Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We closed last week talking about the temple’s completion.

Solomon brought the things David dedicated into the sanctuary (5:1).

Then he assembled all Israel to accompany the ark into the temple with great celebration.

They could not even keep count of all of the sacrifices that were being made at this time as the ark was being brought into the temple along with the tabernacle of Moses and what it contained.

The whole celebration reached its climax as a cloud - the glory of the LORD - entered the temple as it did when Moses built the tabernacle.

God has kept his promise to David that his son was going to build the temple, and the LORD showed how pleased he was with these events by coming to dwell in the temple in the cloud.

It is now in Jerusalem where the king, the ark, and the temple are all brought together, and Jerusalem is the place where God’s worship will now be centered.

This is just a great time in Israelite history.

is fulfilling His covenant with David, and he is showing that this is the place where He desires His worship to be centered.

Chapters 6-9

Now as we come to chapters 6-9, we see the ceremonies to dedicate the temple.

Now that God has taken up residence in his house, Solomon responds in praise and prayer.

His words fall into three parts:

a) prayer of response to the cloud of God’s glory (vv.

1–2);

b) testimony about God’s faithfulness to David’s house (vv.

3–11);

c) dedicatory prayer for the temple (vv.

12–42).

The first two sections look backward, praising God for keeping two promises—to dwell with his people (vv.

1–2; cf.

e.g. ; ) and to establish Solomon on David’s throne (vv.

3–11; cf. ; ; ).

The third looks forward to the prayers to be offered in and towards the temple.

So let’s look at the chapter in a little more detail.

First, verses 1 and 2. These two verses are Solomon’s response to the appearance of the divine glory in the shape of a dark cloud.

The cloud formerly had appeared at Sinai (; ; ).

So Solomon is seeing that God now dwells, not in a place of total darkness that no one can approach or die such as Mount Sinai.

All could come to the temple where God dwelt to find mercy from the LORD and worship him.

In verse 3, Solomon addresses the whole assembly of Israel before he offers his prayer of dedication for the temple.

He blesses the LORD in the hearing of the people for His keeping of the promises he made to His father David.

The promise to David is certainly the focus since Solomon mentions his father 6 times in these verses.

These two verses are Solomon’s response to the appearance of the divine glory in the shape of a dark cloud.

The cloud formerly had appeared at Sinai (; ; ).

These verses reflect on the immediately preceding event, when God had demonstrated his approval of the king’s relocation of the ark in the new temple.

The Lord’s words that he mentions, about dwelling “in a dark cloud,” refer to God’s presence on the top of Mount Sinai, shrouded in a cloud (; )

““Since the day I brought my people Israel out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city to build a temple in among any of the tribes of Israel, so that my name would be there, and I have not chosen a man to be ruler over my people Israel.

But I have chosen Jerusalem so that my name will be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.””

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Now, with the completion of the temple, it was clear that God had chosen Jerusalem as the place for his Name to be, and David (and his dynasty) was appointed to rule God’s people forever.

Now this is not to say that there were not conditions to God remaining in the temple and David having a descendant on the throne.

Solomons dedication prayer in verses 12-42 show that even at this time, Solomon knew that God’s people needed to be faithful to the covenant they made to God in order to remain in the land.

Solomon talks about sin and captivity in his prayer and praying towards Jerusalem where the LORD put His name.

He also talks about the condition regarding the promise to David that David’s descendants were required to obey GOd’s law if they wanted to remain on the throne (vs16)..

So with this said, the prayer in verses 12-42 is amazing.

Unfortunately we don’t have the time to look at it in great detail.

But you see in this prayer a king who knew the Lord wanted to bless His people and show mercy to His people.

In the first section of this prayer (verses 12-18), Solomon praises the LORD for fulfilling His promises and being willing to in a small way dwell among His people.

Solomon understands God’s presence at the temple is just a thread of His presence and majesty.

No temple or place on earth or in the creation could contain him.

The second section of this prayer (verses 19-42) focuses on requesting that God hear from Heaven the prayers that are offered towards Jerusalem and the temple and be willing to show mercy to His people as they return to Him.

