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 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,
2 That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.
4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.
5 Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
After Solomon had completed the temple, then he completed his own house. Solomon's focus was on doing GOD'S work FIRST!
7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,
8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.
9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.
10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.
There were several groups of nationals still in the country. They had not been totally driven out as God had commanded. Solomon made a point of USING them in conscripted labor. If they were going to have the privilege of living in the greatest nation in the world, then they needed to pay for that privilege with a "work tax."
11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.
It took Solomon 7 years to complete the temple. This was a diligent work. It took him 13 years to complete his own house (1Kings 7) in the forest of Lebanon. That house also contained a special house for Solomon's wife who was an Egyptian princess.
12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch,
13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
Solomon made sure that offerings were made to God continually. They were not offerings of the priests for the people. They were offerings Solomon himself wanted to give to God.
Permit me to pursue this point for a moment. It is when we serve God, that we receive from God.
14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.
15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.
16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.
Now these were the offerings commanded by the Lord in the law. Solomon made a point of instructing the priests to insure that these offerings were made daily according to God's Word.
17 Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.
18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
Ezion-geber is most likely an island (known as Pharoah's Island) about 7 miles South of modern Eilat. Not too far North of that was a place called Elath. This is almost the most Northern point in the Red Sea.
When leaders pay attention to God's work FIRST, then God BLESSES them and their nation! Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 8
When the temple was complete, and his own house was complete, then he began to turn his attention toward the national needs.
Huram did not want the cities that Solomn had given him. So he returned them to Solomon. Therefore, Solomon built those cities stronger and made them more habitable.
Then Solomon went on a building program to strengthen the kingdom.
The greatest strength for any nation is for leaders to do GOD'S work FIRST. Then God will HELP the leader strengthen the nation!
Solomon never enforced a "work tax" on the Israelites, but he did utilize them in the army (verse 9).
The people who live in a nation need to support that nation; and not vice versa!
Now, since she was an Egyptian princess, she was also an Egyptian priestess! Probably, she became a Jewish proselyte. However, she may not have been converted for quite a while. And she may have been quite different from what Jewish people considered a queen to be.
Whatever the case, she did not dwell in Jerusalem. And the Bible is very clear as to why. She did not live in Jerusalem because Solomon had a very great zealousness to keep Jerusalem HOLY!
His father David had sanctified that city, and his Father God had sanctified that city as the place where God would DWELL!
Solomon really wanted to know that he was close to God. He really wanted to know God's guidance, direction, provision and protection.
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."(Isaiah 40:31)
Those words "wait upon" in Isaiah 40:31 mean to "SERVE."
He also appointed and organized the "courses" just as his father David had done. A company of priests and levites were constantly available to the people, and continually before God in prayer and offering of sacrifices.
We should understand from verse 16 that the work of Solomon in preparing the temple was not finished until the work in verses 14-15 was done.
A temple is not good if it is just a building.
A church is no good if no one is working in it.
A church can't do much in the community if no one is praying in it.
Ezion-geber was probably the Northernmost point where ships came from the trade routes to Israel. Elath probably served as the ground point where the cargo from the ships were loaded on pack animals and transported to Jerusalem.
Now 450 talents of gold equals more than 1/2 million ounces! THAT'S a lot of gold! And, historically, we find the finest gold came from a place called Ophir. No one really knows where Ophir was. But the term "gold of Ophir" is used in the Bible to designate the finest quality of gold.
The point here is that Solomon commanded a HUGE trade with other nations. Actually Jerusalem became the "HUB" for the world's trade routes.