THE KING’S BUSINESS
629
it simply sets forth Jehovah’s infinite su periority to all that was called gods. Of course, there were other gods besides Je hovah, in the sense that there were other things which many put in the place of God: the thing that a man thinks the most of is his god. Solomon emphasizes the fact that Jehovah was a covenant-keeping God. There was great appropriateness in his do ing this at this time, for his own being on the throne was because Jehovah was a cove nant-keeping God (cf. Deut. 7:9; Neh. 1:5; 9 :32; Ps. 89:3-5; Dan. 9 :4). Our own firm and glorious hope of eternal life is founded upon the fact that our God is a covenant keeping God (Jno. 10:28, 29). Those with whom Jehovah keeps covenant are “Those who walk before (Him) with all their heart,” that is, those who order their lives as in His; presence (cf. Ch. 2:4; 3:6; Gen. 17:1; 2 Kings 20:3). v. 24. “Who hast kept with thy servant David, my father» that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day." Jehovah had proven himself one who kept His word, and that is what Jehovah always does—He “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). One of the most marked characteristics of the God of the. Bible is that He is a God who keeps His promises to the.letter: He speaks with His mouth and fulfills it with His hand. Y/hen God says a thing we may know posi tively that He will do exactly what he says. The special promise to which Solomon here refers is found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. v. 25. “Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David, my father, that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the. throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their ways, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before - me," Upon the fact that God had kept His promise in the past, Solomon bases his plea for the fulfillment of the promises not as yet fulfilled. Solomon did not entertain a single doubt that the word which came to David was God’s own word, that Jehovah was the real speaker (cf. Ch. 2:4). This
word of God was absolutely sure (Jer 33: 17-26). v. 26. “And now, Oh God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto David, my father." Solo mon prays that God’s word may “be veri fied." There is no better way to pray than to take some definite promise of God and present it to Him, and ask Him to fulfill it: when we pray that way, we know that we are praying according to the will of God, and that, therefore, dur prayer is heard (1 Jno. 5:14, 15). The larger fulfillment of this promise is, of course, in Him of whom Solomon was only the type, that is, our Lord JesUs, Israel’s true king. v. 27. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less thus -house that I .have builtf" Hot for one moment did Solomon entertain such a lim ited conception of God, as that he could be confined in the Temple, even though he did specially manifest himself there. Earth could not contain Him, nor the heaven, nor heaven of heavens: He filled the whole uni verse (Ps. 139:7-16). Yet there are places where He especially manifests Himself. Solomon asks the question, “Will (such a) God indeed dwell on the earth?” It does not seem possible that He should, but He does. He dwelt in that temple that Solo mon built, but even more truly and fully, He dwelt in Jesus Christ on this earth (Jno. 1:14; Col. 2:9). v. 28. “Yet have tfiou respect unto the prayer of thy servant.” Though God was so great, Solomon made bold to ask Him to have respect unto his prayer, though he was so insignificant. And we, as small as we are, can ask and expect an infinite God to attend to our prayer (1 Jno. 3:22; Jno. 15:7) v. 29. “That thine eyes may be open to ward this house night and day, even toward the place of'which thou hast said, My name' shall be there •* that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place." The special prayer that Solomon wished Jehovah to hearken
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker