Day 752: 2 Chronicles 2- Grace And Gifts For Glory

Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal palace for himself. 2 And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. 3 And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.5 The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? 7 So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.8 Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, 9 to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful.10 I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil.”
11 Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you king over them.” 12 Hiram also said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.
13 “Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, 14 the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. 15 Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. 16 And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem.”
17 Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. 18 Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.

Meditation
God is relentlessly committed to increasing His glory. Christians have works of glory Jesus has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:8-10). The ascended Jesus gifted the Church (Ephesians 4:4-24) so that we can live faithfully as the temple of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). God will use the gifts of kings of the earth to increase His glory on the globe so that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10).
 
Gifted by his father, Solomon sets out to exalt God’s glory by building the Lord’s temple (1). The temple was to laud God’s greatness (5, 6, 7) by providing a place for offerings to the Lord (6).  Using the gifts of the artisans king David prepared (3, 7, 14, 17) Solomon demonstrates his wisdom by setting his sight on stewarding what has been entrusted to him, obeying God’s direction, and enhancing God’s glory.
 
As the king of Persia helped provide materials for the rebuilding of the temple after exile (Ezra 1:1-11; 6:1-12) so the king of Tyre sent supplies and skilled craftsman to build a temple for God’s glory (11-16). God harvests from the glory of the nations to increase his glory around the globe (Isaiah 60:1-11; Revelation 21:24-27).
 
God is working His glorious will around the globe and He wants to use you to increase His glory. Are you aware of and willing to be a part of His larger story to share and show His glory?
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about this passage? Why?
 
-You are a part of a larger story of glory, and wisdom compels you to steward all you have for His glory. How does this dignify you with purpose and give you hope in His sovereign plan?
 
-Where can you be more focused on responding to His grace by using all you have to spread His glory all over the place as you live as His temple? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
5 The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.