← Don't Miss This Study
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Hi, there. Welcome to Don't Miss this, a scripture study podcast with Dave Butler and Grace Freeman.
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Each week, we point out things in the scriptures that we love and think you don't want to miss.
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Thanks for listening. Hi, everyone. I'm Dave Butler.
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And I'm Grace Freeman.
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Welcome to Don't Miss this if it's your first time. It's called Don't Miss this because we go through the scriptures, point out things that we think you don't want to miss. We love scripture. We love reading scripture, studying scripture, letting it inspire us, and most importantly, just leading our hearts to love God more through scripture, just discovering his character in every single section, every single chapter that we find. So we're in the Old Testament this year, which is turning out to be. It's halfway through the year, everybody. I just realized June.
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B
Yeah. Well, do you know when I realized is, look.
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A
Oh. Because you're.
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Yeah.
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Getting to the end of that. Okay. Wow. So halfway. You're halfway through the year, and the second half is just as good as the first half. So I hope you're loving the Old Testament if you've been here since January or February, whatever.
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B
Oh, it's so cool.
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A
Yeah. It's a great, great book. There are a lot of things in there that are weird. Yeah. We have to remember that it happened thousands of years ago. So there are some things that have to be wrestled with in the book because it's from a context and a time period that's so long ago. And that's okay. That's okay. Like, last week, we skipped one of the stories because it was like, oh, the context is so hard that I'm not, you know, it's tough to, you know, find. But there's anyway, so many good things. And particularly we see a God who, at least for half the book, has not given up yet. And I think that's just so great to watch. The messiness of this book and God still in the center of every page. So, particularly on today's lesson, which I
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B
know, and we should say this. That's so cute, too. Is that every single story I read, I feel like every single person that God chooses, it would be really easy to say, are you sure about that?
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Yeah.
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Is that a good choice? And he just still chooses them. And he wrote them in his book. Like, that's who he chose. He was like, these are gonna be perfect people for my book. These are the exact people I want for my story. And everyone else should be like, why? And then it's like, oh, maybe because he wants to choose me too. It's gonna be fine.
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A
Yeah, that's interesting because sometimes you look around and because everybody pretends really well and no one just. It's probably socially acceptable to not air your dirty laundry and all your mistakes and talk about them and fast and testimony meeting, but everybody has them. And I think reading scripture where they're written about and God's response to them are written, it helps people feel like they are a part of the story and that they belong in the story. It's really easy sometimes in church depending to feel like I don't fit in. And scripture helps you feel like I belong. I belong in this. So anyways, awesome. Let's put the timeline piece on first, even though we're not starting with his story. But in just a minute we're going to meet Solomon who is David's son and he's going to go on today's lesson. So remember, we're in the time of the three kings of Israel and we're getting to this. Next time we'll do a review of where we've been so far because this is kind of getting to the end of the second row. But this is a symbol of a temple. Solomon's going to be the builder of the temple in Jerusalem. And so we're putting that in that spot. So the three kings, he's the third of the three kings of the united Kingdom of Israel with Saul, David and Solomon. So this tip in, if you haven't put it in yet, you can put it in Saul's section, David's or Solomon's. The it's suggested to put it back in 1st Samuel, chapter 9. But this is the summary of the three different kings of Israel and their stories. Saul's, David. And then today we'll get into, we'll get into Solomon. So that tippin goes right there in there. Speaking if, if you're new and you don't know what the tippins are, we we create just different study tips and tools. Physical think tools that you can use to help, you know, reminders of the scripture in your house like the flip chart or the posters, a journal to study and tip ins to put in your scri. So if you're new and don't know about Those, go to goodnewsbrandco.com and you can, you can get some of those. Also if you don't know, we have a, an app. Don't miss this app. Go to don'tmissthestudy.com for it because the signup is a little bit Tricky. You can't just go to the App Store. That helps actually make it even more affordable. And the best part about that is weekly five devotionals per week to kind of help guide like family scripture study at family prayer time. They're just simple with questions and it's awesome. They're so awesome. So that's help out if you're new. Let's jump in to 2 Samuel chapter 11 where we get into this story and listen truly, truly, in my mission scriptures, I tore out these chapters 11 because it makes me so sad because I love, I love David so much. And it's such a sad and heartbreaking part of his story here in 2 Samuel chapter 11. And I feel like he's known by it too. I'm actually, I'm really glad the David and Goliath story is like the dominant story of David. I'm so glad that's the one that people remember and. But people remember this one too much. But again, I've said this a couple times, not everyone in scripture is either bad or good. For some of these people in scripture, we get to see their whole journey and their, and their whole story. And I like that you can go to Florence and see a statue of David that's revered and in the art world and by millions of tourists and it's his finest hour that we can still remember people's best moments in their life and the lessons they learned in the. And you know, in