1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,080
Speaker 1: Hi, faith listeners.

2
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:03,520
Speaker 2: My name is Jen I am the host of this podcast,

3
00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,280
Speaker 2: and I am so excited that you are here to

4
00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,520
Speaker 2: share a delicious cup of coffee with me. We're going

5
00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,920
Speaker 2: to be discussing Second Chronicles, Chapter six today, finishing up

6
00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,200
Speaker 2: the prayer that Solomon gives dedicating the Temple to God.

7
00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:18,680
Speaker 1: Stay tuned.

8
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,120
Speaker 2: Well, faithful listeners, I've got good news. The podcast is

9
00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,800
Speaker 2: back up and running again one hundred percent, so all

10
00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,159
Speaker 2: of the episodes are back on every single listening platform.

11
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,040
Speaker 2: I don't know if you guys remember, but I told

12
00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,120
Speaker 2: you that some of my episodes were just like gone

13
00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,800
Speaker 2: for a while there for about a month. Oh my gosh.

14
00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,360
Speaker 2: It was so frustrating, and I felt really bad because

15
00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,319
Speaker 2: people were contacting me being like where are seasons one

16
00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,199
Speaker 2: and two of the podcast? Like I was in the

17
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,120
Speaker 2: middle of listening to them, and yeah, there's nothing I

18
00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,760
Speaker 2: could do about it. They just shut my RSS feed

19
00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,480
Speaker 2: down and I couldn't give anybody access to those episodes

20
00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,399
Speaker 2: until the RSS feed was back up. And now it's

21
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,240
Speaker 2: finally at one hundred percent. It is up and running

22
00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,959
Speaker 2: once again, and I couldn't be more elated about that.

23
00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,880
Speaker 2: But faithful listeners, you know always feel free to contact

24
00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,200
Speaker 2: me if you would like to just introduce yourself or

25
00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,560
Speaker 2: tell me how you found the podcast, or tell me

26
00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,280
Speaker 2: where you live, or if you prefer coffee or tea,

27
00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,440
Speaker 2: or most importantly, if you have a prayer request. I

28
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,559
Speaker 2: do read all of my emails and I will write

29
00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,160
Speaker 2: you down in my prayer journal for the week if

30
00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,480
Speaker 2: you have a prayer request for me, So please feel

31
00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,200
Speaker 2: free to always reach out if you would like for

32
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,640
Speaker 2: me to pray for something for you. But before you

33
00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,680
Speaker 2: do that, let's go ahead and read Second Chronicles six

34
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,360
Speaker 2: twenty two through forty two and finish up this prayer

35
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,000
Speaker 2: that Solomon gives to God. As usual, I'll be reading

36
00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,000
Speaker 2: from the Web, but today I will be reading a

37
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,480
Speaker 2: short passage from the NLT version as well. But mostly

38
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,040
Speaker 2: I like to stick with the web version or the

39
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,120
Speaker 2: World English Bible because that version of Scripture is public

40
00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,440
Speaker 2: domain and I won't get in trouble for using it.

41
00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,919
Speaker 2: So that is primarily why I use the web version.

42
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,000
Speaker 2: If some of you guys were wondering about that, but yeah,

43
00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:21,760
Speaker 2: feel free to grab the version of the Bible that

44
00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,520
Speaker 2: you prefer this morning, and also your cup of coffee

45
00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,359
Speaker 2: or a cup of Tea once again. This is the

46
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,440
Speaker 2: second chronicle six twenty two through forty two. Let's read

47
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:35,120
Speaker 2: this together and give reverence to God's word. If a

48
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,639
Speaker 2: man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid

49
00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,080
Speaker 2: on him to cause him to swear, and he comes

50
00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,880
Speaker 2: and swears before your altar in this house, then hear

51
00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,120
Speaker 2: from heaven, act and judge your servants, bringing retribution to

52
00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,680
Speaker 2: the wicked to bring his way on his own head,

53
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,799
Speaker 2: and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteousness.

54
00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,040
Speaker 2: If your people Israel are struck down before the enemy

55
00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,480
Speaker 2: because they have sinned against you, and they turn again

56
00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,440
Speaker 2: and confess your name and pray and make supplication before

57
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,320
Speaker 2: you in this house, then hear from heaven and forgive

58
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,720
Speaker 2: the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again

59
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,079
Speaker 2: to the land which you gave them and to their fathers.

