1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Howdy and good morning, friends and faithful listeners. I hope 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: you all had a fantastic weekend, and I'm so thankful 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: that you're here to share a delicious cup of coffee 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: with me as we read the Bible together. Today we 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: are in the Book of Second Chronicles, chapter seven, and 6 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: we're going to be talking about this big party that 7 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: Solomon throws for the people after the dedication of the temple, 8 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: and also God's presence coming down and lighting the altar 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: with his fire. It's going to be a great episode, 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: so stay tuned. So as you guys know, on Mondays 11 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: and Wednesdays, I talked about the Old Testament, and then 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: Tuesdays and Thursdays I discuss the New Testament. And I 13 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 1: am so happy to announce that tomorrow we are going 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: to be starting the Book of First Timothy. And the 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: reason I'm so excited about it is because the books 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: of First and Second Timothy are some of my favorite 17 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: in the New Testament. And I know I say that 18 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: about it every book of the Bible, every single one 19 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: of them is my favorite. But I'm telling you guys, 20 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: first and Second Timothy are some of my favorite books 21 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: in the New Testament. So make sure to tune in. 22 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you guys 23 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: are as well. Before today, let's go ahead and read 24 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: Second Chronicles seven one through eleven, and I'll be reading, 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: as always, from the web and we'll be covering a 26 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: few topics today, mainly God's fire coming down out of heaven. 27 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: What was that about? And also why does God command 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: the people for the fire to never go out on 29 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: the altar? How is that possible? And lastly, is it 30 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: okay for Christians to have fun and to party? We'll 31 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: get into all that today. So let's read Second Chronicle 32 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: seven one through eleven. I'll be reading from the web now. 33 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven 34 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and Ya 35 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: Always Glory filled the house. The priests could not enter 36 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: into Yaway's house because y Always Glory filled Yahway's house. 37 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: All the children of Israel looked on when the fire 38 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: came down and Yahwei's glory was on the house. They 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, 40 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: worshiped and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying for he is 41 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: good for his loving kindness indoors forever. Then the king 42 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: and all the people offered sacrifices before Yahweh. King Solomon 43 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: offered a sacrifice of twenty two thousand head of cattle 44 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king 45 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: and all the people dedicated at God's house. The priests 46 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: stood according to their positions. The levites also with instruments 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: of music to Yahweh, which David the King had made, 48 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: to give thanks to Yahweh. When David praised by their ministry, 49 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: saying for his loving kindness indoors forever, the priests sounded 50 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. Moreover, Solomon made 51 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: the middle of the court that was before Yahwai's house holy, 52 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat 53 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: of the peace offerings. Because the bronze altar which Solomon 54 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, 55 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: the meal offering, and the fat. So Solomon held the 56 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel 57 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: was with him a very great assembly from the entrance 58 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. On the eighth day, 59 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: they held a solemn assembly, for they kept to the 60 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. 61 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: On the twenty third day of the seventh month, he 62 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad 63 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, 64 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: to Solomon, and to Israel his people. Thus Solomon finished 65 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: the y Alway's house and the king's house, and he 66 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: successfully completed all that came into Solomon's heart to make 67 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: in Yahwai's house and in his own house. We finished 68 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: talking about the dedication prayer that Solomon gave last week, 69 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: and it was a very long prayer. It's a very 70 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: beautiful prayer. We had to break it up into two sections. 71 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: But essentially, Solomon gave thanks that God had blessed Israel. 72 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: He gave thanks that God had blessed Solomon himself, and 73 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: then he also asked God to bless the people in 74 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: the future, specifically with forgiveness. Solomon was like, when the 75 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: people's sin and when they are carried away to foreign 76 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: lands because of their sin, please God hear from heaven 77 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: when they change their minds and come to their senses. 