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.
In this episode, we explore the historical and cultural reasons why a significant gap exists between what Jesus taught and what many of his...
Jerusalem, a city steeped in millennia of history, has witnessed triumph and tragedy, faith and conflict. From a Canaanite stronghold to King David's capital,...
Why should we trust that the 27 books that have come to constitute the New Testament are the infallible, inspired Word of God? While...