60
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,240
Speaker 2: When the sky is shut up and there is no

61
00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,960
Speaker 2: rain because they have sinned against you. If they pray

62
00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,799
Speaker 2: towards this place and confess your name and turn from

63
00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,560
Speaker 2: their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven

64
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,200
Speaker 2: and forgive the sin of your servants your people Israel.

65
00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,320
Speaker 2: When you teach them a good way in which they

66
00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,040
Speaker 2: should walk, and send rain on your land, which you

67
00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,919
Speaker 2: have given to your people for an inheritance. If there

68
00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,680
Speaker 2: is famine the land, if there is pestilence, if there

69
00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,640
Speaker 2: is blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar, if their enemies

70
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,400
Speaker 2: besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague

71
00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,120
Speaker 2: or whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer and supplication is

72
00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,040
Speaker 2: made by any man, or by all your people, Israel,

73
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,760
Speaker 2: who will each know his own plague and his own sorrow,

74
00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,880
Speaker 2: and shall spread out his hands toward this house, then

75
00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,000
Speaker 2: hear from heaven your dwelling place, and forgive and render

76
00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,760
Speaker 2: to every man according to all his ways, whose heart

77
00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,280
Speaker 2: you know. For you even you only know the hearts

78
00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,600
Speaker 2: of the children of men, that they may fear you

79
00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,400
Speaker 2: to walk in your ways as long as they live

80
00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,280
Speaker 2: in the land which you gave to our fathers. Moreover,

81
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,160
Speaker 2: concerning the foreigner who is not of your people, Israel,

82
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,360
Speaker 2: when he comes from a far country, for your great

83
00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,320
Speaker 2: name's sake and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm,

84
00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,479
Speaker 2: when they come and pray toward this house, then hear

85
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,800
Speaker 2: from heaven even from your dwelling place, and do according

86
00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,359
Speaker 2: to all that the foreigner calls to you, for that

87
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,640
Speaker 2: the people of the earth may know your name and

88
00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,960
Speaker 2: fear you, as do your people Israel, that they may

89
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,400
Speaker 2: know that this house which I have built is called

90
00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,360
Speaker 2: by your name. If your people go out to battle

91
00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,479
Speaker 2: against their enemies by whatever way you send them, and

92
00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,479
Speaker 2: they pray to you toward this city which you have

93
00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,160
Speaker 2: chosen and the house which I have built for your name,

94
00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,599
Speaker 2: then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and

95
00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,200
Speaker 2: maintain their cause. If they sin against you, for there

96
00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,640
Speaker 2: is no man who doesn't sin, and you are angry

97
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,800
Speaker 2: with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that

98
00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,520
Speaker 2: they carry them away captive, to a land far or near. Yet,

99
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,560
Speaker 2: if they come to their senses in the land which

100
00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,040
Speaker 2: they are carried captive, and turn again and make supplication

101
00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,560
Speaker 2: to you in the land of their captivity, saying we

102
00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,719
Speaker 2: have sinned, we have done perversely and have dealt wickedly.

103
00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,159
Speaker 2: If they return to you with all their heart and

104
00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,560
Speaker 2: with all their soul in the land of their captivity

105
00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,600
Speaker 2: where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their

106
00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,239
Speaker 2: land which you gave to their fathers, and the city

107
00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,440
Speaker 2: which you have chosen, and toward the house which I

108
00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,440
Speaker 2: have built for your name. Then hear from heaven even

109
00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,039
Speaker 2: from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and

110
00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,120
Speaker 2: maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned

111
00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,120
Speaker 2: against you. Now, my God, let I beg you your

112
00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,880
Speaker 2: eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive to

113
00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,760
Speaker 2: the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore, arise,

114
00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,320
Speaker 2: Yahweh God, into your resting place, you and the ark

115
00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,280
Speaker 2: of your strength. Let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed

116
00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,800
Speaker 2: with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness. Yahweh God,

117
00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,840
Speaker 2: don't turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your

118
00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:06,359
Speaker 2: loving kindness to David, your servant. Today we finish up

119
00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,679
Speaker 2: this prayer that Solomon gives in dedication of the temple.

