Scripture: 2 Chronicles 5:13-14, 7:1-3
Sermon notes
It is Solomon’s great desire that, having built the Temple and now dedicating it to sacred use, God would be present in it. What an empty place even such a glorious building would be without God’s personal presence! It must be our desire to experience the real presence of God at all times, but especially in the context of worship.
There are two aspects to God’s revelation of His presence among His people on this occasion, recorded in these two portions. Both passages are seen to complement each other and set important truths before us as we consider what it means for God to come down among His people.
I GOD CAME TO BE PRESENT AMONG HIS PEOPLE.
1. A visible revelation of a spiritual reality. Cp Jer 23:23-24, Matt 28:19-20. God is present in all places, and especially so among His people, Heb 13:5; yet the revelation or manifestation/display of His presence is often limited in our experience. God is unchangeably the same. He is never more or less present anywhere. Our sense and experience of Him is what changes. Cp Ps 74:9. When we speak of God withdrawing we do not mean that He has left but that there is a hiding of His presence from us.
2. God made His presence and glory visible. In this instance the visible form employed had two closely connected elements:
A cloud, 5:13. This was a commonly used visible evidence of the presence of God. It was an image that took them back to the Exodus: Ex 13:21; but was first seen in Gen 15:17.
Fire, 7:1. Fire falls from Heaven and consumes the sacrifice. There is a repetition of events at the inauguration of Tabernacle worship, Lev 9:23-24. A conscious experience of God’s glory is never apart from the revelation of the need for atonement and His acceptance of the appointed sacrifice.
Combined. Taken together the fire and the cloud indicate the presence of God on the basis of mercy that accepts a substitutionary atonement and insulates those present from the fiery wrath of God’s holiness against sin.
3. He was present in His house. The place of worship becomes the seat of His presence. Cp Ex 29:42-43. This is where we must especially look for the Lord to come. How little we know of God even in our worship!
4. A fullness, 5:13-14, 7:1-2. There was a fullness to the display/experience of His presence. He filled the place. There was no room for anything else!
II GOD CAME DOWN WHILE HIS PEOPLE PRAISED HIM.
1. They praised and thanked the Lord, 5:13. The importance of praise is specially underscored. When God’s people delight in Him He comes down. Cp 2 Chron 20:22, Ps 22:3.
2. The message of their praise, 5:13, 7:3. This focused on the eternal goodness and mercy of God. There is in this very obviously a recognition of God’s saving mercy. Cp 7:3. The same song is employed here. God’s acceptance of the sacrifice is the essence of the goodness and mercy they were praising. This is a joy in redemption and atonement; a joy in the gospel of Christ!
3. Unity, 5:13, 7:3. NB one x 2, all. There was a remarkable unity in this praise and worship. Instruments and vocals combined as one voice from one heart. See Ps 133.
III THE EFFECT OF GOD’S PRESENCE AMONG THEM.
1. The effect seen first upon the priests, 5:14. They were those ordinarily closest to God and charged with serving Him. They were the ministers of God in His house.
2. They could not stand. They were overwhelmed and perhaps even prostrated before God. They were made to be so conscious of God they fell before Him.
3. Other activities suspended. The other aspects of their service/ministry were suspended for a time. They could not go on in a normal fashion while under this powerful impression of God among them.
4. The people affected, 7:3. They are prostrated in joyful worship before God. Here is a display of the true fear of God. There is a reverence of His presence and yet the joy of Heaven expressed in song. Cp Ps 89:7.