2 CHRONICLES 7:12-22 GOD'S RESPONSE

INTRODUCTION

WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS FINISHED, SOLOMON ARRANGED FOR A DEDICATION SERVICE

BUT, BEFORE HE HAD A SPECIAL DEDICATION SERVICE, HE FIRST HAD TO ARRANGE THE ARK, THE MOST SACRED PIECE OF FURNITURE FROM THE TABERNACLE

WHEN DAVID WANTED IT MOVED TO JERUSALEM AND THE FIRST TIME THAT HE TRIED TO MOVE IT ENDED UP IN DISASTER AS HE TRIED TO MOVE THE ARK ON A CART

BUT, THE SECOND ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL AS DAVID HAD THE PRIESTS CARRY THE ARK AS GOD HAD COMMANDED IN THE LAW OF MOSES

THE ARK REPRESENTED THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD AND JESUS CHRIST AND WHERE AND HOW MAN COULD COMMUNE WITH GOD

EVERY YEAR THE MERCY SEAT WAS SPRINKLED WITH BLOOD FROM THE SACRIFICE ON THE BRAZEN ALTAR ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

THIS WAS THE WAY THAT MAN COULD COMMUNE WITH GOD

IT IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (SACRIFICE ON THE ALTAR) AND HIS SHED BLOOD (BLOOD ON THE MERCY SEAT) THAT MAN CAN COMMUNE WITH GOD

ALL OF THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE GOSPEL, AND IT MAKES THE ARK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF FURNITURE IN THE TABERNACLE AND NOW THE TEMPLE

THEREFORE, BEFORE THE DEDICATION SERVICE, SOLOMON HAD THE ARK MOVED TO THE TEMPLE

THIS WOULD MAKE THE TEMPLE THE DESIGNATED PLACE FOR WORSHIP AND WHERE THE PRESENCE OF GOD WOULD ESPECIALLY MANIFESTED

GOD PRESENCE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE OR IT WAS JUST ANOTHER BUILDING

AS THEY BROUGH THE ARK UP, THEY SACRIFICED WITHOUT NUMBER

THE WORD SACRIFICING IN OUR TEXT REMINDS US THAT IT COSTS TO DO GOD’S BUSINESS RIGHT

WORSHIP WITHOUT DEDICATION-A DEDICATION THAT INVOLVES PERSONAL SACRIFICE-IS WORTHLESS WORSHIP

WHEN YOU DEDICATE YOUR SERVICE WITH SACRIFICIAL WORSHIP, GOD BRINGS GREAT SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

WHEN EVERYONE BEGAN PRAISING THE LORD, THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

ACCOMPANYING THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP OF THE LORD WAS THE CLOUD OF DIVINE GLORY

THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, WHICH MEANS THAT THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD’S BLESSING FILLED THE ENTIRE TEMPLE DO YOU WANT GOD TO FILL YOUR WHOLE LIFE WITH HIS GLORY INSTEAD OF HAVING HIM INVOLVED IN JUST A SMALL PART

WE LIMIT THE GLORY OF GOD IN OUR OWN LIVES WHEN WE LIMIT HIS POSSESSION OF OUR LIFE TO JUST A SMALL PART

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SOLOMON HAD GIVEN GOD THE PRIORITY IN HIS LIFE

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE GOD THE PRIORITY AND AS A RESULT THERE AREN’T A LOT OF EVIDENCE OF GOD’S FAVOR UPON THEIR LIVES

THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO WITH THE FAMILY, FRIENDS, HOBBIES, SHOPPING AND OFTEN TIMES SUNDAY IS A DAY THAT IS FREE TO MOST PEOPLE

THEY PRIORITIZE THESE THINGS OVER GOD BUT SOLOMON HAD A HIGHER PRIORITY AND A GREATER PASSION

SOLOMON’S PRAYER IS THE LONGEST PRAYER RECORDED IN THE BIBLE

IN THE ACCOUNT OF CHRONICLES, AT LEAST 20 TIMES THERE IS A PRAYER WORD IN THE PRAYER (PRAYER, PRAY, PRAYETH, SUPPLICATION

WITH THIS KIND OF PASSION AND PRIORITY FOR GOD, YOU CAN EXPECT SOME KIND OF RECIPROCITY FROM THE LORD

BODY

I. HE EXPERIENCED THE PRIVILEGE OF COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION IS NOT A RIGHT FROM GOD BUT A PRIVILEGE

IT IS BOTH A GREAT AND GRACIOUS PRIVILEGE

MANY PEOPLE DON’T EVEN ALLOW GOD TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM

MUCH OF THEIR PRAYER LIFE CONSISTS OF THEM DOING ALL OF THE TALKING AND GOD DOING ALL OF THE LISTENING IF THEY PRAY AT ALL

MANY ARE NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO GOD

THEY ARE FAR MORE INTERESTED IN WATCHING TV OR READING THE NEWSPAPER

THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY, HE THAT HATH A MOUTH, LET HIM SPEAK

BUT, HE THAT HATH AN EAR LET HIM HEAR

SOLOMON RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION THROUGH A DREAM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT GOD COMMUNICATES WITH MAN