Verses 19-21 — Request that God hears Solomons prayers offered towards the temple as well as a general request for the same for all of Israel.

Verses 22-23 — when a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath, he is to go to the altar in the temple.

Taking an oath was a solemn act ordinarily accompanied by a self-maledictory curse.

Lifting the hand toward heaven was the common gesture while making the oath (; ).

Verses 24-25 — When Israel loses in battle because they have sinned against the LORD and they return to God and pray for mercy

Then we have Solomon asking for God to hear the prayers of Israel as they respond positively to judgments that the LORD sends on the land.

Verses 26-27, the LORD not allowing rain to come upon the land.

Verse 28 — Solomon refers to famine, pestilence, blight or mildew, locust, enemies besieging them while they are suffering plagues that were sent by the LORD.

Verses 32-33 — Solomon even asks that the LORD hear the prayers of foreigners who fear Him and pray towards Jerusalem.

He asks the LORD to answer so the LORD would be glorified among the nations.

Verses 34-35 — When they pray as they go out to battle

Verses 36-39 — Solomon focuses a good section of HIs prayer on those who are taken into captivity because of sin and the people responding to the LORD in prayer and repentance.

It is no surprise that the Chronicler recorded this part of the prayer for the captives who returned to Jerusalem.

He in this is reminding them of the LORD’s mercy towards them in bringing them back into the land - back to where He placed His name.

This chapter shows us the central significance of the temple for post-exilic Israel.

First, the temple was a symbol of God’s sovereign rule promised to David’s family.

By preserving Solomon’s request for God to go on keeping his promise to David (6:16–17), the Chronicler was giving a clear signal that even in his day, David’s kingdom still had a future.

Second, the temple was a reminder to the scattered post-exilic community, whether they were near to or far from Jerusalem (cf.

v. 36), that it was God’s earthly dwelling-place and constituted a permanent invitation to confident prayer.

The joining of these elements together amounts to a permanent invitation to pray for the coming of God’s kingdom.

2 Chronicles 7

When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 The priests were not able to enter the LORD’s temple because the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD. 3 All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the LORD came on the temple.

They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground.

They worshiped and praised the LORD:

For he is good,

for his faithful love endures forever.

“When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 The priests were not able to enter the LORD’s temple because the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD. 3 All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the LORD came on the temple.

They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground.

They worshiped and praised the LORD:

For he is good, for his faithful love endures forever.”

The LORD knows how to answer prayer!

God answers Solomon’s prayer to hear him and Israel by showing that He did just that.

He heard them and responded by burning up the sacrifices on the alar.

for his faithful love endures forever.

Chapter 7 is not only central to the message of Chronicles, but it is also one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament.

It offers hope to any who call on the name of the Lord, even if they have incurred God’s wrath, because God’s desire is for full reconciliation.

The overall theme of the chapter is given in verses 12-16, and this section contains one of the best-known verses in Chronicles (v.

14).

First, the temple was a symbol of God’s sovereign rule promised to David’s family.

By preserving Solomon’s request for God to go on keeping his promise to David (6:16–17), the Chronicler was giving a clear signal that even in his day, David’s kingdom still had a future.

The chapter is in two sections, both of which are about answered prayer.

The genuineness of God’s promise about forgiveness and healing (vv.

11–22) is confirmed and preceded by a very public and dramatic reply to Solomon’s prayer (vv.

1–10; cf.

14–22).

Second, the temple was a reminder to the scattered post-exilic community, whether they were near to or far from Jerusalem (cf.

v. 36), that it was God’s earthly dwelling-place and constituted a permanent invitation to confident prayer.

The joining of these elements together amounts to a permanent invitation to pray for the coming of God’s kingdom.

But God here, in answering Solomon’s prayer, shows how attentive he was to Solomon’s words.

He answers Solomon’s prayer in reverse order.

In verses 12-16, He answers the section regarding Israel praying towards Jerusalem in times of repentance when God sends his plagues and judgments upon the people for their sins.

Then in verses 17-19, he responds to the section of Solomon’s prayer about the promise He has given to David, and he includes a strong warning for Solomon and the descendants of David and Israel if they do not continue to follow His laws.