Daily Bible Devotionals

“The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels[c] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.  All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.” 2 Chronicles 9:13-20 (NKJV)

I don’t have ESP, but I know what you are thinking. You can’t get over that number, “six hundred and sixty-six,” and you’re wondering if it has any relevance to the infamous “666” in the book of Revelation. I believe the answer is “yes”; God is making a statement about Solomon’s kingdom. “Six,” the number of creations, is prominent in today’s chapter.

“This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.” Revelation 13:18 (NKJV)

“666” is not arbitrarily disclosed here, any more than the story of Melchizedek in Genesis 14 is arbitrary, although Melchizedek seems an arbitrary character until Hebrews 7. We are supposed to scratch our heads when we see that “666” pop-up again in The Revelation. We are intended to ask, “Where did I see that number before…?” as we do when we hear mention of Melchizedek in the New Testament.

So, what is the significance of “666,” and how does its mention in Solomon’s kingdom relate to the end times? While the Lord promised to establish Solomon’s kingdom, its success depended on Solomon’s seeking His Word and obeying it. The acquisition of wives and wealth directly opposed God’s requirements for kings. God is not listing His blessings as much as He is listing the setup for downfall.

“And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.” Deuteronomy 17:17 (ESV)

What we learn about in 2 Chronicles 8 & 9 are Solomon’s so-called “accomplishments,” apart from following God’s Word. “666” is an unholy trinity, where man becomes his own judge and savior and determines his own truth. God is saying Solomon’s kingdom looks impressive, but it will not stand, as in the end times. Do you see it?

“Now all the work of Solomon was well-ordered from the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord until it was finished. So the house of the Lord was completed.” 2 Chronicles 8:16 (NKJV)

Oh, the glory days of Jerusalem! It must have been fantastic to walk through the temple complex and smell fresh paint still lingering alongside the fragrance of incense & lamb roasting on the altar. Israel’s enemies were subdued, and the children of those enemies (left unconquered by Israel’s forefathers) were pressed into the service of the kingdom. You can almost hear wise Solomon sighing to his friends, “Breathe in the goodness, exhale and relax!”  All was well, or was it? In the midst of all the progress reporting of chapter 8, one sentence seems out of place.

“Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, ‘My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.’” 2 Chronicles 8:11 (NKJV)

Like I tell my children, “Never date someone you would be embarrassed to take to church.”  Solomon had entered into compromise. It didn’t seem like a big deal; a political marriage (or several) may ensure peace. After all, don’t we need separation of church and state?

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Galatians 5:9 (NKJV)

A little leaven and a lot of time are enough to bring down an entire kingdom. While I do not want our current government teaching my children their opinions of what the Bible says, it is safe to say that God does not want to separate from ANY aspect of human involvement! Eventually, disengagement leads to disenfranchisement.

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.”  1 Kings 11:4-10 (KJV)

A kingdom may be God-originated, but once it becomes man-centered, it ends up God-forsaken. I am awaiting the place the Son of David is preparing. (John 14:2b-3)

“When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever.’”  2 Chronicles 7:3 (NKJV)

There is a lot of talk in our Christian culture these days about God’s GRACE.  His grace is a good thing, indeed.  By His grace, we are saved when we faithful place our trust in Jesus’ atoning work instead of our own.  (Eph 2:8-9)  Often, we hear the words “grace & mercy” put together.  They go well together, but they are not the same thing, as if they were twins.  Grace and mercy are more like cousins.  GRACE is when we get something we do not deserve.  If I gave you a fancy watch, that would be gracious.  Mercy is when we don’t get what we do deserve.  For instance, if you stole a fancy watch, the owner would show you mercy by not calling the cops.  So, our salvation is a combination of both God’s grace and His mercy towards us.  When we enter into salvation, we 1) do not get what we deserve (eternal separation from God) for falling short of God’s perfect standard, while, at the same time, we 2) receive the gracious gift of atonement purchased by Jesus’ righteousness.

