The eternal temple of the LORD
2 Chronicles 8:1-2,11
The unprecedented splendid golden temple devotedly built by the King Solomon collapsed after all.
The only way to build our unbroken temple is to know that All I built collapse after all.
Today, well have a look how we can build an unbroken temple of the LORD forever.
1. We should devote more time to the LORD.
The King Solomon finally built his palace and the temple the LORD in 20 years.
He built the palace in 7 years and the temple in 13 years.
We can say he devoted 35% of his time to the LORD.
How many hours we devote to the LORD?
In 24 hour basis, 35% makes 8 hours a day.
Could we devote 8 hours a day for QT? It will not be easy that way.
In that sense, the King Solomon is far better than we.
In a week basis, 35% makes 2.5 days.
Do we hold worship in that amount?
Well, we worship on Sunday, Wednesday, Weekly small group service and Saturday training.
We are better than Solomon in that sense though.
But it is more important that how much we think the LORD and how much we work for the LORD.
In last Wednesday service, the King Solomon looked like a whole man because he carried the Ark of the Covenant and worshiped on his way.
But in todays words, he is quite contrast to whom he was before.
So, I think we should devote more time to the LORD to be a whole worshipper.
2. There should not be an end.
In 8:1, At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the LORD and his own palace, one word end caught my eyes.
It is most spiritually dangerous time when we tried and finished the job.
I did so.
Last week I served a sunrise service.
I did prepare another Wednesday service just in case.
But my wife read a weekly bulletin and told me that I do not have to prepare it.
I translated the situation that the LORD tells me to stay firm at home and not to do the miserable service at the church. I thought 'Youre absolutely right'.
But since then, I could not pay attention to QT.
Because I do not have to prepare a service just like in end of building.
Probably Solomon did feel the same way I did.
At that moment, the pastor called me and told me to preach on Sunday.
I realized that there should not be an end.
So, todays wonderful preach is less important than a daily QT in a same manner everyday to the LORD.
3. We should defend the Cabul that the LORD gave to us.
Cabul is useless land that Solomon gave away to Huram, where Huram also refuse to receive it.
Not long ago, a deacon in our group sent a book 11 reasons to keep home and a bulletin of evangelism festival to my ex-wife.
But those books were returned along with a text message from my mother-in-law saying that I should not involve any more.
To this incident, how can I see my sin and what can I apply?
I was divorced in 2003.
And not so long ago, I could finally live with my elder son at my house, which I longed for so long.
I thought that the LORD gave me a reward for my belief.
But soon after that, my son saw the scene I and my second wife fought each other fiercely and he suggested that I and my second wife should split and live separately.
It was shock to me to hear the word divorce again from my son.
Being able to live with my elder son live together again was not a reward but it was an incident of repentance given by the LORD for me to realize where I am in belief.
That incident was a warning that I should not forget the fact that we are a remarried couple fragile enough to be broken without the help of words.
I believe that the incident of Cabul returned to Solomon means that Solomon should repent.
Because the LORD gave the land to Solomon but he recklessly gave away it to a foreigner.
I repent that I still love the world and keep building something just like Solomon did.
I decide to be a father and a husband who keep the home and raise the children with the words and serve as a model to them with everyday life.
4. It is the holy Ark of the LORD
In 8:11, Pharaohs daughter appears and she served foreign gods as she was from Egypt.
Solomons women built high places for Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh and Molech.
Solomon became to stay away from and betrayed the LORD.
This is the result of the marriage of disbelief.
I got divorced and kept it a secret for 5 years like a hell.
So, our small group service is truly a bathroom group where anyone can seep off.
Best that divorced people like us is to repent for the marriage of disbelief first,
and to repent for not being a good model of belief, and to say the words to the children and to evangelize them.
As in 8:11 'the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy', the places of the ark of the LORD would be
given to the painful children and painful member of family and I hope they will be saved.
I hope that I could walk with the LORD in the land like Cabul where nobody cares and the worlds grow in my children.
As sons of Israel settled at Cabul where Jesus began to work, I hope the words of keeping home pass onto generation to generation.
