God gave us a second chance.

Friday 5-20-2016  (Gaiman, Patagonian Bible Institute, Argentina) 

Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 6   2 Chron 3   Ps 97   Rom 1

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S. 2 Chron 3:5-7 The larger room he paneled with cypress which he overlaid with fine gold, and he carved palm trees and chainwork on it.  And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was gold from Parvaim.  He also overlaid the house — the beams and doorposts, its walls and doors — with gold; and he carved cherubim on the walls. NKJV

O. Does anybody realize that if this temple had survived the centuries it would be one of the 7 wonders of the world?  Perhaps David, whose idea it was, and his son, Solomon, were so confident that that Israelites would follow Jehovah God and never again return to the idols of the heathen, that God would protect His house from plunder. The only record that I have found says that this great wonder survived 410 years, which is remarkable. The Babylonians finally conquered and destroyed Jerusalem, stripped the Temple of its gold and golden vessels and burned it down.

A. As I read the record of the wars in the Old Testament I am struck with the crude, reckless destruction of men as they conquered nice, well structured, walled cities.  With each victory, they often were not satisfied to loot all the dwellings and violate the women, then kill all the people including women and little children, but finally to burn the city and totally destroy it.  One might think that a destroying army might have captured and protected the temple, but of course, the only way of showing their king and their people their conquest was to take back home everything of value.  I am astounded still today at how cruel a conquering army can be.

P. Father in Heaven: The fall of man in the Garden of Eden has brought men down to the level of the worst of beasts, causing unending suffering to the inhabitants of this spinning ball in space. Your creation was good. But You chose to give us freedom. You did not want slaves, You wanted us to have the privilege of choosing to love You. And even after man’s rejection, You gave us a second chance with the life and sacrificial death of Your Only Son, Jesus. So today I run to You and fall at Your feet to say, “My Lord and my God, I love you! I love You!”

Ralph