Morning Light – November 6th, 2015: Receiving What you Did (and Did Not) Ask for From God

Morning Light – November 6th, 2015
Today: [2 Chronicles One] Receiving What you Did (and Did Not) Ask for From God. In this chapter David is deceased and Solomon reigns. The first official act of Solomon was to go to Gibeon and sacrifice at the brazen altar in the tabernacle of Moses. Solomon in so doing acknowledges both the mercy of God and the judgments of God in the earth. The following night God appears to Solomon in a dream and not only grants him wisdom but also many blessings and riches that Solomon did not ask for because his heart was upright before Him.
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[2Ch 1:1-17 KJV] 1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God [was] with him, and magnified him exceedingly. 2 Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. 3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that [was] at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. 4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to [the place which] David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it. 6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which [was] at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.
As this chapter opens we recognize that David is dead and Solomon’s rule is confirmed before the people. Solomon moves into the house of David on Zion where the ark of the Covenant rests under an open air tabernacle known as the tabernacle of David. Hundreds if not thousands of singers and musicians are constantly surrounding this tabernacle where the ark is in plain view. The glow of the Shekinah emanates from above the mercy seat casting all the worshippers and the surrounding city of David in an unearthly and heavenly light. This efulgence is similiar to the light that shone out of Moses face before the tabernacle in the wilderness.
Solomon gathers the people and goes to Gibeon where the remainder of articles of the tabernacle of Moses are. The tabernacle of Moses has been pitches here minus the ark of the Covenant since the days of king Saul. David during his reign never went here for he feared to approach the brazen altar without the ark of the Covenant being present. Solomon braves the journey and stands before the brazen altar and offers a thousand sacrifices upon it – specifically burnt offerings. The burnt offering is different from the other offerings in that it was a consecration offering. It did not deal with sin but rather was an expression of total and complete committment and offering of one’s self up in service to God. It was the Old Testament equivelant of acknowledging the Lordship of God in one’s life and in Solomon’s cases God’s rule over the entire nation.
Why is Solomon doing this? David offerred as many offerings when he brought the ark of God’s mercy into the city of Jerusalem from Kearjathjearim. David offered up to the ark representing God’s mercy – Solomon offerred the equivelent offerings on the brasen altar representing God’s judgment. In so doing Solomon was bringing mercy and truth together in an acknowledgment of the Lordship of God over the people, the nation and all the earth. He thus makes way for the eventual dismantling the tabernacle of Moses forever and brings the articles therein to the threshingfloor of Ornan where the temple, God’s place of permanence will be constructed.
7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. 9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, [that is so] great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
Remember that Solomon is quite young at this time only 12 or 13 years of age. He is being counselled by the prophets Nathan and Gad and his uncle Jonathan the brother of David. He realizes in the company of such august and powerful men of God that he is completely unequipped to rule the people or to sit on the throne. God comes to him in the night just as he came to Samuel at night and he calls his name. He invites Solomon to ask what he would and it will be granted. Instead of asking for wealth, victory over his enemies or long life Solomon instead asks for wisdom to rule the people and to be a good king. God grants his petition and additionally promises everything that Solomon didn’t ask for – all for DAVID’S SAKE. Just as we pray to God in the name of Jesus likewise the kings of Judah prayed and asked God to do things because of His promises to king David. Jesus is our David. We ask God in answering our prayers not to look at us but to answer because of His covenant with His own son and heir the Lord Jesus Christ.
13 Then Solomon came [from his journey] to the high place that [was] at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel. 14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem [as plenteous] as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that [are] in the vale for abundance. 16 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred [shekels] of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out [horses] for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.
After thus praying Solomon returns from Gibeon and resorts to the palace or house of David. From that point on the wealth of the nation and of Solomon increased to the point that gold and silver were as common as the cobblestones in the streets. What was the predicating event? Solomon sought the judgment of God at Gibeon and repaired the mercy of God at Zion. Many people want to forsake the judgments of Gibeon and only cling to the mercies of Zion (where David’s tabernacle and the mercy seat are found). Others seek to Gibeon and prostrate themselves before the judgments of God but will not accord to themselves or others the mercies of God. Longevity and permanance in the kingdom is not found in isolating yourself to one of these two extremes. We must embrace the judgments of God and simultaneously appeal to the mercies of God.
I received a phone call the other day from someone who had a conversation with a prominent pastor on the west coast. My friend mentioned Todd Bentley who continues in ministry after going through a well publicized scandal in his marriage. The pastor on the phone stopped my friend and states that while he believed Bentley could be forgiven – he could never again be recognized in ministry. This pastor was worshipping at Gibeon. He was worshipping before a brasen altar but the holy of holies beyond him was empty. He had no acknoweldgement of the mercy seat of God.
In modern Christian culture ministers who falter and fail will very seldom ever find a place of acceptance in the church. They are considered damaged goods, defective souls, reprobate never to be trusted again. Let us remember that Solomon was the product of a marriage that began in adultry and murder. If modern standards were applied to king David he would have been removed from the throne and died in anonymity. Bathsheba would have been rejected. Rahab the harlot would have died in the fall of Jericho. Saul of Tarsus would have spent his days in prison paying for his crimes of terrorism against the early church. Why is unforgiveness and judgmentalism so prevelant in Christian culture? Because they are worshipping at Gibeon with a vacuous Holy of Holies with no mercy seat. All they see is the sin offering they have no deference to the consecration offerings of God that turn us back to seek the mercy seat at the city of David.
So let us remember that Jesus is not in the lineage of Moses. Our saviour came forth from the lineage of David – a flawed man but a man nonetheless who understood the mercies of God. Let mercy and truth rejoice together in your life and as Solomon you will not only receive what you ask for but even those things that you dare not ask for of God’s hand.