120
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,440
Speaker 2: The temple has just been finished, and God's presence was

121
00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,240
Speaker 2: now in the temple in the form of a cloud.

122
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,040
Speaker 2: So God actually accepted the temple that Solomon had built,

123
00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,280
Speaker 2: and the cloud was so thick that the priests weren't

124
00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:28,200
Speaker 2: even able to enter the temple because of God's amazing presence.

125
00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,600
Speaker 2: So everybody is standing outside of the completed temple, and

126
00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:36,560
Speaker 2: Solomon then addresses the people with this speech and also

127
00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:40,040
Speaker 2: gives a prayer to Yahweh. In fact, Solomon was up.

128
00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:40,839
Speaker 1: On this stage.

129
00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,760
Speaker 2: He made this like bronze platform that was essentially a stage,

130
00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,920
Speaker 2: and he kneels down on it with his hands up

131
00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,120
Speaker 2: to Heaven, and he begins to pray publicly in front

132
00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,560
Speaker 2: of all of the people. And he starts the prayer

133
00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,400
Speaker 2: out by giving thanks to God for all of the

134
00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,640
Speaker 2: promises that God had kept, and also general thanksgiving for

135
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,640
Speaker 2: making him the king. And then he also tells God

136
00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:09,520
Speaker 2: how great he is and how this little temple can't

137
00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:14,200
Speaker 2: possibly contain all of God, that heaven isn't even big

138
00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,560
Speaker 2: enough to contain God. So what is this tiny little

139
00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,760
Speaker 2: temple that God would accept? Basically, so, he had some

140
00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,480
Speaker 2: humility in this prayer and some thanksgiving and some praises

141
00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,680
Speaker 2: to God. And so now today in verse twenty two,

142
00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,440
Speaker 2: Solomon begins the part of the prayer where he's asking

143
00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,960
Speaker 2: God for blessings on Israel, specifically the blessing of forgiveness

144
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,080
Speaker 2: when Israel eventually sins. Here's what Solomon prays in verse

145
00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,920
Speaker 2: twenty two to start. If a man sins against his

146
00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,000
Speaker 2: neighbor and an oath is laid on him, that causes

147
00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,480
Speaker 2: him to swear, and he comes and swears before your

148
00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,880
Speaker 2: altar in this house. Then hear from heaven, act and

149
00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,560
Speaker 2: judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked to bring

150
00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,400
Speaker 2: his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous

151
00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,680
Speaker 2: to give him according to his righteousness. I find it

152
00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:07,040
Speaker 2: very in character for Solomon to start his prayer with

153
00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:13,760
Speaker 2: asking God to judge righteously. You know, Solomon himself was

154
00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,880
Speaker 2: the wisest man on earth. He was a very, very

155
00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:22,760
Speaker 2: wise judge, and justice to him was extremely important, as

156
00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,760
Speaker 2: you can see with a lot of what Solomon did

157
00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,680
Speaker 2: in his lifetime. So of course he's going to ask

158
00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:33,240
Speaker 2: God first and foremost to judge righteously. Now, what Solomon

159
00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:37,479
Speaker 2: is talking about here is actually a law from Exodus

160
00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,680
Speaker 2: twenty two, verses nine through eleven. And here's what this

161
00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,560
Speaker 2: law says. For every matter of trespass, whether it is

162
00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,600
Speaker 2: for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for

163
00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,680
Speaker 2: any kind of lost thing about which one says this

164
00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,920
Speaker 2: is mine, the cause of both parties shall come before God.

165
00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,280
Speaker 2: He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

166
00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:02,199
Speaker 2: So back in these days, when somebody lost something, there

167
00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:06,040
Speaker 2: was no finders, keepers, losers, weepers, they were still the

168
00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,360
Speaker 2: owner of it, and that person could actually go to

169
00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,800
Speaker 2: a judge and be like, hey, I lost this thing,

170
00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,120
Speaker 2: and the judge would look into this case and potentially

171
00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,240
Speaker 2: find that thing, whatever it was, and the person who

172
00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,040
Speaker 2: ended up finding it would have to give it back

173
00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,480
Speaker 2: to the man that lost it. But of course the

174
00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,920
Speaker 2: person who found it could always claim, oh, no, I've

