2 Chronicles 4-6
Thinking Outside the Box
In our reading today the Temple has been finished and the Ark of the Covenant has finally been put in its proper place, the Most Holy place of the Temple. Nothing has been spared to make this Temple magnificent and beautiful. What is interesting though, is that in Chapter 5:10 we read that the Ark of the Covenant contained only The Tablets of the Law that Moses had placed in the Ark originally. Absent was the Jar of Manna which represented God’s provision and Aaron’s Staff that represented not only God’s power and fruitfulness when it budded and bore fruit overnight, but also God’s appointment of Aaron to be the High Priest. It seems that over the years these have been lost. Were they really lost?
It is important that we do not lose track of God’s plan given in Deuteronomy 4:1-8. If the nation would keep the statutes and judgments by obeying them, God would bless the nation in the eyes of the other nations around them in such a way that they too would want the God of Israel as their God..
Back in 2 Chronicles 1 as Solomon took over the Kingdom he asked God for wisdom to lead the nation of people. God granted his request and added to it by giving him also riches, wealth, and honor. God’s provision represented by that Jar of Manna was given to the nation so the nation could be a witness to the other nations as God had planned in Deuteronomy 4:1-8.
The power and fruitfulness given by God, represented by Aaron’s Staff, was also given to be a witness to these nations. These items were not missing from the Ark they were out in the world working in the lives of the people of God as a witness of God’s love and blessing to the world flowing from the Word of God.
The same is true for us today. Our body, and more specifically our heart, is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. In the heart of the Christian dwells the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. With these come true riches and wealth. Together the evidence of God dwelling within our heart is our witness to the world around us. I hope and pray that we never lose sight of the power of our witness for God to the people around us nor his purpose for His blessings to us. Our witness for God will likely be the introduction of the Word of God to those who are observing us. What we read and see in The Temple is being worked out in our lives spiritually today whether we know it or not. My prayer is that we will know and understand what God is doing and wants to do in our lives to reach this world in turmoil from sin.
Here are some more verses for further study. Psalm 119:11; Matthew 5:10-16, Matthew 6:19-34; 2 Corinthians 4:7. Revelation 12:10-11.As always the context of these verses is important.
Think outside the box!
Pastor Dave