78 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: And that was essentially the entire prayer. And so now 79 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: the dedication of the temple is over, and God himself, 80 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: who has already accepted the temple, because don't forget, before 81 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: Solomon gave that prayer, God actually came down and filled 82 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: the temple with the cloud of his glory, so much 83 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: so that the priests couldn't even enter the temple because 84 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: of how thick the cloud was. God's glory was just 85 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: too great. And that was when Solomon gave the prayer 86 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: in Second Chronicles, chapter six. And now Solomon finishes the prayer, 87 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: and here's what it says in verse one. Now, when 88 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and 89 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: con assumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and yahways, 90 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: glory filled the house. The priests could not enter into 91 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: Yaway's house because yahways, glory filled Yahwey's house. Now you 92 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: might be like, man, that sounds a lot like what 93 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: happened in Second Chronicles five. You know, like, right before 94 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: Solomon gave the prayer, it says something very similar that 95 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: God's glory filled the house and the priests couldn't enter 96 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: because of God's glory. So is this the same thing? No, 97 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: I don't think it's the same thing, because let's go 98 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: back and read Second Chronicles five and talk about God's 99 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: glory first filling the temple. Second Chronicles five twelve through 100 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: fourteen says this, the levites, who are singers, all of them, 101 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: even asaf Hayman, Jennithon, and their sons and their brothers, 102 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: arrayed in fine linen with symbols and stringed instruments and harps, 103 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: stood at the east end of the altar, and with 104 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: them one hundred and twenty priests sounding the trumpets. When 105 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: the trumpet tears and the singers were was one to 106 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: make one's sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh. 107 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: And when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets 108 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: and the symbols and the instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, 109 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: saying for he is good, for his loving kindness, endorsed forever. 110 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: Then the house was filled with a cloud, even Yahweh's house, 111 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: so that the priest could not stand to minister by 112 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: reason for the cloud. So, as you can see, that's 113 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: a little bit different than our passage for today. It 114 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: mentions the cloud filling the house. And this cloud was 115 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: so I guess glory filled that the priests couldn't even 116 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: go into the temple. But in second Chronicle seven it 117 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: mentions the fire that came down, not the cloud. So 118 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: let's read this again. Second Chronicle seven, verse one, when 119 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and 120 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and Yahweh's glory 121 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: filled the house. So there you can see it was 122 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: not a cloud this time. It was actually fire coming 123 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: down from heaven. And this is really cool because there's 124 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: two things we associate with God's presence, the first being 125 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 1: the cloud and the second thing being fire. Especially if 126 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: you're reading through the Early Old Testament, like in the 127 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: Book of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, you'll see God show 128 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: up a lot in the form of either a pillar 129 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: of cloud or a pillar of fire. So God now 130 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: shows up as a pillar of fire to his people. 131 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: The fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt 132 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: offering and the sacrifices, and yahways glory filled the house, 133 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: so that the priests could not enter into Yahway's house 134 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: because yahways glory filled the house, and all the children 135 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: of Israel looked on and when the fire came down 136 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: and Yahways glory was on the house, they bowed themselves 137 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped 138 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: and gave thanks to Yahwehs, saying for He is good, 139 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: for his loving kindness endors forever. Can you imagine being 140 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: one of the people that sees fire come down out 141 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: of heaven and consume the burnt offering? Could can you 142 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: imagine that? Like? How could you not have faith in 143 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: God after seeing something so amazing like that? And that's 144 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: what the people were able to see. They saw God's 145 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: presence consume the burnt offering and fill the temple even 146 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: more with his glory. You know, his glory was already 147 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: in the temple in the form of the cloud, but 148 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: now it shows up even more so that the people 149 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: can't help but worship God. But what's really funny about 150 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 1: this is if you go to Exodus I'm sorry, Leviticus 151 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: chapter nine, twenty three and twenty four, God does pretty 152 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: much the exact same thing. Back in the wilderness days 153 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 1: when the tene meeting was first made and dedicated, God 154 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: also in the form of fire, came down and consumed 155 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: the burnt offering. But the people have a very very 156 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: different response to God's presence in Leviticus than they did 157 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: in our passage for today. So let's read Leviticus nine, 158 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: twenty three, and twenty four and see how the people respond. 159 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron went into the tenim meeting and came 160 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: out and blessed the people, and Yahweh's glory appeared to 161 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: all the people. Fire came out from before Yahweh and 162 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. 