175
00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:27,719
Speaker 2: had this thing from the very beginning. This has been

176
00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,760
Speaker 2: mine the entire time, and the judge would have to

177
00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,000
Speaker 2: look into this case and be like, did this guy

178
00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,080
Speaker 2: always own this thing? Or did the guy who claimed

179
00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,760
Speaker 2: to have lost it always own this thing? In matters

180
00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,360
Speaker 2: like that, the judge would ask God for help, and God,

181
00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:48,040
Speaker 2: it actually says, would reveal the true owner of this

182
00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,840
Speaker 2: piece of property. It says that both parties shall come

183
00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,400
Speaker 2: before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to

184
00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,480
Speaker 2: his neighbor. So that's clear enough. But actually this law

185
00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,960
Speaker 2: goes even further. In verse ten, if a man delivers

186
00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,760
Speaker 2: to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or

187
00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,880
Speaker 2: any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured

188
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,080
Speaker 2: or is driven away no man seeing it, the oath

189
00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,680
Speaker 2: of Yahweh shall be between them both. He has not

190
00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,720
Speaker 2: put his hand on his neighbor's goods, and its owner

191
00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,200
Speaker 2: shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. But

192
00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,600
Speaker 2: if it is stolen from him, the one who stole

193
00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,880
Speaker 2: shall make restitution to its owner. So that's talking about

194
00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,840
Speaker 2: if an animal gets lent out to a neighbor, like say,

195
00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,800
Speaker 2: a neighbor down the street doesn't have enough oxen to

196
00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,680
Speaker 2: plow his field, and he goes and asks his neighbor, hey,

197
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,160
Speaker 2: can you lend me your ox for.

198
00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,400
Speaker 1: A few days. Well, the neighbor accepts, and the ox

199
00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:43,200
Speaker 1: goes with the guy.

200
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,760
Speaker 2: But if that ox goes missing or dies or is

201
00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:52,320
Speaker 2: injured or gets sick under the care of the guy

202
00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,840
Speaker 2: who lent it, and no one saw it and knows

203
00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,760
Speaker 2: what happened, well, then it says that the oath of

204
00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,400
Speaker 2: Yahweh shall be between them both, meaning God is going

205
00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,120
Speaker 2: to judge the case. He's going to reveal if the

206
00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,520
Speaker 2: man stole the oxen or did something derelict to actually

207
00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,720
Speaker 2: hurt that oxen purposely for whatever reason. So God will

208
00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,320
Speaker 2: judge the case. And this is what Solomon is referring

209
00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:20,319
Speaker 2: to in Second Chronicle six twenty two and twenty three.

210
00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,839
Speaker 2: He asks God to be the good judge. He says,

211
00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,040
Speaker 2: if a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath

212
00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,000
Speaker 2: is laid on him to cause him to swear, and

213
00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,199
Speaker 2: he comes and swears before your altar in this house,

214
00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,120
Speaker 2: then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants,

215
00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,680
Speaker 2: bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on

216
00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,040
Speaker 2: his own head, and justifying the righteous to give him

217
00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,720
Speaker 2: according to his righteousness. So Solomon asks God to be

218
00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,200
Speaker 2: the good and righteous judge, specifically when people come to

219
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:52,560
Speaker 2: the temple for disputes such as this. Then he continues

220
00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,520
Speaker 2: in verse twenty four. If your people Israel are struck

221
00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,120
Speaker 2: down before the enemy because they have sinned against you,

222
00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,079
Speaker 2: and they turn again and confess your name and pray

223
00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,240
Speaker 2: and make supplication before you in this house, then hear

224
00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,000
Speaker 2: from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel,

225
00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,280
Speaker 2: and bring them again to the land which you gave

226
00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,120
Speaker 2: to them and to their fathers. This shows that Solomon

227
00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,760
Speaker 2: had a lot of wisdom. We already know that he did,

228
00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,360
Speaker 2: because he was the wisest man on earth, as scriptures say.

229
00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,359
Speaker 1: But he understood that.

230
00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,920
Speaker 2: Israel was going to sin against God, and that nations

231
00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,319
Speaker 2: as a result, would rise up against Israel. If your

232
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,719
Speaker 2: people are struck down before the enemy because they sin

233
00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,800
Speaker 2: against you, but they turn again and confess your name

234
00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,440
Speaker 2: and pray and make supplication before you in this house,

235
00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,120
Speaker 2: then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people.

