Wed.’s Devo - New Beginnings

Read: 2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 19:20-21 God made Solomon very powerful. One of his first acts was to call together the leaders of the country to Gibeon where the Tabernacle of Moses had been. The Ark had been moved to Jerusalem but the bronze altar was still in Gibeon. There he offered 1,000 animals on the altar. That night God appeared to Solomon and told him to ask for anything and he would have it. Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people. God was so pleased with his request that he agreed to give him wisdom and knowledge greater than any other man had possessed and also wealth, riches, and fame. Solomon returned to Jerusalem and built up his army with horses and chariots. He began the building of the Temple. He contacted King Hiram at Tyre and requested cedar and craftsmen. In return he would give him wheat, barley, wine and olive oil. King Hiram was pleased with the trade and sent him Huram-abi who was talented in making things from all metals, also stone and wood. He could work with cloth and linen and was also an engraver. Solomon made a census of the foreigners in his land and put them to work doing the manual labor of building the Temple. The Temple would be 30’ by 90’ and all the inside walls would be overlaid with pure gold. The walls were decorated with jewels and gold. The beams and doors were also overlaid with gold and figures of cherubim were carved on the walls. The Holy of Holies where the Ark would be was 30’ by 30’. The angels on top of the Ark were constructed so that their wings were open and spread the entire width of the Holy of Holies. Two pillars stood at the entrance of the Temple which was on the west side. The pillar to the south was called Jakin meaning “he establishes”. The one to the north was called Boaz meaning “in him is strength.” Can you imagine the glory of this place? It was to be a picture of the garden of Eden in its splendor. In Romans, Paul explained that once we are saved, we shouldn’t want to continue in sin. We died with Christ and were buried with him by baptism. We were raised from the dead as Christ was to now live new lives by the power of the Father. Our old sinful selves lost its power in our lives and we are no longer its slave. Jesus set us free from the power of sin. Now he lives for the glory of God, so we can do the same. Sin only has the power we give it. Paul admonishes us not to let sin control the way we live or let any part of our body give in to sinful desires. We no longer have to serve sin, we are free to serve God with all our hearts. We can choose to become slaves of righteousness and be free of shame and guilt. Sin earns us death, but God’s free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We choose life! Thank you for defeating sin for us and making us overcomes and righteous.