Tag: chronicles

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When God shows up.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This short Psalm was written when the first temple was being dedicated and the ark of the covenant was being brought into it’s new home. I’m not sure we even have words to describe the moment. This relief, excitement and sense of well being when the physical presence of God, purposely and symbolically represented in this elaborate gold, hand-crafted container, is in its place. As Ezra describes Solomon’s extraordinary opulent, abundance of decorum and cost of this celebration, no wonder it’s so grand! In 2 Chronicles 7, “Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats.” And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God. Chronicles records that God showed up in spectacular glory, “The priests could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.”

God was so pleased with the unity, worship and massive display of gratefulness that he came to Solomon with a durable promise. The promise we often quote as though we, in our current situation, as citizens of the United States, could claim for ourselves. Even though it is not ours to claim. 2 Chronicles 7:12 “Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.” Then it says, “At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.”

WARNING: NSFC (not safe for church)!

Wait, wait, wait… Am I saying that this promise, made to Solomon is not ours to claim. Yes, it is not specifically. Promises, especially these contractual promises are NOT ours to personally or corporately claim. Don’t throw stones at me yet. I do believe there are principles within the context of these circumstances that are applicable and can be emulated. Like the unity, the humble attitude, the outpouring of real worship and rejection of selfishness and evil – these postures are ALWAYS good and acceptable before God. In those moments I am positive that his presence is supernaturally present in abundance. Even in those completely unified efforts of humility and sacrifice of praise, I am sure that God would show up in forgiveness, mercy and possibly even new promises of restoration. The promises may even be better than Solomon’s promise. But this one was to Solomon and the people of God in that place and that time of history. I believe similarly about Jeremiah 29:11. Of course God has plans for us and they ARE good. But that contractual promise was for Jeremiah and again the people of God a that time. Principles can be applied but I do not take those promises as our own.

It’s kind of like, put in the work yourself! Spend the time with God. Press in and humble yourself. Repent and worship him yourself individually or as a community. Then maybe God will move, speak and give you (or us) our own promise, personally, even contractually! I don’t need to take Solomon’s, Jeremiah’s or even Abraham’s, Isaac’s or Joseph’s promises for myself (or our community) – I can go, we can go and get our own. Agree or not, this is a proper way to not only interpret scripture, it’s the better way to apply it!

These days of celebration and community commitments to God were beautiful. God’s response is miraculously amazing. We can even celebrate what God did then. However, we need to have our own experience and not just try to draft off of theirs. God is living and present now, not just in the past.

Prayer

Dad,
I love reading stories of the past and how you worked and moved among people back in time (history for me, present for you). However, I didn’t live, I don’t live back there. I am here now, today. And since I truly believe you are the same yesterday, today and forever (because you’re eternal), I would really like to have our own experiences now. In fact, I would love for us to practice the same posture that prompted your amazing promises back then! I want to practice humility, mercy, confession, worship and wonder before you today. I want us (our community of faith) to do the same. Not to get something from you but to experience an outpouring of Shekinah glory, your presence together! Because we want and need your presence more than just your promises. They needed you then, we need you now.

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What is the sin of census?

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.” But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my Lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?” But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab traveled throughout all Israel to count the people. Then he returned to Jerusalem.” 1 Chronicles‬ ‭21:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​Whoa. I’m not sure which is MORE shocking? The fact that Satan shows up in Chronicles. Or that his big move is to get David to count the people. Or that everyone, including David seems to know this census is wrong. What is going on?

All I know is that David stubbornly goes through with it and God rains down massive judgment on Jerusalem – it’s pretty creepy.

God commanded Moses to take a census and the heading said, “census tax.” “The Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the people of Israel” Ex 30:11-12. God told Moses that everyone, rich or poor would give a half a shekel to the tabernacle and half to God. God even told Moses it was a ransom payment, AND their would be no plague associated with this numbering or tax, “ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.” Ex 30:12. Now I’m more curious than ever!

It’s not completely clear about why David wanted a census or why God was so mad at him for taking it. There is an interesting tie-into the eventual plot of land where the first temple would be built. And the fact that David doesn’t take the land or receive it as a gift from Araunah, the Canaanite, “And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.” https://ref.ly/1Ch21.22-25;esv. There is another interesting theory though…

Most of the Bible commentators are far more interested in the fact that the. word “Satan” shows up here in Chronicles. This is the same story that shows up in Samuel 24:1, except God incited David to do the census! It eventually leads to a deeper, long-standing question about leadership responsibility and accountability. One commentator asks the obvious question – “Why would Yahweh incite David to do something for which he would later punish him? Both accounts begin by saying Yahweh was angry with Israel, not David. Yahweh chose to use David as his instrument of judgment against the nation, similar to the way he would use Nebuchadnezzar centuries later. As the Babylonian king was still accountable for his actions, so was David.

Judgment (and its means) both belong to the Lord, but human agents are still accountable.” (https://ref.ly/o/stbblpssycllctn/62845?length=464).

This is a doozy! This pairs well with the whole, “and God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” We clearly understand that God didn’t MAKE Pharaoh resist, but rather Pharaoh’s stubbornness to yield would mean that his heart was hardening with every rebellious “No.”

Well, as for the Sin of Census, I can see how God is NOT happy with anyone who uses taxation as a means of payment for sin – even if that payment was going towards building a house for himself. God is the ONLY one who receives a sacrifice or any kind of “payment” for sin. No human is capable or worthy to ask for it, nor receive it. Even that points to the future, “One payment for all” through Jesus.

So the idea of taking a census for taxation in order to receive worship – forget about it. Think about the Census that the Roman emperor, Augustus took in Luke 2:1! Interesting huh?

PRAYER:

Dad,
Just a personal note. I don’t plan on taking any census’ for worship taxation, ok?