Know and Glorify God.

Do you know and glorify God? Mark Hillis explains how this is possible as he continues his series entitled “That all the World May Know.”

Field of Dreams

There is a saying that goes, “Build it and they will come.” The movie Field of Dreams, released in 1987, is where this phrase began. Actually, the quote is incorrect; the true statement is, “If you build it, he will come.” In the film, a farmer in Iowa is given supernatural instructions to construct a baseball diamond in his corn field so that the departed spirits of famous baseball players can play a game and relive their heyday.

Today we are going to consider a real and far greater building ambition found in the Bible, which was built for God’s glory, and after its completion God came in a very powerful way.

King David’s Inspiring Idea

It all started with an inspiring idea that King David had. God had spoken to him, promising that his lineage of kingship would reign forever, and that got him thinking, “here I am dwelling in a beautiful home I have made for myself through the Lord’s provision, but the Ark of the Covenant, where the Lord dwells on earth, is kept in a tent. Why don’t I build a great house for God? From there His name will be glorified.”

David shared this thought with his good friend Nathan the Prophet, and he agreed that David should proceed with this idea. But that night the Lord spoke to Nathan and told him that David was not the one to build a house for Him; after David dies his son who will rule the throne in his place, he will build a house for the name of the Lord. God will bless him and establish his throne and kingdom.”

David’s Son, Solomon

Solomon was the name of David’s son who received his throne and crown after he passed away. God made Solomon a great man. The Lord blessed him very much, as He said He would. Solomon began his rule over Israel and made alliances with the surrounding nations that touched the boarders of Israel.

One night Solomon had a dream where he met with the Lord and God said to him, “ask for anything and I will give it to you.” Solomon responded to the Lord’s gracious request asking for wisdom.

God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

Ask for Anything

Would you have asked for the same as Solomon if God had said to you, “ask for anything and I will give it to you?”

Power, fame, fortune… these would have been on the top of many people’s list of things. What sets Solomon’s request apart from these? It wasn’t a selfish thing to ask for.

To be wise is to be able to discern, to have sensibly sound judgment, and to have an attitude that allows one to make the right decisions. That makes it a very practical trait to have when being king of a whole nation. It was something that would benefit everyone under his rule. It was a request that was not just for Solomon to profit from personally but for all the people.

Proverbs 16:16 reminds us,

“How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.”

Proverbs 16:16

Follow Solomon’s Example

We should all follow Solomon’s example and ask God for wisdom.

Today we are bombarded with so much information and lots of opinions. If we are curious to find answers about life and how to live, chances are the first place we will go is the internet.

But I encourage you to not go to Google for wisdom but go to God, the One who is our only source for understanding that really matters.

The Bible tells us that if we ask for wisdom, God will freely give it to us.

James 1:5 states,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

James 1:5

It also tells us the source of where Godly wisdom comes from:

Colossians 2:3 says,

“In Christ Jesus lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Do you want this wisdom only God can give? Without a doubt Solomon knew it was the best thing he could ask for; do you see it as the best thing you could ask for?

1 Corinthians 1:18 says that the foolish reject Jesus and the reason He died on the cross, but those who have received it have the wisdom to know that it is the power of God to save them from eternal death.

Don’t wait a minute longer; be wise and see your need for Him, repent of your sin, and receive Jesus as your Savior.

Solomon’s Supernatural Wisdom

As Solomon’s reign over Israel continued, endowed with this special gift he received from God, it wasn’t long till the whole nation began to hear about his supernatural wisdom, and this caused everyone to want to serve him and love him even more.

In time Solomon’s reign caused an economic explosion. People were happy, and it was a very peaceful and prosperous time. The population of the nation grew, and Solomon’s riches began to accumulate in staggering amounts such as; many chariots with horsemen, an abundance in silver, gold, precious stones, livestock, and fine fabrics.

Before long, his wisdom became renown throughout all the counties around Israel. Then people all over the world heard of him, kings and queens would travel great distances to meet him, bringing lavish gifts and this added more to his wealth.

The Queen of Sheba

In the book of 2 Chronicles chapter nine it tells us about the Queen of Sheba who came to Israel to meet Solomon. She had heard much about his wisdom and the greatness of his kingdom. She asked him many hard questions with the intent of testing his great knowledge. She couldn’t believe the answers he gave her. She was dumbfounded. Her breath was taken away by everything she experienced during her visit with him.

She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of your great wisdom! It is far beyond what I was told. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”

Building the Temple

The time finally came for Solomon to begin building the temple of God that was assigned to him by God, through his father David. He began collecting timbers and building materials for the project. David had already contributed much in precious metals and jewels before he died. It was only the best of the best for God’s House.

It took seven years to build, it was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high.

There could be no doubt that when Solomon began this great endeavor, the whole world heard of it. Much of the temple was covered with pure gold and brass. Inside and out was extravagantly decorated with carvings. The items and tools used for the sacrificial practices were lavish in their amount and craftmanship. It must have been a sight to behold. A wonder of the world, built for the purpose of glorifying the name of the Lord.

The Inauguration of the Temple

When it was complete, all the treasures that his father David had dedicated were brought in, then the priests carried in the Ark of the Covenant and all the articles used for the animal sacrifices. The priests began singing and playing instruments.

Then something amazing happened, as they praised the Lord in unison, the temple was filled with a cloud and everyone was forced to leave, as God’s glory filled it.

Solomon then stood before all the people and spoke to them. He prayed to God saying;

“In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.”

1 Chronicles 6:32

Solomon built it and God came in His glory. His prayer expressed the will of God, that not only the people of Israel would be inspired in the Lord through the temple, but that all the people of the earth would come to know the great name of God, know of His power and reverence Him.

Solomon’s prayer regarding God’s will for everyone is still true today; that all people would come and glorify His name.

Greater Clarity

About 1000 years later the Lord gave greater clarity as to the One by whom the world must come to acknowledge, the greatness of His wisdom, and the reign of His heavenly kingdom; the Lord Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Jesus is Greater Than the Temple

In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus claims He is greater than the temple. As glorious as the temple was, it pales in comparison to Him, being the Son of God who came to save the world from sin. Jesus also recalls the story of the Queen of Sheeba and how she came from such a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and Jesus adds that He is greater than Solomon. The difference is Jesus is near, as the God of the universe, as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. You can discover His greatness of wisdom and heavenly riches right where you are.

The Apostle Paul said in Acts 17:27

“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”

Acts 17:27

This is a strong expression of how God is always close, available, and ready to receive us. He wants us to seek Him out with desperation and know the satisfaction that comes when He is found.

James 4:8 is also a wonderful promise;

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

It has been said that a seeking sinner and a seeking savior will always meet.

Jesus died on the cross, shedding His blood for the payment of your sins. Place your faith in what He did for you. By this you can be made right and have peace with God, knowing your sins are forgiven. Ephesians 2:13 says it well;

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Come to the Savior today. Answer His call, fulfill the desire of His heart, that all the earth will come to know Him and be saved.

Which of God’s promises do you enjoy the most? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.