the harder ones. So today's we start with a harder story of David. Chapter 11 starts with this verse, which is interesting. It says it came to pass when the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants in all of Israel and they went out into battle. And it says at the end of that first verse, but David tarried still at Jerusalem. So I think there are some lessons that we can learn from the mistakes of other people that help us avoid some in our own lives. Obviously it's, I think, best to learn from the, from the mistakes of, of others, especially if they've been dead for over 2000 years. They don't feel as bad, you know, bringing them up. And that verse, just this. David belonged in battle. He was the king, and he belonged with the mighty men of valor. And he belonged at the, you know, fighting the cause. And if he were there, it would have prevented what happened next. If he were fulfilling his purpose, it would have prevented what happens next. But you may know the story. He is out on his roof and he sees a Neighbor woman whose name is Bathsheba, and she is bathing on her roof. He sees that she's beautiful. He inquires after her. Sometimes I go through this story and I act like his Jiminy Cricket, you know, her conscience or whatever. She's like, stop, just stop. Or whatever. And anyways, Bathsheba is pregnant. And he finds that out. And so he calls her husband back from the battle. This is the most stinging part of this. Her husband's name is Uriah. And he comes to battle, comes back home because David calls him and. And David says, why don't you take a little break at your house, spend some time with your wife. She's trying to cover up, you know, and. And he sleeps on the porch, Uriah does, because he's like, I can't sleep comfortably in my bed when all of my brothers are out fighting on the battlefield, sleeping in the mud. And you're like, where do you find people like this? And this part, I was going to tell you that, like, stings the most. Uriah is actually one of David's mighty men of valor. Like, he's listed in that group. And now he's gotten his wife pregnant. And Uriah is too noble for the coverup. So David actually sends him, it says, into the hottest part of the battle. He tells his commander, put Uriah at the very forefront of the battle. And he does. And Uriah dies. And David commits these grave sins and mistakes to try and cover up other sins and mistakes. And it's such a heartbreaking story. It's. It's so. It's so sad. He kind of forgot the lessons that he learned on the battlefield with Goliath. Right? To keep your eye on. On the Lord, to keep your heart on the cause, to run after it with all of your energy. And if you are serving and loving God with all of your heart, might, mind and strength, then there's nothing else to. To love. There's no room, you know, for. For anything else. So it's. It's so sad. What happens in chapter 12 is actually, I think, interesting because Nathan, a prophet, comes to David and he gives him a little parable. And he says, once upon a time there were two men. And one of them was really rich and had a whole lot, and the other one had one cute little lamb and that he nourished. And they grew up together with his kids and lived in, you know, the little crib in their house or whatever tells the story. And he says, and the rich guy came along and stole it from him. What do you Think about that. And David was like, that's terrible. That guy should go to jail. That guy should be beheaded. Like, that's terrible. And then Nathan says to him, he's like, it's actually a story about you and what happened with Bathsheba. And David just sinks inside. And one of the reasons that I like that is because I think we see about David that you learn, I was caught up in the problem and in the heat of that moment, like, when I can see things clearly now, I never would have done something like that. Like, I know the answer, and I know what's right, and my heart knows what's right, and I know what's good. But. And I just think I love to see David's response to that, to realize and recognize, like, that can happen, that we can kind of be blinded by passion, lust, greed, whatever it may be. And we find ourselves in situations where we still have to carry the consequences of them. But I do love seeing, like, oh, you know, like, your heart was. Your heart's still good. And you, like, under other circumstances, like, you wouldn't have done that. And I think it's important to give our own selves some grace on that and to realize that, you know, there are some sins and mistakes that are made, that we're just like, oh, I knew better. And, you know, we're going to get into the book of Psalms. But, like, most of the psalms are written by David. Psalms of praise, psalms of repentance, psalms of remorse, songs that are written after this happens. And you can still see the love of God for him and his love for God in all of those. And I want to always remember that, yes, there's a sin, yes, there was consequences, but God's not done with David in chapter 11, and their relationship isn't over. And the good that David can do is. Is not over also. And I think part of that we'll see in Bathsheba. So remember, we have these tippins of the four grandmothers of Jesus that are mentioned in his genealogy in Matthew, and Bathsheba is one of them that is mentioned. And interestingly, she's not called by name. She's called by the wife of Uriah, which is almost like a little sting, you know, when. When you read it. And it's interesting that that Bathsheba is included with a reminder of that mistake as part of, like, the. You know, they don't just name. Yeah, they don't say her name only. They're just like, oh, and let's remind you of what happened with her. But that Jesus will actually come through the relationship of David and Bathsheba, not this particular child, but from, you know, later they get married and Solomon and Jesus is going to come through that line. And we have written on this tip in that goes in this spot. This is a story of hope in grace and a reminder that, like you said at the beginning, grace that Jesus says, these are the people I put in my story. Not only my story was like, this is the family line. I come in through that. Like, salvation still came to this family line, despite this mistake. And it just feels like it's interesting that Jesus will come through this line almost as of a way to say to us, like, your sins and problems, no matter how serious they are, aren't irredeemable. And I think there's something that we're being taught in that story about putting her in that genealogy of Jesus saying, this is my family, this is my story, and this is who I came to save. So put that tip in there in chapter 12 is just a reminder, you know, of that also.
