This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
2CHRONICLES
1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
Solomon had everything in place now for the temple except the ark of the covenant which was still in the city.
6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
Sacrifices to God were made before the ark of the covenant was placed in the temple. Before God will come into our hearts and lives, we must surrender to Him.
7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.
10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
After the sacrifices were made, then the priests carried the ark into the temple and placed it in the "holy of holies."
11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
The preists had made sacrifices for atonement. Then they placed the ark in its proper location in the holy of holies. As they exited, the musicians played loudly and all the people sang loudly: "For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever!"
"But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:" (Malachi 3:2). Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 5
He made a great celebration and invited all the elders of the nation to attend the moving of the ark to the temple.
Solomon was very careful to be sure that the ark was carried by the Levites.
The ceremony took place in the time of the feast on the Day of Atonement in the seventh month of the Jewish year. It is significant that this should happen on that date. The Day of Atonement is recognition that man cannot atone for his sins, he must completely surrender to the Divine Authority and cleansing of God.
The only thing inside the ark at this time was the two tablets of stone that God had given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. No one knows what had happened to Aaron's rod that had budded (Numberse 17:1-10), or to the manna which had earlier been placed in the ark (Exodus 16:32-34).
I think this is very significant. We do noeed to know about the things of the past concerning God's blessings and treatment of His people. However, we need to be presently concerned with only two things as we live our lives for God: His PRESENCE and His WORD.
As they did this, God filled the temple with the "glory cloud" (Shekinah) of His PRESENCE!
It was such an awesome display that the priests could not stand to minister. Everyone was on their knees!