236
00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,679
Speaker 2: Bring them again to the land which you gave to

237
00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,839
Speaker 2: them and to their fathers. So he asks God, God,

238
00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:51,000
Speaker 2: When your people sin and make you angry, and you

239
00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,160
Speaker 2: allow the other nations to come into Israel and to

240
00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,360
Speaker 2: make wars with Israel, please forgive your people. When they

241
00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:03,240
Speaker 2: finally turn toward you again, forgive them and bring them

242
00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,240
Speaker 2: back into the land safely as they were before. Then

243
00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,679
Speaker 2: in verse twenty six and twenty seven, when the sky

244
00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,040
Speaker 2: is shut up and there is no rain because they

245
00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,959
Speaker 2: have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place

246
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,280
Speaker 2: and confess your name and turn from their sin which

247
00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,400
Speaker 2: you afflicted them, then hear in heaven and forgive the

248
00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,480
Speaker 2: sin of your servants, your people, Israel, when you teach

249
00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:25,920
Speaker 2: them the good way in which they should walk, and

250
00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,160
Speaker 2: send rain on your land, which you have given to

251
00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,520
Speaker 2: your people for an inheritance. The sin of Israel didn't

252
00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,480
Speaker 2: always mean war. It did a lot of times, but

253
00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,520
Speaker 2: not always. Sometimes God would send a drought or a

254
00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,079
Speaker 2: famine on the land to get the people to turn

255
00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:46,559
Speaker 2: from their sins once again. So Solomon begs God, God,

256
00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,679
Speaker 2: when your people's sin and you punish them, if they

257
00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,600
Speaker 2: turn again toward your name and stop sinning, then I

258
00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,920
Speaker 2: beg you to hear from heaven forgive them, and make

259
00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,080
Speaker 2: the rain come down once again. And same for famines

260
00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,800
Speaker 2: right here in verses twenty eight through thirty. If there's

261
00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,480
Speaker 2: a famine in the land, if there's a pestilence, if

262
00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,680
Speaker 2: there's a blight or mildew, or locust or caterpillar, or

263
00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,199
Speaker 2: if the enemies besiege them in the land of their cities,

264
00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,520
Speaker 2: whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer and

265
00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,240
Speaker 2: supplication is made by any man, or by all your

266
00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,400
Speaker 2: people Israel, who will each know his own plague and

267
00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,440
Speaker 2: his own sorrow, and shall spread out his hands towards

268
00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,120
Speaker 2: this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place, and

269
00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:32,080
Speaker 2: forgive and render to every man according to his ways.

270
00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,520
Speaker 2: You know, this is really interesting. I just read something

271
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,360
Speaker 2: very similar to that in the Book of Job. You know,

272
00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,080
Speaker 2: the entire premise of the book of Job is why

273
00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:45,000
Speaker 2: does God allow suffering? After Job's life is completely destroyed,

274
00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,440
Speaker 2: he has all of these questions and complaints about God,

275
00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,080
Speaker 2: and he basically is questioning the entire book, why would

276
00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,760
Speaker 2: God allow this in my life? I haven't done anything

277
00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,200
Speaker 2: worthy of all all of this destruction that just happened,

278
00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,000
Speaker 2: So why does God allow this suffering? And there are

279
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000
Speaker 2: a few friends there with Job who are listening to

280
00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,080
Speaker 2: his complaints. They weren't very helpful. But there was one

281
00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,640
Speaker 2: man who was also there, not really part of Job's

282
00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,080
Speaker 2: friend group, but friends of one of the other friends

283
00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,200
Speaker 2: that came to visit Job. And this man, Ali, who

284
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,840
Speaker 2: listens to all of Job's complaints. And here's what he

285
00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:28,360
Speaker 2: says to Job in response. This is Job thirty three,

286
00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,000
Speaker 2: starting in verse twelve from the NLT version, Ali, who

287
00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,880
Speaker 2: says to Job, you are wrong, and I will show

288
00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,320
Speaker 2: you why. For God is greater than any human being,

289
00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,480
Speaker 2: So why are you bringing a charge against him?

290
00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:42,280
Speaker 1: Why? Say?

291
00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,720
Speaker 2: He does not respond to people's complaints. For God speaks

292
00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,120
Speaker 2: again and again, though people do not recognize it. He

293
00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,600
Speaker 2: speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep

294
00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,000
Speaker 2: sleep falls on people as they lie on their beds,

295
00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,640
Speaker 2: He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings.

296
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,200
Speaker 2: He makes them turn from doing wrong. He keeps them

297
00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,000
Speaker 2: from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing

298
00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,760
Speaker 2: over the river of death. Or God disciplines people with

299
00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,880
Speaker 2: pain on their sick beds, with ceaseless aching in their bones.

300
00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,440
Speaker 2: They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food.

301
00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,520
Speaker 2: Their flesh wastes away, their bones stick out. They're at

302
00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,160
Speaker 2: death's door. The angels of death wait for them. But

303
00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,600
Speaker 2: if an angel from heaven appears a special messenger to

304
00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,200
Speaker 2: intercede for a person and declare that he is upright,

305
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,800
Speaker 2: he will be gracious and say, rescue him from the grave,

306
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,440
Speaker 2: for I have found a ransom for his life. Then

307
00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,600
Speaker 2: his body will become as healthy as a child's, firm

308
00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,160
Speaker 2: and youthful again. When he prays to God, he will

309
00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,280
Speaker 2: be accepted, and God will receive him with joy and

310
00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,960
Speaker 2: restore him to good standing. He will declare to his friends,

311
00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:55,000
Speaker 2: I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not

312
00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,280
Speaker 2: worth it. God rescued me from the grave, and now

313
00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,960
Speaker 2: my life is filled with life. Yes, God does these

314
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,240
Speaker 2: things again and again for people. He rescues them from

315
00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,480
Speaker 2: the grave so that they may enjoy the light of life.

316
00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:14,960
Speaker 2: So that whole passage, which is absolutely fascinating, explains why

317
00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:21,639
Speaker 2: God allows and sometimes afflicts people with suffering. It's so

318
00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,760
Speaker 2: that their lives will be changed, so their lives will

319
00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,439
Speaker 2: be filled with light, so they will see how they

320
00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,560
Speaker 2: were sinning and turn away from those sins. Notice what

321
00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,840
Speaker 2: this man, who is on his deathbed said after God

322
00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:39,479
Speaker 2: redeemed his life. He declares to his friends, I sinned

323
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,679
Speaker 2: and twisted the truth and it was not worth it.

324
00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,719
Speaker 2: God rescued me from the grave, and now my life

325
00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:49,440
Speaker 2: is filled with light. And that is why God allows

326
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:54,480
Speaker 2: suffering and even afflicts suffering at times, because God wants

327
00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,480
Speaker 2: us to turn away from the darkness that is sin.

328
00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,960
Speaker 2: Earlier in the book of job Ali, who says something

329
00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:05,720
Speaker 2: else that was really good, he says, job you can

330
00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,200
Speaker 2: sin and sin and sin, and none of those sins

331
00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,399
Speaker 2: are going to affect God. Because God is sitting up

332
00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:16,960
Speaker 2: in heaven in absolute perfection. Our sins don't affect him.

333
00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:22,360
Speaker 2: They only affect us individually. So when God punishes us

334
00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,080
Speaker 2: for our sins, he's not doing it because our sins

335
00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:30,639
Speaker 2: somehow affect him. He's doing it because he knows the

336
00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,280
Speaker 2: danger of sin. He's doing it because he loves us,

337
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:39,879
Speaker 2: because he knows how bad sin actually is for us individually.

338
00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,399
Speaker 2: And that is what Solomon alludes to here in this prayer.

339
00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:48,320
Speaker 2: He says, God, when you punish your people Israel because

340
00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:53,600
Speaker 2: of their various sins, forgive them when they turn back

341
00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,840
Speaker 2: to you again, when they finally see the light, see

342
00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,840
Speaker 2: the error of their ways, and they turn towards you again,

343
00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,280
Speaker 2: Listen to them from heaven and forgive them. And whatever

344
00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:09,959
Speaker 2: problem afflicted Israel, remove it. Make the cities healthy and

345
00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:14,200
Speaker 2: well again. Build the cities back up, make the farms

346
00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,920
Speaker 2: produce lots of food again, and heal the people from

347
00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:18,800
Speaker 2: their sicknesses.

348
00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:20,760
Speaker 1: But he doesn't just.

349
00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,000
Speaker 2: Pray for Israel. He also prays for the foreigner as well.

350
00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,320
Speaker 2: In verse thirty two. Moreover, concerning the foreigner who is

351
00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,639
Speaker 2: not of your people, Israel, when he comes from a

352
00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,200
Speaker 2: far country, for your great name's sake, in your mighty

353
00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,240
Speaker 2: hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray

354
00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,840
Speaker 2: toward this house, then hear from heaven even from your

355
00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,400
Speaker 2: dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner

356
00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,080
Speaker 2: calls to you. For that all the peoples of the

357
00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,439
Speaker 2: earth may know your name and fear you, as do

358
00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,120
Speaker 2: your people Israel, and that they may know that this

359
00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,200
Speaker 2: house which I have built is called by your name.

360
00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,480
Speaker 2: I think that's really beautiful that Solomon includes the foreigners

361
00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:01,400
Speaker 2: that turn to God. He basically asks God, God, if

362
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:06,040
Speaker 2: any foreigner turns toward your name, then listen from heaven

363
00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,720
Speaker 2: and bless them and give them anything they ask for.

364
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:10,560
Speaker 1: That is what he says.

365
00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,960
Speaker 2: Right here, do according to all that the foreigner calls

366
00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,560
Speaker 2: to you, for that all the peoples of the earth

367
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,560
Speaker 2: will know your name and fear you as to your

368
00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,440
Speaker 2: people Israel. Then, in verses thirty four through thirty nine,

369
00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:28,400
Speaker 2: Solomon in the same kind of format, asks God to

370
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,159
Speaker 2: bring Israel back to the land after they've been exiled,

371
00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,280
Speaker 2: because Solomon just knows the reality of who Israel is.

372
00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,280
Speaker 2: If they sin against you, and there is no man

373
00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,679
Speaker 2: who doesn't sin, then you are angry with them, and

374
00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,159
Speaker 2: deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them

375
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,000
Speaker 2: away captive to a land far off or near. Yet,

376
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,040
Speaker 2: if they come to their senses in the land where

377
00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,240
Speaker 2: they are carried captive, and turn again and make supplication

378
00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,280
Speaker 2: to You in the land of their captivity, saying we

379
00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,440
Speaker 2: have sinned, we have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly.

380
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000
Speaker 2: If they return to you with all their heart and

381
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,159
Speaker 2: all their soul in the land of their captivity, jumping

382
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,120
Speaker 2: to verse thirty nine, then hear from heaven even from

383
00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,919
Speaker 2: your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions. Maintain their cause,

384
00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,760
Speaker 2: and forgive your people who have sinned against you. He

385
00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:19,000
Speaker 2: essentially asks God, God, when your people eventually are led

386
00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,720
Speaker 2: captive away from the land of Israel, listen to them

387
00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,600
Speaker 2: when they are in the land of their captors, when

388
00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,240
Speaker 2: they turn again towards you, when they come to their

389
00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:33,440
Speaker 2: senses and realize how wicked they have acted, how their

390
00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,880
Speaker 2: sins have destroyed them, listen to them and forgive them

391
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,480
Speaker 2: and bring them back into their land Verse forty. Now,

392
00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,320
Speaker 2: my God, let I beg you your eyes be open,

393
00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,320
Speaker 2: and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that

394
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,240
Speaker 2: is made in this place. Now Therefore, arise, Yahweh God,

395
00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,240
Speaker 2: into your resting place and the arc of your strength.

396
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,800
Speaker 2: Let your priests Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation. Let

397
00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,800
Speaker 2: your saints rejoice in gladness. Yahweh God, don't turn away

398
00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:06,760
Speaker 2: the face of your anointed remember your loving kindness to David,

399
00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,520
Speaker 2: your servant, and that is the end of the prayer.

