The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 74

been finished (Ps. cxxvii. 1). 2. As a ma,·k of special favowr to Jerusalem. "In o.11 places where I record my Name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee" had Jehov1<h so.id upon the mount (Exod. xx. 24), while Moses on the plains of Mo~b had reminded them that" unto the place which the Lord their God should choose out of all th:ir tribes to put his Name there, even unto his habitation should they seek, 1md th1~her should they bring their offerings" (Deut. xii. 6); yet never since the day of their departure from Egypt had a city been selected for such a purpose, until David had arisen to be the captain of his people and Jerusalem had become the metropolis of the land. Then Jernsa.lem was chosen (Ps. cxxxii. 13), and the ark of God established on Zion (2 Sam. vi. 12; 1 Chron. xv. 1, etc.); now, in further pursuance of thiij plan to !!pecially distinguish the capital, a house had been built to set his Name there. 3. In fulfilment of a promise made to David his father. The first effect of the ark's establish- ment upon Mount Zion was to excite within David's heart a desire to erect a structure worthy of its accommodation (2 Sam. vii. 2); a house of cedar instead of the goat's-hair tent in which it had hitherto been lodged. The design was approved by Jehovah in so far as it bespoke the deeply religious spirit of bis servant, the fervour of his gratitude, and the sincerity of his devotion. Nevertheless, the proposal that David should build the house was not favoured by Jehovah-rather was expressly negatived. David having been a man of war, and, having shed much blood upon the earth in God's sight, it was hardly congruous that he should build a temple to the God of peace (1 Chron. xxii. 8). Thus God intimates that in religion, as in ordinary affairs, is a. "fitness of things" which cannot be transgressed without a shock to beholders. If in any depart- ment of life, much more in that of religion, a. beautiful consistency should be maintained between one's public conduct and private character, and a. strict watch set upon one's present actions lest they should hinder future usefulness. But if David should not build the house, a son of his, to be afterwards born, would (2 Sam. vii. 12, 13; 1 Chron. :xxii. 9, 10); and he, Solomon, had a.risen in fulfilment of that promise. 4. For the honour of his Name. So far as Solomon was concerned, that indicated true humility. Different from Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. iv. 30), Solomon had no thought of enhancing his own glory in what he undertook and executed, though, as the sequel proved, he thereby the more effectually secured that (eh. ix. 23 ; 1 Kings :x. 23, 24; cf. Luke xiv. 11). Of genuine religion also was it a sign, God's glory being ever to a. good man the foremost motive and highest aim in all his actions (1 Cor. x. 31), the uppermost desire in his heart being to sing forth the honour of God's Name (Ps. !xvi. 2), and to speak of his glory (Ps. :x.x:ix. 9). On the part of Jehovah the end contemplated was the loftiest possible, God having nothing more magnificently resplendent in itself, or more infallibly beatific in its results, to make known to man than just his own ineffably glorious Name, its holiaess (Ps. cxi. 9), faithfulness (Ps. cxlvi. 6), goodness (Ps. xxv. 8), and mercy (Exod. xxxiv. 6). Symbolically that was done by the ark of the covenant, with the tables of the Law deposited in the inner shrine of the sanctuary between the cherubim; historically that has since been done by God's Son, who in the fulness of the times ea.me forth from the Father, and revealed him to men (Matt. i. 23; John i. 18; v. 43); fully that will be done in the heavenly temple, when God's servants shall see his face, and his Na.me shall be in their foreheads (Rev. xxii. 4). LESSONS. 1. The condescension of God in dwelling with man. 2. The faithfulness of God in keeping his word. 3. The sovereignty of God in working all things accord- iag to the counsel of his will 4. The love of God in making known his Name to meIL.-W. Vers. 12-21.-The dedication of the temple : 3. The consecration prayer. I. THE PERSON OF THE SUPPLIANT. Solomon. 1. Royal. That Solomon should have prayed was not surprising, considering the example and training he must have received from his father, and remembering the solemn and impressive spectacle he had witnessed. It is difficult to shake off habits formed within the soul by ancestral piety aad early training; while, if a sense of God's nearness and a. realization of God's goo?-Dcss _will not stimulate to prayer, it is donbtful if anything_ on earth will. Y_et pra.y1ag ~mgs a~e not so numerous as they might and should, or indeed would be, did they consider their own or their people's good, not to speak of the allegiance they owe to the King of kwgs, by whose permission alone it is they reign (Prov. viii. 15; Dan. ii. 21). 2. <lH, vr. 1-42.) THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 75