This is the third post about having a purpose to build a home to the name of our God.
When Solomon publicly proclaims his vision to build a house for God in 2 Chronicles 2:1-9 he pinpoints his purpose more specifically.
Why does he want to build this house? Verse 4 says: "Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening. . .” What is this all about?
It was for these purposes that God asked Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness.
He told them to build a golden altar of incense where they were to burn sweet incense before him continually. To keep the incense burning they had to light it every morning and evening. In the Bible incense always speak of praise, worship, prayer, and intercession. Read the following Scriptures: Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; and 8: 3, 4.
The shewbread speaks of the loaves of bread which were baked each week and placed upon the table of shewbread—speaking of Christ who is the bread of life and the Word of God which gives life to us daily.
The burnt offerings were sacrificed every morning and evening, each one pointing to Jesus Christ who was the pure, spotless Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. We no longer sacrifice animals to cover sin, because Jesus Christ died ONCE FOR ALL for our sins. This is repeated seven times in Hebrews 9:11-14; 25-28; 10:10-14; and 1 Peter 3:18.
However, we learn an amazing principle that God gave to us through the teaching of the tabernacle and that is the Morning and Evening principle. God wants us to come into His presence to worship Him, to hear from Him, and to intercede for the needs of the world every morning and every evening.
Solomon’s whole passion for building a house for God was to have a place where He could offer this sacrifice of praise to God continually. This exhortation also comes to us New Testament believers in Hebrews 13:15.
Can you feel Solomon’s passion when he says in verse 6: “But who is able to build him a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? Who am I then, that should build him a house, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?”
“Except as a place . . .” This was his consuming passion. To have a place where he could sacrifice before God (Romans 12:1, 2). There was nothing more important to him.
As we build our house for God, it should also be our consuming passion to make a place in our homes and a time each day where we meet together to hear God’s Word, to worship Him, and to cry out to Him for the needs of others. This should be the minimum we give to God each day if He is truly Lord of our home.
We don’t try to fit this into our daily plan. If we have this attitude, we’ll never do it. Because it is our consuming passion, we make it happen, and fit everything else around it! If other things don’t get done, we have fulfilled the most important function of our home.
What kind of home are you building? A place where God is honored each day? A place where you meet with Him every morning and evening? A place that is hallowed with God’s presence?
Embrace the same purpose Solomon had which was to build a home that would be WONDERFUL and GREAT (verse 9).
Have a wonderful day,
Nancy Campbell