Solomon is chosen to be God's son! We learn in Romans 5:8 that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." While we were still God haters God so loved us that HE sent HIS only Son to die for us! While we rejected HIM and supressed the truth with a lie the Holy Spirit moved in on us and led us to repentance and faith and in doing so we "received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Rom 8:15.
It is no small thing to be a human being, created in the image of God...it is even more astounding to consider that we have been recreated, redemed and restored to a right relationship through the shed blood of our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
Listen again to the way God speaks about Solomon and listen to David's heart attitude toward God...we can learn much about our relationship with our Abba, Father if we will listen! DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? LISTEN!
1 Ch 28:6-10 Now He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.
9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”
1 Ch 29:9-19 Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.
David's prayer
10 Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said: “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. 13 “Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name. 14 But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You. 15 For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope.
16 “O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own. 17 I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. 18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. 19 And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.”
There is an amazing tension in God's Word...God chose Solomon to be HIS son, Solomon did not choose HIM, God chose Solomon! What about us? Did I choose God or did God chose me? What does the Bible say? A few of you are thinking...Mark what are you doing, people have been arguing over this for years...are you out of your mind man! Was is Felix that said to Paul, all this learning has made you mad!
The only point I will make is this, I am comfortable saying that God chose me in HIM before the foundation of the world and that I am among those in John 3:16 and in other places that WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME...WHOSOEVER...WHOSOEVER!
You may think, but I can't reconcile this in my mind, it is not logical, it is not reasonable! A wise man said that reason and logic must kneel outside the sanctuary where only faith may enter. I confess that I don't understand it either, but it is glorious and beautiful...I believe both because God said both.
If we will listen to David's prayer at the end of his life you hear an old man who has experienced much life...at the end of it all you hear a humility, an intimacy in his heart toward God...we will do well to learn from him and approach God in the same manner!
John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
Mt 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
2 Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
Re 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Don't get lost, ARE YOU STILL WITH ME, DON'T GET LOST IN THIS...THE POINT OF SAYING ALL THIS IS THAT YOU WERE CHOSEN TO BE A S
ON/DAUGHTER/HEIR FOR A PURPOSE! THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE IS NOT YOUR SALVATION! THAT IS PART OF IT, BUT IT IS NOT ULTIMATE! YOU WERE SAVED FOR HIS GLORY AND YOU WERE SAVED TO MAKE HIS GLORY KNOWN! THAT IS YOUR PURPOSE, THAT IS HIS PLAN FOR YOU! So what should you do? “As for you,
know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.
If you seek Him, He will be found by you; Consider now, for
the Lord has chosen you to
be strong, and do it.” What has the Lord chosen you to do? Be strong and do it! Whatever HE has set your hand to do, do it with all your might as unto the Lord!
by HIS grace and for HIS glory!
Let's pursue HIS presence, let's pursue HIM as HE is...the greatest treasure in the universe!
love,
m