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Well. And it does feel like at some point you're like, God, should you. Like, this is terrible, but, like, you are, like, should you just give up? Like, start over, choose a new family, choose a new storyline? These are not the only people that existed in the earth. Like, just go somewhere else. Like, just like, do something else. Do a start over. And I love what that teaches about the heart of God that he just doesn't. Yeah, he says, no, I chose this. And I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of the mistakes. I'm not afraid of including the mistakes in the story. I'm not afraid of that being something that you learn, because that is mortality. And I'm not afraid of you reading the Psalms after and knowing that there's redemption and that there's more to the story and that there's worship that comes after the mistake. I'm not afraid of you getting a full glimpse of what mortality is like because you're going to experience it too. So you might as well have the full picture.
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Yeah. And I just, I do love, too, that, you know, God still uses David. David, like, the Psalms are the most beloved book of Scripture. And the amount of good that's come, the amount of people that have been turned to the Lord because of the writings of the Psalm, there's no doubt that they're inspired. And isn't it interesting that some of David's most inspired writings happen at. After this happens? Because sometimes I think it's easy to say like, well, that I messed it up. It's over. Like, I. Like, I don't. I don't have a clean record anymore. There's no good I can do. There's something that you read in that, like, face the lion thing. What's it? Fight the lion, Chase, Chase the lion. Feels like those are all appropriate. Do you have that still? Because there was a line that you said in there that just reminded me of this. And I wonder if I looked at it, I could remember it really quick. And it was sort of this idea, this concept and idea of, hold on, have hope in. And belief in his sec. In Jesus's second chances, that he can still use us, that things aren't over. Let me see if I can. Oh, yeah, here. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. And one of the greatest things that's right with God is that he forgives and that he heals and that he restores. And I think that is, in Elder Holland's words, one of the things that he loves most about being God. And so I hope that as everybody studies this story and their own mistakes are brought to their mind, that they also remember that Jesus came through this line to fix these very kind of problems and to heal these kind of relationships and to restore beauty for. Beauty for ashes. Right? Is the phrase that he says when he comes to the world. I make beauty from the things that were burnt down, even if you lit the match. So story sad. We hate reading, like, sad stories. But also, there's a. There's just powerful, you know, lesson in that that I think is really important. Then they have a son.
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Then they have a son. And I think that, honestly, it just still feels like evidence of the same storyline that it's like, wait, why didn't you just get rid of David and start over and find someone else for the kingdom? Instead they just make Solomon king. And he says, this is just gonna work out and it's gonna be fine. And I'm not gonna give up on this story.
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And P.S. we don't really. The reading doesn't include the end of 2 Samuel, but you should just know the rest of that book is just a continuation of David's story. And still more high moments and more low moments and victories and losses and just. Just mortality, which will be the same
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for Solomon and the same for every other person that we read about in scripture. And the same for all. Yeah, it's just true. And Solomon begins, and he loves the Lord. And you Just know that about Solomon. You'll see in verse number three. And Solomon loved the Lord walking in the statutes of David, his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And you see from the very beginning where he. Where he is and how he feels and that he's just a good boy. And he's like, I am just gonna do my very best, and that's my most important thing.