When the Temple was dedicated, the people did not sing of God’s grace.  They sang of His goodness and mercy.  Why?  They knew their guilt; each fell short of God’s perfect standard.  And when they saw that fire fall and consume the animal sacrifice (representing their sin, which leads to death), they knew that only His mercy could have redirected that fire from them to the sacrifice.  You know, sometimes people get roasted when God’s fire falls!  (Leviticus 10:1-3; 2 Kings 1:10)

God, in His grace, allowed the Temple to be built.  In His mercy, He allowed people to make right their relationships with Him.  The Lord knew on the day the Temple was dedicated that Israel would eventually forsake His grace and need His merciful reparation.  Immediately after confirming His satisfaction with the Temple and affirming His willingness to be met there, God gave the people very clear terms of how they must return to Him after rejecting His Word.  It is like receiving a new car as a gift for finishing rehab and immediately being told how to get it back after it is impounded when you drive drunk again.

“Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him: ‘I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven, and there is no rain, command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways.  I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.’”  2 Chronicles 7:12-15 (NKJV)

Take heed, America!  We have despised God’s grace.  I hope people will seek His mercy; it may endure forever, but it is only offered for a limited time.  (Isaiah 55:6-9)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.” 2 Chronicles 6:32-33 (NKJV)

There is an idea popular among Christians today that puts forth that because of Jesus’ resurrection, Gentiles (non-Jews) can now have a personal relationship with God, whereas it was impossible before.  That idea is simply wrong, and today’s passage is yet another Old Testament example of how God has always allowed Gentiles to enter into a personal relationship with Him.  So, for a fun review of Gentiles who turned to the Lord, let’s begin with a little Moabite girl named Ruth.  

“But Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16 (NKJV)

Isaiah spoke about God’s acceptance of anyone (regardless of ethnicity) who would turn from foreign idols and choose to follow Him.  He even promised that God would not exclude the repentant foreigner from being counted among His people, even stressing that the redemption of ALL MANKIND was the mission of the Messiah.

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants - everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant - even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.  Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:6-7 (NKJV - see also: Matthew 21:13)

“Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6 (NKJV)

The apostle Paul, preaching at Athens’ Mars Hill, underscored how God is Lord-of-all and that all of earth’s inhabitants are both 1) subject to Him and 2) can be saved through receiving Messiah Jesus, by grace through faith.

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NKJV)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Chronicles 5. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right side and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as they offered for the burnt offering they would wash in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.” 2 Chronicles 4:6 (NKJV)

As a teenager, I worked as an electrician’s helper.  The man who owned the electrical company was known for having the highest standards.  My job was to gather supplies, get tools out of the truck, and clean up when the electricians had finished their tasks.  On occasion, I would be asked to tack up wire in an attic.  Although I was not an electrician, none of the licensed electricians wanted to climb into a hot attic in July!  So, I tried my best, but my workmanship showed I was an amateur.  After finishing, one of the electricians would cover my work with insulation and say, “It’s good enough for government work!”  He meant I did a poor job, but the boss would never climb into a hot attic to inspect it.  Then, one day, the boss climbed into the attic, and boy, those guys got an earful!  Was my workmanship dangerous?  No.  It was just ugly, and the company owner demanded perfection.  In the end, my boss was gracious to me, but he never let me forget the standard I should be working toward.

The idea of being “ceremonially clean” for a priest is very similar to a perfectionist boss cutting you slack because he knows you are trying your hardest.  No priest (apart from Jesus – Hebrews 7) was ever perfectly clean concerning living a sinless life.  No Levite could stand before the Lord because of his own righteousness, as if they and God were peers.  But the fact that they were imperfect did not mean there was no standard at all!  Priests were required to strive toward living according to God’s Word, and the Lord even called for a basin of water to be present so they could wash before they entered the temple.  So, what does this mean to us?  Quite a lot, seeing as we are also called into a holy priesthood.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

Jesus washed His disciples’ feet before the “last supper” (last Passover seder meal with His disciples - John 13:1-6).  He was preparing them for their upcoming apostolic “priestly” ministries.  While they were not clean themselves, Jesus was signifying that they should not be afraid to approach the Lord because He would make them clean by the blood He was about to shed for them (and us) on the cross.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:19-22 (NKJV)

“Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  And he began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.” 1 Chronicles 3:1-2 (NKJV)

God is not arbitrary. That is comforting news, because it says we can trust the character of God. He is ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. So, when God decides to do something, we don’t have to ask if He has seen it from all angles, understands the ramifications of His decision, has the power to finish what He is starting, or if He has the right motives.

Solomon is building God’s temple in Jerusalem, on the exact spot where the Lord told David that He wanted the temple to stand, Mount Moriah. But, when we hear that location, doesn’t it echo and harken us back to an earlier time?

