Solomon builds a temple to honor the Lord. In the prayer of dedication, he anticipates a time when foreign peoples will journey to the temple in Jerusalem because the God of Israel is famous for answering the prayers of all people. Yet the final chapter of 2 Kings describes a foreign nation coming to Jerusalem, not to worship there but to destroy the temple and take the people of God into exile. The tragic history that unfolds between the dedication and destruction of the temple shows how God’s people and God’s kings fail in their commission to reflect his character among the nations. Scriptures referenced include 1 Kings 8:23 ; 2 Kings 25:8–21; 2 Kings 10:12-14; Proverbs 14:12; 2 Kings 11:1–3; 1 Kings 19:17-21.
After preaching begrudgingly for more than 30 days, Jonah’s message finally gets through to the wicked people of Nineveh. The king issues a proclamation...
In John 13:34-35, Jesus gives his disciples a ‘new commandment.” In so doing, he lays the foundation for the formation of a group of...
What does the Bible say about friendship? Perhaps more than we may have thought. The theme of friendship weaves through the whole storyline of...