163 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell 164 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: on their faces. So that's a very different response than 165 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: what the people and Second Chronicles were doing. The people 166 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: in the wilderness were so freaked out by God's presence 167 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 1: that they shouted like they screamed when they saw God 168 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: consume the burnt offering, and they fell on their faces 169 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: as if they were dead. Whereas the people in Second 170 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: Chronicle seven, Yes they fell on their faces, but they 171 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: did it in worship, and there was no screaming for 172 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: their lives that we know of. Instead, they were giving 173 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: thanks to Yahweh and worshiping, and they were singing for 174 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: He is good, for his loving kindness indoors forever. So 175 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: a very very different response from the people in second 176 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: chronicle seven as compared to the people in the wilderness, 177 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: And that just goes to show like how against God 178 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: the wilderness people truly were that like every single time 179 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: he showed up, they were freaked out and couldn't handle it. 180 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: They didn't want his presence. Is kind of what it 181 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: seems like. But now, thankfully, through the leadership of David 182 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: and Solomon being Yahweh worshipers so excited about the dedication 183 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: of the brand new temple to God, the people have 184 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: courage and faith that when they see God show up 185 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: in the form of fire, they are able to worship 186 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: rather than screaming and falling over like dead. But why 187 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: did God show up in this way? Why is it 188 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: that whenever a new temple or tene meeting is dedicated, 189 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: God shoots fire out of heaven and burns up the 190 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: sacrifice on the altar, Like, why is that God's chosen method? Well, 191 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: because of what Leviticus chapter six says, this was a 192 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: law that God gave to the people. Leviticus six eight 193 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: through thirteen. You always spoke to Moses saying command Aaron 194 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: and his sons saying This is the law of the 195 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth 196 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: of the altar all night until the morning, and the 197 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 198 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: The priest shall put on his linen garment, and shall 199 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 1: put on his linen trousers upon his body, and shall 200 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: remove the ashes from where the fire has consumed the 201 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: burnt offering on the altar, and shall put them beside 202 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: the altar. He shall take off his garments and put 203 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp 204 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: to a clean place. The fire on the altar shall 205 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, and 206 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: the priest shall burn wood on it. Every morning. He 207 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it and 208 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: shall burn it on the fat of the peace offerings. 209 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually. It 210 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: shall not go out. So what's the one theme you 211 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,439 Speaker 1: noticed in all of those verses that the fire should 212 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: not go out? It needed to keep burning continually on 213 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: the altar. And why is that? Well, because God himself 214 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: lit it. God did not want the priests lighting a 215 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: new fire every single day, because, first and foremost that 216 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: actually does take a long time to do. Like if 217 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: you guys have ever tried to light a fire, sometimes 218 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: it is like stubborn and it's really really hard to 219 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: light something on fire like that. You know those things 220 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: when you were a kid, how they always told you 221 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: like stop, drop and roll and you thought that, you know, 222 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: catching fire was so easy. It is not easy. Like 223 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: I have dried leaves in my backyard and I can't 224 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: even catch them on fire. Starting a fire every single 225 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: morning would be very difficult. So it's easier actually on 226 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: the priests to keep this fire lit all the time. Now, 227 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: this of course means that there'd have to be priests 228 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: working around the clock to make sure that fire never 229 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: went out, But that wasn't a problem in the days 230 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: of Solomon because of how many priests there actually were, 231 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: Like it was doable to have priests working around the clock. 232 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: There are so many priests. In fact, they would take 233 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: turns and take breaks and things. But anyway, the altar 234 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 1: was always supposed to be lit with the fire of God. 235 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: And why is that. It wasn't just because it's easier 236 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: to keep a fire going, but it was also because 237 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: this fire was special. This was God's fire from his 238 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: own glory. So you can imagine, you know, the people 239 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: who see this happening at the dedication of the temple, 240 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: they can tell their grandchildren seventy years later, Hey, when 241 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 1: I was a little kid your age, I saw that 242 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: fire get lit. And then that little kid can grow 243 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: up and tell his kids about it, and the people 244 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: of Israel would know that was God's fire. There was 245 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: something special about that God himself had actually been among 246 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: his people and was still with them in that glorious fire. 247 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: So that's the main reason why the fire was never 248 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: supposed to go out, because it was a special fire 249 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: and a testament to who God really was. And actually 250 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: the priests were successful that we know of, in keeping 251 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: this fire lit the entire time. It was lit until 252 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: the Babylonian captivity. Actually, and we know the Babylonians came in, 253 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: they destroyed the temple, and at that point, you know, 254 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: the fire went out. But after all that happened, they say, 255 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: the fire miraculously came back in the time of the Maccabees, 256 