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.
We wrap up our first week exploring the role of women in the Bible by exploring Psalm 139:13-14, “For You formed my inmost being;...
In 1 Peter 2:9, the apostle tells us that Christians are “peculiar people.” In saying this, Peter is not saying that Christians are odd...
The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, includes some of the most well-known teachings of Christ. Jesus didn’t come to...