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And do you know what? So I never thought of before until just now, you reading that you say, he loved the Lord. And I want to say, where do you think he learned that from? And it says, he walked in the statutes of David, his father. That, you know, like, I could imagine David thinking to himself, you know, he's like, I'll never be the kind of dad that I wanted to be because of the mistakes that I made. And how are my. How are my sons going to ever be able to, you know, look up to me? I want to be their hero. And I love that. You start to see part of the redemption story right there in that verse. It says, solomon loved the Lord, and he learned it from his dad.
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B
So cute. It's so cute. And he goes, and one night, sweet Solomon has a dream. And the Lord shows up to Solomon in the dream, and he says, solomon, what do you want? Ask me for anything. What could you ever possibly want? And it is so cute that this is his first line. And he says, you have showed your servant, David, my father, a lot of mercy. And I think that this might not be true. So let's not. I don't like. Maybe not, but in my head, I'm like, I like that. If he knew that about his dad, David, his dad, David. David must not have shied away from sharing his story with his kids and been open and honored. Like, open and honest and vulnerable about, this is who I am. And these were my choices. And this is the God that I believe in. And what I think is important to remember is that didn't stop Solomon from believing in the Lord. That taught him to believe in a merciful one. And I think too often we shy away from sharing the real parts of our stories and because we are afraid that that will make someone see us differently, when in reality, it is what will shape the way other people see God.
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A
Yeah, and that's interesting that, like, God tells us, you know, let your light so shine that people may glorify your Father, which is in heaven. And this Solomon is glorifying the mercy of God. And he learns that through. How else do you learn that God is merciful. Mercy only comes after mistake. It doesn't ever come any other way. Right.
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B
And so why are we not sharing that? Because that's the best part of God.
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A
Yeah, yeah.
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Share those stories. Let people know that God is merciful.
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Yeah. You don't have to do it at Thanksgiving table or.
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Yeah.
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From the microphone or whatever, you know, and kind of.
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B
Well, like even like what you read is like, according as he walked. This is talking about David. Solomon's saying this about David. According as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprighteousness of heart with thee. And you have kept him this great kindness that you have given him a son to sit on the throne to this day. And what I love is that David didn't show Solomon that he was merciful because he told him about the story of Bathsheba over and over and over again. The evidence that God was merciful is that David showed him that he could see, still live a good life after that, and that God was still kind after that. That's the evidence that God was still kind after the mistake. That's the life that you show. It's not that you need to go around and air all your dirty laundry to every single person you know, but what if it's showing that I'm an imperfect person and God is still kind to me? That is testimony. That's how you live that.
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Yeah, that's awesome.
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You know? And so he goes and he says, you know what? I know what I am going to ask for. And if you were to give me the option to ask for anything, God,
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A
it was just such an interesting question. Right. I think I've said this before, maybe on. Don't miss this. I don't know. I met this Hindu priest once who said to me, he's like, the essence of Hinduism is answering the question, what do you really want? And then he said this. That's a question that's easy to give an answer to, but it's hard to give a good answer to it because anybody can answer really quick. But imagine Jesus asking that question to you, like, what do you really want? What do you want more than anything?
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B
And Solomon gives a good answer. And how long did he think about it? We don't know. Or is this just who he is? Probably a little bit of both. Because he looks and he says this. Give your servant an understanding heart. So that when I see the people in my kingdom, I do not see them from a throne, but I see them from your eyes only that when I interact with them When I talk with them, when I judge them, that I do it with a heart that is not above them, that is not mean, that is not anything other than just first and foremost, understanding. That is the kind of king he wanted to be, an understanding one. And.
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A
And isn't that interesting, by the way, within context of what you said, about how he starts that conversation. What do you want? And he starts by saying. I think he was like, you've shown my father great mercy, and he has such a good heart himself, and he's so kind, but others probably don't see him like that. And he's taught me to, like, try to learn to see people the way, you know, that you have. Does that make sense?
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B
It's what he's done his whole life.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so he's just like, I want to. A lot of people see my dad differently than what he really is. Will you help me see that in everyone? Everyone.