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: when the temple had been rebuilt and the Maccabees were 257 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: protecting it from the Greeks who came in trying to 258 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: destroy it. So that fire was special and it was 259 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: never supposed to go out because it was a testament 260 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: to who God really was. So after the people see this, 261 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: this miraculous sign from heaven, they of course can't help 262 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: but worship, and they're singing to God. They're singing for 263 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: he is good, for his loving kindness endorsed forever. Now, 264 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: this was a little ditty that David had made. In fact, 265 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: you'll see through the psalms that this was a very 266 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: common phrase that David used in a lot of different psalms, 267 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: So it was a common thing for the people to sing. 268 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: And actually it even says that in this passage. It 269 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: mentions that David praised God by saying his loving kindness 270 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: endures forever. That's in a verse. Say we'll get to 271 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: that in a second. But in verse four, the king 272 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: and all the people offered sacrifices before Yahweh. King Solomon 273 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: offered a sacrifice of twenty two thousand head of cattle 274 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep, So the king 275 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: and all the people dedicated God's house. So something I 276 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: didn't realize earlier when I talked about all of the 277 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: crazy amounts of sacrifices that Solomon did in dedication to 278 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: the temple. I didn't realize until today that he had 279 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: done two separate sacrifices. I kind of thought it was 280 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: just one. And we went into that. We talked about how, 281 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: you know, God does not desire sacrifice like it was 282 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: necessary at this time because that was how people had 283 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: their sins forgiven. But God didn't desire it because animal 284 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: sacrifice was just a problem of sin technically, and also 285 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: the animals themselves. You know, God loves animals and cares 286 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: about their lives. So God does not desire animal sacrifices, 287 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: but they were necessary to be done. But in the 288 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: case of right here, where Solomon's offering a sacrifice of 289 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: twenty two thousand head of cattle and one hundred and 290 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 1: twenty thousand sheep, most people think he wasn't doing that 291 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: sacrifice for himself, but actually for the people. Now, these 292 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: were peace offerings that we find out in First Kings eight, 293 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: and when it came to peace offerings, part of the 294 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: sacrifice went back to the people, so some of that 295 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: meat actually went home with the individual. That wasn't the 296 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: case for every sacrifice. A lot of times a sacrifice 297 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: was a sacrifice. You know, you gave the entire animal 298 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: to God. But in the case of peace offerings, the 299 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: meat was given back to the people and only part 300 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: of the animal was given to God. So it could 301 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: be that Solomon, in planning this big party, that he 302 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: had actually dedicated a lot of this meat to the 303 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: people and gave it to them as a free gift 304 00:17:55,320 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: of celebration for the dedication of the temple stood according 305 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: to their positions, and the levites also with instruments of 306 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: music to Yahweh which David the King had made to 307 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: give thanks to Yahweh. When David praised by their ministry, 308 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: saying for his loving kindness endorsed forever, the priest sounded 309 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. Moreover, Solomon made 310 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: the middle of the court that was before Yahway's house holy, 311 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 1: for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat 312 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 1: of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon 313 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, 314 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: the meal offering, and the fat. So we talked about 315 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: that the other day, where there are so many sacrifices 316 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: coming into the temple, that the big altar, like the 317 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: giant bronze altar that Solomon had made was not big enough, 318 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: so Solomon had to put like smaller altars all over 319 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: the place. Well, he dedicated one of them as holy, 320 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: the one specifically in the middle of the court. And 321 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: once again, all the burnt offerings that Solomon was sacrificing 322 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: to God and giving to the people, there was too 323 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: many to actually put them on the big altar, and 324 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 1: they had to go on a different altar. So Solomon 325 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 1: held a feast at that time for seven days, and 326 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the 327 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. So the 328 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: people celebrated with God. And I don't know if God's 329 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: presence remained in the temple the entire time. He very 330 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: well could have, but regardless, the people celebrated all over Israel, 331 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: from the border of Egypt all the way to the north. 332 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: Everyone was so excited about the temple finally being built 333 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: that they probably took some time off work and had 334 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: a big party and celebration with all their friends and 335 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 1: family members. Then on the eighth day in verse nine, 336 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: they held a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication 337 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: of the altar seven days and the feast seven days, 338 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: So it wasn't just partying and celebration. There was also 339 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: essentially church services happening as we well, that would be 340 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: the solemn assembly where the people go to the temple 341 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: and they're not partying, they're learning about Yahweh, they're having 342 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: the scrolls of the Law read to them, they're listening 343 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: to worship music, they're probably partaking in worship in whatever 344 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: that looked like these days. That would be the solemn Assembly. 