After twenty years of building projects, God appeared to Solomon a second time (1 Kings 9:1-2).
God is elusive. He does not appear frequently. Instead, He allows us room to roam freely. We may work diligently. We may fool around. We will reap what we sow. King Solomon was gifted with an understanding mind. His wisdom shone forth in judging between two mothers who compete for the custodian of a surviving child. Solomon made good use of the wisdom God gave him in rendering justice (1 Kings 3:16-28). He became legendary.
God is elusive. He does not appear frequently. Instead, He allows us room to roam freely. We may work diligently. We may fool around. We will reap what we sow. King Solomon was gifted with an understanding mind. His wisdom shone forth in judging between two mothers who compete for the custodian of a surviving child. Solomon made good use of the wisdom God gave him in rendering justice (1 Kings 3:16-28). He became legendary.
God did not need to dwell in a Temple. Solomon knew it well.
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! (1 Kings 8:27)
But God appreciated the good will of King David and it was His will for Solomon to build the first Jerusalem Temple. God blessed the Jerusalem Temple and promised to keep an eye on it.
And the LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time." (1 Kings 9:3).
Though God does not need men to build Him a Temple, He allows us freedom to build Him a house to worship Him. Throughout ages, men built magnificent churches to worship God, to bear witness to the existence of the transcendence and to elevate people's souls to heaven. Church buildings are good for our souls and form an essential component of human civilization. But hardware alone is insufficient. It must go hand in hand with a proper attitude towards life and proper actions. Morality is as important as church buildings. Solomon had done exceedingly well in building the first Temple. He also needed to act properly. Modern men have done exceedingly well in advancing science and technology. They need to strengthen their morality as well. Alas! Our morality is not able to catch up with the pace of technological advancements which have created unheard of ethical dilemmas for us. We are playing God but we are not possessing a mind of God.
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! (1 Kings 8:27)
But God appreciated the good will of King David and it was His will for Solomon to build the first Jerusalem Temple. God blessed the Jerusalem Temple and promised to keep an eye on it.
And the LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time." (1 Kings 9:3).
Though God does not need men to build Him a Temple, He allows us freedom to build Him a house to worship Him. Throughout ages, men built magnificent churches to worship God, to bear witness to the existence of the transcendence and to elevate people's souls to heaven. Church buildings are good for our souls and form an essential component of human civilization. But hardware alone is insufficient. It must go hand in hand with a proper attitude towards life and proper actions. Morality is as important as church buildings. Solomon had done exceedingly well in building the first Temple. He also needed to act properly. Modern men have done exceedingly well in advancing science and technology. They need to strengthen their morality as well. Alas! Our morality is not able to catch up with the pace of technological advancements which have created unheard of ethical dilemmas for us. We are playing God but we are not possessing a mind of God.
Solomon was told to keep the law. He was not above the law.
And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my ordinances,
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.' (1 Kings 9:4-5)
For his own sake, Solomon had to walk before the Lord with integrity of heart and uprightness. Then his throne would be secured. This was personal. But there were higher dimensions.
But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. (1 Kings 9:6-7)
The fate of the whole nation was tied to the behaviour of the king or the king's children. Not only did their actions carry personal consequences, they also carried social and political consequences, affecting the fate of the kingdom.
Scientists do not work for personal fortunes alone. Their researches generate social and political ripples across the whole humanity and this fragile planet, a lonesome spaceship revolving around an average star, flying through an immense universe. Our existence is insignificant compared with the vastness of the universe. Yet, this fragile spaceship called Earth is very sensitive to the damages done to the environment.
And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my ordinances,
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.' (1 Kings 9:4-5)
For his own sake, Solomon had to walk before the Lord with integrity of heart and uprightness. Then his throne would be secured. This was personal. But there were higher dimensions.
But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. (1 Kings 9:6-7)
The fate of the whole nation was tied to the behaviour of the king or the king's children. Not only did their actions carry personal consequences, they also carried social and political consequences, affecting the fate of the kingdom.
Scientists do not work for personal fortunes alone. Their researches generate social and political ripples across the whole humanity and this fragile planet, a lonesome spaceship revolving around an average star, flying through an immense universe. Our existence is insignificant compared with the vastness of the universe. Yet, this fragile spaceship called Earth is very sensitive to the damages done to the environment.
Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3a). To please his foreign wives, Solomon worshipped their gods and built high places to offer sacrifices to their gods. Solomon had forgotten God's warning in the second vision. The rest was history.
Modern men play harlot with technology. We worship science instead of God. If we do not turn back to discover the true meaning of life, we shall be history.
Modern men play harlot with technology. We worship science instead of God. If we do not turn back to discover the true meaning of life, we shall be history.
Dear Lord, may we be able to discern the truth so that our hearts will not go after scientific idolatry. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment