ARISE

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 6

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

This is the High Priest at the life-sized replica of The Tabernacle of Moses that was on display at the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario, during the summer of 2012. In Solomon’s Temple, the altar was of larger dimensions (2 Chronicles 4:1) and was made wholly of brass, covering a structure of stone or earth. Because this altar was larger than the one used in the wilderness Tabernacle, it had a ramp leading up to it. A ramp was used because the use of steps to approach the altar was forbidden by the Torah: “Do not climb up to My altar with steps, so that your nakedness not be revealed on it” (Exodus 20:26).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 6:10

So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

“The Lord has fulfilled His Word!” God keeps His Promises! When He charges one or more of His people with a task, He provides the wisdom, the strength, and the means to proceed with the job right through to completion. We still have an unfinished task. Jesus said to His followers, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). For another version of Jesus’ commission to us read Matthew 28:16-20. Let’s keep at it every day. Soon the job will be complete. Imagine the celebration we’ll have at Christ’s return when the last living stone is placed in the building of His Church.

In today’s reading there is a warning of the dire consequences of sin against God. As a young man, Daniel experienced being taken captive to a faraway land. But while there, he prayed three times a day for God to restore Israel. Read again 2 Chronicles 6:36-42 to discover what may have been the content of Daniel’s prayer, and then check the book of Daniel 6:10-18. As we proceed, we’ll find that God answered the prayers of Solomon, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and many others for restoration. We can count on God! In the last book of the Old Testament, God says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord Jesus, grant me the grace I need to be an industrious and faithful worker in doing my part in the building of Your great Temple, Your Church, glorious and triumphant. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I read each morning from one of the later translations of the Bible from the Hebrew and Greek languages known as “The New King James Version.” As this translation was being completed, I would often have the scholars charged with the translation work as my guests on the 100 Huntley Street TV program to explain certain passages and why they were translating a particular portion as they did, making changes from the 19th century translation on which I was raised. There have been new translations roughly every 100-150 years since the original King James authorized version was completed in 1611, and the 20th century brought us many more English language versions. A spoken language is constantly changing the meanings of words, hence the need for new translations from the original languages which are no longer spoken…Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, and the first complete Bible translation language, Latin. The New King James Version was done by scholars from various denominations looking over each other’s shoulders to make sure there was no particular denominational bias coming through. I’m confident that this translation is true to the original, divinely inspired Word of God.

Yours for consistently reading and meditating on the Scriptures, and then applying the Word to our lives,

David