This passage is God heavy. We learn a great thing in this passage. But, first, some background. David is commission and exhorting his Solomon to carry on the plans for building the temple. David desired to build it, but God did not let him. And now, it is up to Solomon to carry out this great task. These are David’s last words and the passion of David pour s out. There are some great lessons for us to learn from this. We learn first that there are works for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 confirms this, that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. Second, we learn that as we do these works for God, that for us to succeed we need Him to be with us. We need his indwelling presence to do that which he has planned for us to do. Third, we need God to grant us discretion and understanding so that we can obey the law of God. We are to be careful to keep the rules that God has commanded. It is for God and through God and to God that all things exist. We are dependent on God from first to last. It is fitting then, that after we are clear that everything is from and to and through God that we are commanded to Fear not. What is there to fear?
2 Ch 6:32-33 - “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
This is a fitting passage because Solomon is praying at the dedication of the now completed temple. The prayer is long and amazing but in particular the above passage includes a prayer for the fear of God. He asks that God may hear the prayer of the foreigner who comes and prays to this temple so that the peoples of the earth may know His name and that they may fear Him as Israel does. This is an amazing before and after look at how when we do not fear it leads us to do works so that people may fear to one, true God.