345 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: And I wouldn't be myself if I didn't throw some 346 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: shade on our modern day churches. So that's what I'm 347 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 1: gonna do right now. But I think sometimes Christians or 348 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: churches don't understand the mixture of reverence and fun. Sometimes 349 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: churches are overly solemn where they're like, we can't have 350 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,479 Speaker 1: any fun whatsoever. In fact, we had a problem with 351 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 1: that not too long ago in my church with the 352 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: youth group. As you guys know, I'm one of the 353 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: youth leaders at my church, and somebody was really upset 354 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: that the teenagers play games and have fun at youth group. 355 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: They kind of thought that it should just be sitting 356 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: down and doing a Bible study the entire time, and 357 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. There's certainly 358 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: a time and place for a Bible study and for 359 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: a solemn assembly. But we can also have fun, you know, 360 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: like it's not wrong for teenagers to play games at 361 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: youth group. But then on the flip side, there's some 362 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: churches that are way too into fun and don't do 363 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: the solemn assembly, don't have any reverence whatsoever. They're only 364 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: focused on the entertainment aspect. They're only focused on how 365 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,239 Speaker 1: many people they can get through the door and how 366 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: much fun people are having. That's wrong too. There should 367 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: be a mixture of the two. Christians can have fun, 368 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: but there also needs to be reverence and a solemn assembly. 369 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: So after all this happens in verse ten, it says 370 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: on the twenty third day of the seventh month, he 371 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad 372 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 1: of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, 373 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 1: to Solomon, and to Israel his people. Thus Solomon finished 374 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: Yahway's house and the King's house, and he successfully completed 375 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: all that came into Solomon's heart to make in Yahway's 376 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 1: house and his own house. So Solomon finished everything, not 377 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: just Yaway's house, but also his own home as well. 378 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: And we do know from first kings that Solomon took 379 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 1: more time to build his own house, But you know, 380 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily know if that was a bad thing. 381 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: It could have been if Solomon was like putting more 382 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: time and attention into his house as compared to the temple. 383 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: But probably the reason the temple went faster, quite honestly, 384 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: is for two reasons. Firstly, it was more important, you know, 385 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: the temple was where the people were gonna come and worship, 386 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: and so maybe Solomon prioritized the temple to get done 387 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: faster just because of that fact. And also, the temple 388 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: plans were like done way ahead of time, and Solomon 389 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 1: had already acquired everything he needed to actually build temple 390 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 1: like way ahead of time, whereas that wasn't the same 391 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 1: case with his own house. So even though yes, Solomon 392 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: took more time to build his own house, I don't 393 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:11,439 Speaker 1: know for sure, but I would guess it was not 394 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: done with a wrong heart. But anyway, we're going to 395 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: talk about Solomon being visited by God in the night. 396 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: God is going to talk to Solomon once again, we 397 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: know that God did appear to Solomon actually a few 398 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,159 Speaker 1: years before this, but now God appears to him again, 399 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: so we're going to talk about that on Wednesday. I 400 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,880 Speaker 1: hope you tune in for that episode. So faithful listeners, 401 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: please check out all the links listed in the description 402 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 1: of this episode and click on them if you want 403 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: to know more about P forty Ministries or the Bible 404 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 1: Explained podcast, or if you would like to support the 405 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: Bible Explained by purchasing something from the shop, maybe getting 406 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: the Adore Advent devotional because Advent is coming up, or 407 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: some merch from the merch shop like the really cozy 408 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: P foury Ministries beanies that I have available. You should 409 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: check all of those links out. But of course, please 410 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: pray for this ministry that it gets spread to more people, 411 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 1: that the Bible gets spread to more people. And another 412 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: excellent way to do that is by just rating this 413 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: podcast on Apple Podcasts or anywhere else that you listen, 414 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: and also sharing the podcast with your friends and family. 415 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: Faithful listeners, I will see you guys tomorrow as we 416 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: start a new book of the New Testament, first Timothy, 417 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: so make sure to tune in six am or actually 418 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: whenever you wake up and listen for an episode from 419 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 1: First Timothy until Tomorrow, Happy listening and God bless