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B
Oh, it's so cute. And speaking of dads, this week, me and my dad went to dinner up in Bountiful, and that's where my dad's from. And we were gonna get there earlier than our reservation was for. And so, like, as a joke, I was like, dad, like. I was like, should we do a hometown tour of, like, your house? And he was like, yes. And we took an early exit, and he toured me through his whole entire hometown. And we went to the house he grew up in, and we drove past his elementary school, and we went to the baseball field that he would always run to with his friends and play, and we drove down the road that he walked to school, and we did all this whole hometown tour, and then we got to this random house, and he said, stop. And I said, okay. And we stopped, and he said, that is Mrs. So and so's house. Ms. So and so's house. And I was like, okay. And he said, did I tell you that story? And I was like, no. I was like, who said it? Like, you could see instantly when he said her name. Like, he would like it. Like, it shaped him. Like she. She was so important to him. And he said, oh, my gosh. He said, it was Thanksgiving and he had a best friend named Rob. And he said, me and Rob got all the nastiest food for Thanksgiving dinner. And we piled it on plates and plates and plates, and we decided we were gonna walk it over to her house. It was one of his teachers because she was the meanest teacher. And so we were gonna bring all the worst Thanksgiving food and offer it to her her as a surprise. And then we got to her yard, and we saw she had this beautiful rose bush. And we thought it was gonna be so funny to cut up all her roses and give her a bouquet of all the roses from her own yard. And we were trying to be as rude as we possibly could, and we knocked on the door and we thought we were just being so funny. And she opened up the door, and she saw them and immediately started crying. And she looked at them and she said, how did you guys know? And they said, what? And she said, I've been sick. And I wasn't allowed to go to my family's Thanksgiving dinner because no one wanted me to get them sick. And I was too sick to make any Thanksgiving dinner. So I've sat here all by myself all day, just wishing that someone would visit. And she invited them in, and she looked at the roses and she said, oh, and thank you for these roses. And she sat the two boys down, and they sat there all afternoon with the teacher that they thought they hated the most in the world. And then they walked out, and they both looked at each other and they said, we need to be better boys, because she thinks we are. And they got to school on Monday, and she had brought all the roses and put them in a vase on her desk, and she didn't take them off there until the last petal had fallen. Fallen off the rose. And my dad looked at me and he said, you know what? No one else in that whole entire school really liked her. Oh, but we. We loved her ever since that last Thanksgiving. And I sat there, and I just have been thinking about that story so much because it took an experience for them to have a change of heart. Yeah, but they did. They saw her in a way that no one else in that entire school saw her. And they loved that teacher for the rest of their lives. Even years and years later, when we were driving past her house, out of everything he showed me in that entire neighborhood, that was his favorite place. And I think that sometimes the Lord can show up to us in a dream, like Solomon, and give us an understanding heart. But I. I don't think that that's the only way that we can get one. Sometimes understanding hearts come from experiences. Maybe it's an experience with someone you love that changes the way you see. Maybe like Solomon with the dad. Or maybe it's a dream when the Lord just simply gives you eyes to see people like he sees them. And maybe sometimes it happens through experience. But I don't think that there's Anything that changes the way we treat people, like seeing them differently does.
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A
Yeah. Oh, so cute. It's like the best story.
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B
It's just the cutest.
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A
So one of the things that Solomon ends up doing that he's known for, that we saw on that piece in the timeline, is he will build the first permanent temple to the Lord in Jerusalem. So remember up to this point, out in the wilderness, they had the tabernacle that they walked around and it was a tent and they would pack it up and it would go. And it's been housed. The Ark of the Covenant has been housed in a little tent in different places all throughout Israel up until this point. And it was David who actually went to the Lord and said, how can I live in a palace and you live in a tent, so can I please build you a house? And the Lord said to David, I love you, David. That's not gonna be your job. That's gonna be your son Solomon's job. And so Starting in chapter six, Solomon starts to build this temple. P.S. if you've ever seen a picture of Jerusalem before, where you see the golden dome, the Dome of the Rock, that's the. That's the spot. That's the spot where Solomon's temple was. It gets knocked down, it's gonna get rebuilt, and then King Herod at the time of Jesus is gonna expand and it's always just standing stayed in that same spot that makes me really want to go. So I know, listen, by the time we're recording this, we don't know whether I've been, but we hope didn't get to go at Easter like I wanted, but such a special place. And the Western wall that you may have heard of before is. Is the wall of like the foundation that held up that whole area. So that's that spot right there. And he is going to build this temple in that spot. And if you look inside your journal, you've got this page, our worksheet page that's in here, that's two boxes. What was the sacrifice and what were the promises? And I want to start with the sacrifices actually starts with David. And so if you go back, this verse is in there back to 2 Samuel 24. David has moved the capital city to Jerusalem. And he, starting in verse 18. Where is it? Okay, and. And Gad came up that day to David and said unto him, go up and rear an altar of the Lord in the threshing floor of Aruna the Jebusite. And just so you know, long standing tradition in the Holy Land is that that threshing floor was the same spot where Abraham had taken Isaac. This was Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and Solomon's temple are built on Mount Moriah. And that's why he wants that spot, because it's sacred to them and because of what happened there. That's what made it holy. The sacrifice made that place holy. So David comes to Aruna and he says, I would like to buy this land for. To build a temple to the Lord. And this Aruna fellow bows himself to the ground. 