and a willingness to forgive as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us.

Ki 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

1Ki 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:

1Ki 8:58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.

God's Word never fails-we just need to trust Him. He is with us, He will not fail us or leave us or forsake us. He will turn our hearts to Him, to walk in His ways and keep His Word, if that is what we truly want.

1Ki 8:59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:

1Ki 8:60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.

1Ki 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

If we pray like this, if we intercede for others, and walk in the ways and will of God, and trust Him, He will keep our prayers close to Him, and keep our feet from stumbling, whatever happens, so that others around us may know that only the LORD is GOD and the things they trust in will not save them. If we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to the will and ways and glorious fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ, for His plans and purposes and we are prepared for His use, with out divided hearts, but sold out to HIM, something is going to happen.

Solomon made this prayer, and offered thousands of animals in sacrifice, and dedicated the House of the Lord, that temple that took years to build, solely to the Lord, for the purposes in the prayer he prayed. This temple was set apart for God. For worship. It was to be a place of refuge, for the weary soul, for those in need of God. It was a place God was to be reverenced and feared and honored and treated with the respect due His Holy Name. If you switch over to the account given of these events in 2 Chronicles 7, you will see what happened was glorious.

2Ch 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

2Ch 7:2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.

2Ch 7:3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshiped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.

Oh, I want to see it. I want to see His glory fill the temple again. God help Your people get their act together, and their priorities straight, and their hearts set totally on You.

They feasted for days after this. For 7 days, all the congregation of Israel held a feast. In the 8th day, they made a solemn assembly, for they had kept the feast for 7 days, and the dedication of the altar 7 days. Then, he sent the people away, glad, and merry in their hearts for the goodness of the Lord. THEN the LORD appeared to Solomon by night and told him He had heard Solomon's prayer and had chosen this place for a house of sacrifice.

God said if He had to shut up the heavens, or judge His people, this is what they had to do:

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

That word "humble" means to subdue, bring down low, under subjection, bend their knee, in humility, before the Lord and intercede, and entreat Him, with supplication, and search Him out, desire HIM, to KNOW HIM, to REQUIRE HIM, to strive after HIM, and turn from their evil ways, He would hear and forgive. He would heal and restore.

2Ch 7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

2Ch 7:16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

Did you catch that? He said His heart would be there perpetually-continually. HIS HEART would be in the temple. He would share HIS HEART...His wisdom, knowledge, thoughts, and communicate with those who sought after Him, with humility and sincerity. Oh, Lord, help us be in order, set in order so you can fill us and use us and be glorified. Oh, how this lost and dying world needs so desperately to see the Lord manifested in the lives of true believers. They are hurting, and desperate. They sit in their homes with their pain, their emptiness, and their fears, and they try to cope with the struggles of life without God, and it's a hard road, folks. It is written in Jeremiah that it is not in a man to direct his own steps. (Jer_10:23) When we try, we make a mess. We make bad choices, and we hurt ourselves and in our misery lash out at those around us who are most vulnerable-the children. Our spouse who loves us. Whomever is closest. Sin destroys, it wrecks. It deceives and hardens. God alone is the only cure. He only can satisfy the longing of the soul.

I pray the Lord will pour His compassion in our hearts and help us be sensitive to the needs around us. We need to look past ourselves, past our own struggles, and trust them and commit them to God, and believe His promises to keep and secure us enough to get our focus off ourselves, and ask Him to open our eyes to the needs around us that He wants to minister to through us and our lives. What a thrill to look into the eyes of a wounded, confused lost soul, and speak life and hope into their situation under the direction of the Lord of Hosts and see that spark of light begin to shine in their eyes....to watch HIM work and heal and restore and graciously allow us to be a small part of what He's doing. Glory to His Holy Name! Isn't that what it's all about? It's about leading others to the Light. Too many of us are so caught up in our own battles, struggling with the lies the devil tries to weigh us down with, getting ourselves stressed out by not asking the Lord to help us manage our time and resources better, that we aren't in a position for God to use us at all to help reach others. The devil wants us to feel sorry for ourselves, to continue struggling with ourselves, and give in to depression, because when all we can see is ourselves, it is a depressing and sad thing. But when we can take our eyes off self and look to HIM, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the LORD OF GLORY, and trust Him to perfect us as we pray and seek HIM and spend time with HIM in HIS WORD, meditating on His Word, we will begin to think like Him, act like Him, talk like HIM, look like Him. We will see others through His eyes. And self will die. Oh, Lord Most High, thank You for Your great mercy..Your long suffering. Help us not to be self-absorbed, but compassionate as You are. Time is running out for this lost world. It's time for the children of the Most High to start acting like it, and prepare themselves and set themselves to seek God, and HIS purposes, and in so doing we will find relief from all the things that plague our minds and hearts. Just getting in His presence will melt the idols, and expose anything unlike Him. (Isa_19:1). If we take His Word and hold on to It for dear life, and gladly, meekly receive it into our temples, and grant it the rightful place in our inner man, as the absolute FINAL AUTHORITY and ONLY Authority, it will cut off the head and hands of whatever grips us that is unlike God just like He did when they placed the ark in the Philistines' temple with their god, Dagon. We have an enemy, saints, that wants us to be so focused on our own problems, and failures, that we are of no use to the kingdom of God. We cannot be representatives of God if our focus is on self. We need God to help us get a vision of Him, to see HIM high and lifted up and in control and faithful and well able to do more than we could ever possibly imagine. If we neglect Him, we become weak and fretful for HE is the Source of our strength, our wisdom, our life. I pray we all ask Him to draw us to Him, back to prayer and fasting, and seeking HIM so we can decrease and HE can increase.