“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” Genesis 22:1-3 (NKJV)

Because of what we already know of God, that He is not arbitrary, we understand how He planned for the exact spot where the Lord led Abraham to offer up his son Isaac (and where He provided the ram as a substitute) to be the precise spot where Solomon would build His temple. Furthermore, it was on the same mountain where Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be offered as our sin substitute! (Not at the temple, per se, but on the same mountain, outside the walls of the city. About the length of an arrow shot.) Coincidence? Hardly.  

At the end of today’s chapter, we learn of two pillars that Solomon erected. Because the pillars are named, we know they acted as stand-alone statements.

“Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz.” 2 Chronicles 3:17 (NKJV)

Jachin means “Ya is One” or “Ya Establishes  .” Boaz means “Strength  .” The intended statement these pillars represent is simple: As long as the King (and Israel) seek the Lord and Him alone, He will establish them by His strength. Have you committed to following the Lord through a personal relationship with Messiah Jesus, forsaking all else to heed His calling on your life? Then He will establish you in the strength of His Spirit! Let’s keep reading to see how Solomon & Israel heed His Word.

“Then Solomon determined to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal house for himself. Solomon selected seventy thousand men to bear burdens, eighty thousand to quarry stone in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them. Then Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying: ‘As you have dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. Behold, I am building a temple for the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, for the continual showbread, for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel. And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?” 2 Chronicles 2:1-6 (NKJV)

One spring, my wife had the idea to spruce up our patio.  It began with a simple conversation about a table and chairs.  Then, it grew to wicker love seats, side chairs, a charcoal grill, side tables, and a fire pit. It was too much to remember, so I had to write it all down. Today’s chapter is basically a hardware store shopping list.  But don’t get bored, because if you skip through it, you will probably miss something significant: Solomon’s conviction about His Lord.

Solomon told Hiram (a pagan king) that 1) the God of Israel is greater than all gods, and 2) I need you to give me lumber and carpenters to build Him a house.  Can you imagine parachuting into Mecca and telling the Moslems worshipping there that you want to build the God of Israel a house, and you want them to give you supplies?  But that is exactly what Solomon does!  And, by God’s grace, he received what He asked for!  How faithful are you at acting upon the bold steps the Lord is leading you to take?  The apostle Paul had a similar boldness at Mars Hill, where he spoke forth the truth that there is only ONE God and that He will judge mankind, whether they believe in Him or not.

“‘Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’ And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” Acts 17:30-34 (NKJV)

Christians who act on Biblical convictions get mocked and intellectually scrutinized, threatened, and beaten, yet some respond by surrendering their lives to follow Jesus. Since the results of our faithful witness are varied, our goal for boldly sharing the gospel must be to obey God, regardless of the results. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

“Now Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly. And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.  Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness. But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. Now the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there. And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’”  2 Chronicles 1:1-7 (NKJV)

It is easy for us to read the narrative of 2 Chronicles 1 and for our attention to be drawn to Solomon’s humility and God’s gracious response to it. But, in a rush to apply, many preachers skip over an important factor in the chapter: By the time Solomon became king, the act of worshipping God had become separated from the presence of God. The writer even tells us that the Tabernacle was in Gibeon, while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent in Jerusalem. What does that mean? It means the people of Israel were more involved with the practice of worshipping God than they were concerned with the power of His presence and personally seeking His counsel.

Generations later, in the days of Jeremiah, Israel was again going through the motions of religion instead of seeking the Lord and His Word. In essence, God made a statement (through Jeremiah, His spokesman) about the ark of the covenant. God said that if the people sought a personal relationship (marriage) with Him, He would withdraw His ark altogether. There is no need to seek a person you are continually walking alongside. Sadly, Israel chose religion over relationship. So, the ark of the covenant’s absence today is a punitive sign, as opposed to a sign of life.

“Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.” Jeremiah 3:14-16 (NKJV)

The great grace of God in today’s chapter is that He appeared to Solomon in Gibeon. God is not handcuffed to the ark. God can go wherever He pleases, but His discussion with Solomon led Solomon back to Jerusalem and the rejoining of His presence & man’s practice of worship. His grace leads to repentance.

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Timothy 1. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Thessalonians 3. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Samuel 21. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Samuel 14. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Samuel 7. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Kings 24. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Kings 17. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Kings 10. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 2 Kings 3. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Thessalonians 1. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 31. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 24. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 17. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 10. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 3. Click the links below to watch or listen now!