400
00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,560
Speaker 2: And really it's a very beautiful prayer. I mean, he

401
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:17,680
Speaker 2: covers pretty much all the bases in this prayer except

402
00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:22,920
Speaker 2: for one base. He does not talk about himself at

403
00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:28,080
Speaker 2: all or the Kings at all. Instead, he mentions all

404
00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:31,840
Speaker 2: the people, He mentions the foreigners, he mentions the sins

405
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:37,439
Speaker 2: of every single person except himself, and except for the kings,

406
00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,720
Speaker 2: he never talks about how the leaders might fall into sin.

407
00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:43,680
Speaker 2: And I don't know what happened there. I don't know

408
00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,960
Speaker 2: how Solomon missed that. But unfortunately Solomon didn't think to

409
00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,679
Speaker 2: pray for the leaders. And the leaders were some of

410
00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,760
Speaker 2: the biggest problems in Israel's history, especially going into the

411
00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:00,320
Speaker 2: Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was constantly trying to convince the

412
00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,920
Speaker 2: leaders of Israel that there were problems, and the leaders

413
00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:07,280
Speaker 2: just refused to listen. They're like, no, there's no problems here,

414
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,399
Speaker 2: no problems whatsoever. We are going to keep doing whatever

415
00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,800
Speaker 2: we want to do. And Jeremiah, you're just a big

416
00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:16,520
Speaker 2: poopy face and we're gonna throw you into prison because

417
00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,440
Speaker 2: you're mean. And that's basically the entire premise of Jeremiah.

418
00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,399
Speaker 2: But yeah, the leaders needed prayer, and I don't know,

419
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:28,000
Speaker 2: I think this might reveal that Solomon either had an

420
00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:32,000
Speaker 2: arrogance problem and just didn't think to pray for himself

421
00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:34,640
Speaker 2: or his sons or any king that would come after him,

422
00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:40,960
Speaker 2: or that Solomon did not consider that he could fall

423
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,679
Speaker 2: into that type of sin. Just based on this prayer,

424
00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:48,480
Speaker 2: you can kind of see how Solomon thought himself to

425
00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,840
Speaker 2: be sort of above all of that, where he keeps saying, God,

426
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,919
Speaker 2: I'm your anointed one, God, your servant. David was my father,

427
00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 2: and you promised David all of these things that you

428
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,440
Speaker 2: are fulfilling. You promise that David would always have a

429
00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,359
Speaker 2: son on the throne. And so personally, if I'm throwing

430
00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,640
Speaker 2: my two cents in there, I kind of think Solomon

431
00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,600
Speaker 2: believed he was sort of above all of this, that

432
00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,840
Speaker 2: he was not going to sin in this way. But

433
00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:17,440
Speaker 2: as we can see later on, Solomon does infect sin

434
00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,919
Speaker 2: in this way. Actually, he brings about some of the

435
00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:26,959
Speaker 2: biggest problems that Israel has through the idolatry that he

436
00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:33,000
Speaker 2: eventually does. Next week, we'll talk about the big party

437
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:37,000
Speaker 2: that Israel has after the dedication of the Temple, and

438
00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,960
Speaker 2: it's a really fun chapter, not just because of the

439
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,640
Speaker 2: big party, but also God appears to Solomon and gives

440
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,800
Speaker 2: him a very special message, which I think would be

441
00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,760
Speaker 2: the second time that God gives Solomon a message directly.

442
00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,639
Speaker 1: So we'll get into all of that starting next week.

443
00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:52,960
Speaker 1: So I hope you guys.

444
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,040
Speaker 2: Tune in then now tomorrow will be in the Book

445
00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:59,160
Speaker 2: of Second Thessalonians, probably getting close to finishing that book

446
00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,960
Speaker 2: up and Second Thessalonians. Like I said, it's been such

447
00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,919
Speaker 2: a fun book to discuss and research and talk about

448
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:07,199
Speaker 2: with all of you guys.

449
00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:08,080
Speaker 1: So I hope you.

450
00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,240
Speaker 2: Guys tune in tomorrow for a great discussion from the

451
00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:16,280
Speaker 2: Book of Second Thessalonians. Faithful listeners, have a fantastic and wonderful,

452
00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,160
Speaker 2: wonderful rest of your day. I'll see you guys tomorrow,

453
00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:23,400
Speaker 2: bright and early for an episode from Second Thessalonians. Happy listening,

454
00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:24,720
Speaker 2: and God bless