2Ch 6:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | Solomon addresses the LORD ( ). First he reminds the LORD where He has said He would dwell: “In the thick cloud.” It indicates that God is inaccessible to people. He “dwells in unapproachable light” ( ). Thus He comes to Moses “in a thick cloud”, “the thick cloud where God [was]” ( ). It is the great privilege of the believer today to approach this God. This is made possible through Christ. It is as if Solomon is surprised that he has built a house as a dwelling place ( ) for the God, Who has said “that He would dwell in the thick cloud”. Later, in , he adds that God cannot dwell in a man-made house (cf. ; ). Yet it is also true that the temple is “a lofty house” for the LORD and that “forever”. This will find its full fulfillment in the kingdom of peace. Solomon is the mediator. He acts in this section as the king-priest: he is king and intercedes as a priest. This combination is the characteristic of the Messiah ( ). Solomon, with his father David, is the only one who blessed the people as king ( ). The first words Solomon speaks are “blessed be the LORD” ( ). Before he prays, he praises God for what He said with His mouth and also did with His hands. The building and completion of the temple was done by man’s hands, but Solomon attributes the entire building to the hands of “the LORD, the God of Israel”. What we do and accomplish for the Lord ultimately comes from Him, and so all honor belongs to Him. Paul and Barnabas realize that too. In the account of their missionary journey they report “all things that God had done with them” ( ; ). In earlier days, when the people are in the wilderness, God did not choose a city to dwell in, nor did He choose a man whom He had made the leader over His people ( ). He has done this now ( ). He has chosen a city and He has chosen a man ( ). The only important thing is the choice of God. That makes everything that people think up a lie, like the Bethel of Jeroboam ( ). The LORD has chosen Jerusalem, and there the LORD has His house. In this chapter the Name of the LORD is spoken about several times with reference to God’s house. There He lets His Name dwell. This reminds us of what the Lord Jesus says of the church: “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” ( ). Solomon points to his father David as the man who had love in his heart for God’s house and who is its original planner ( ). What he was allowed to do himself is to continue working with what his father David has already prepared ( ). Here we see an example of the saying of the Lord Jesus and what He associates with it: “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor” ( ). One may start a work and another may finish it. One generation starts something, the other goes on with it. We build on the foundation that others have laid. We also see here that Solomon remembers what Divine directions his father had and that he clings to them. He does not seek renewal and does not make arbitrary adjustments. He also does not seek his own honor by wanting to be original. From some people we read that their hearts went out to the house of God, that they longed for this house that it should be there. We see this with Moses ( ), David ( ) and Cyrus ( ). All of them are herein a picture of the Lord Jesus. In the New Testament the heart of every believer should go out to God’s house ( ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 6:1-2

Solomon Praises the LORD for the Temple

Solomon addresses the LORD (2Chr 6:1-2). First he reminds the LORD where He has said He would dwell: “In the thick cloud.” It indicates that God is inaccessible to people. He “dwells in unapproachable light” (1Tim 6:16). Thus He comes to Moses “in a thick cloud”, “the thick cloud where God [was]” (Exo 19:9 ; Exo 20:21). It is the great privilege of the believer today to approach this God. This is made possible through Christ.

It is as if Solomon is surprised that he has built a house as a dwelling place (2Chr 6:2) for the God, Who has said “that He would dwell in the thick cloud”. Later, in 2Chr 6:18, he adds that God cannot dwell in a man-made house (cf. Isa 66:1; Acts 7:48). Yet it is also true that the temple is “a lofty house” for the LORD and that “forever”. This will find its full fulfillment in the kingdom of peace.

Solomon is the mediator. He acts in this section as the king-priest: he is king and intercedes as a priest. This combination is the characteristic of the Messiah (Zec 6:13). Solomon, with his father David, is the only one who blessed the people as king (2Chr 6:3).

The first words Solomon speaks are “blessed be the LORD” (2Chr 6:4). Before he prays, he praises God for what He said with His mouth and also did with His hands. The building and completion of the temple was done by man’s hands, but Solomon attributes the entire building to the hands of “the LORD, the God of Israel”.

What we do and accomplish for the Lord ultimately comes from Him, and so all honor belongs to Him. Paul and Barnabas realize that too. In the account of their missionary journey they report “all things that God had done with them” (Acts 14:27 ; Acts 15:4; 1Cor 15:10).

In earlier days, when the people are in the wilderness, God did not choose a city to dwell in, nor did He choose a man whom He had made the leader over His people (2Chr 6:5). He has done this now (2Chr 6:6). He has chosen a city and He has chosen a man (Psa 78:68 ; 70). The only important thing is the choice of God. That makes everything that people think up a lie, like the Bethel of Jeroboam (1Kgs 12:25-33).

The LORD has chosen Jerusalem, and there the LORD has His house. In this chapter the Name of the LORD is spoken about several times with reference to God’s house. There He lets His Name dwell. This reminds us of what the Lord Jesus says of the church: “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Mt 18:20).

Solomon points to his father David as the man who had love in his heart for God’s house and who is its original planner (2Chr 6:7). What he was allowed to do himself is to continue working with what his father David has already prepared (2Chr 6:8-11).

Here we see an example of the saying of the Lord Jesus and what He associates with it: “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor” (Jn 4:37-38). One may start a work and another may finish it. One generation starts something, the other goes on with it. We build on the foundation that others have laid.

We also see here that Solomon remembers what Divine directions his father had and that he clings to them. He does not seek renewal and does not make arbitrary adjustments. He also does not seek his own honor by wanting to be original.

From some people we read that their hearts went out to the house of God, that they longed for this house that it should be there. We see this with Moses (Exo 15:13 ; 17), David (1Chr 17:1) and Cyrus (Ezra 1:2-3). All of them are herein a picture of the Lord Jesus. In the New Testament the heart of every believer should go out to God’s house (1Cor 3:10b).