21 he says, what do you want? You. You can have anything that you want. Please take in 22. What seems good. Here's some oxen also for a sacrifice. And here's some my. My threshing instruments, like my farm tools or whatever, for lack of a better you. You can use these as wood and you can hear, take everything, have it here. And I love what David Sundays. Back in 24, the King David said unto Aruna, no, but I will surely buy it of the at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord, my God, of that which doth cost me nothing in the end. David teaches Aruna a lesson here where he just says, part of what is going to make this place holy is what I'm willing to give God for it. Sacrifice has a way of showing what you feel about something. It's a manifestation of what's inside your heart. And it's a method for your heart to be able to show right that he says, no, this should cost me something. My love for God should cost me something. And so he buys that land. And so as you think about what was the sacrifice, you could think about for David, what that sacrifice was. But then also, as you read about the building of the temple in chapter six, you read through this chapter, you start seeing that the very best wood, the very best gold and silver, and all of their very, very finest is brought to build this place, this house of the Lord and Samuel. I'm sorry, Solomon is probably learning again that same lesson from his dad. He was like, this has got to cost me something. Like it's going to be my way of showing that this is important to me. To give up something is what makes something holy. And it makes me think about that story of what's the man's name? I just lost it. Oh, John Rom Oil.
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B
Oh, yeah, right. So cute.
- [33:37]
A
Where he. If you don't know the story and there's a video you can go find of the story that's so good, I don't know where to Find that video. I don't even know you remember, there's the movie of his life, I think it's called. I don't know what it's called. Well, I'll look it up anyways, so if you don't know the story, John Ro Moyle during the time when the Salt Lake Temple was being constructed, John Rom Oil was given a calling, an assignment to be a stonemason on that temple. But he lived about 20 plus miles away from where the temple was being built. And every Friday he would walk all day long, get to the temple, work on it on Saturday, then walk all the way home and do his chores. Oh wait, I lied. He would walk on Monday. Excuse me, Walk on Monday to Salt Lake, work on building the temple until Friday, where he would walk home, do his chores on Saturday for the farm, church on Sunday, and then he would do it again on Monday. And he did that for 20 years in every month of the year, through rain, snow and sunshine and heat and everything. And one day on his farm he gets kicked in the leg by his cow and they have to amputate his leg. And after he recovers from that, he builds himself a little peg leg and practices walking around his room, then practices walking around the house, then practices walking around the farm until one day he's like, okay, I'm practiced enough that I can now make the walk of those 22 miles back to the Salt Lake Temple to work as a stonemason. And on that peg leg he walks those miles and as a 70 year old man climbs up the scaffolding and he is the one who carves into the front of the Salt Lake Temple. Holiness to the Lord. And every time I see that now after knowing that story, I think to myself, that was the sermon of his life. And for him he demonstrated like David and Solomon did. My offering to the Lord has to cost me something. And the holiness of that building, I think is in part because of what he and so many others were willing to give. And I think that's true of the lives that we build. Like as those things that cost us something, are what refine us, are what endear us to God and to each other in ways that things that are easy just can't do.
- [36:21]
B
And I think it's so tender to me that it is about the temple, because that phrase, I don't know why lately it has meant so much to me, holiness to the Lord because it really is something beautiful to think like that's a holy building. But the goal of it is to make you holy. When you walk in, the goal is that you walk out more holy. Like that is like, I want my life to be a journey towards holiness. And how beautiful that from the very beginning that began with sacrifice, that to experience holiness, you do have to let go of the. You do have to be willing to sacrifice things to become that type of person.
- [36:57]
A
And I just had two thoughts about that. One is of Jesus, and, well, I'll leave Jesus. Save the best for last. I'll save the other one. That the covenants that we make in the temple are actually all covenants that cost us something. And I think that's how the covenants mold holiness. Mold. Mold our hearts into holy hearts. Because there's like, if you think of each of them, they all ask us to kind of give something to pay a price. The first one is actually, you know, obedience and sacrifice. Obedience at a cost, you know.
- [37:33]
B
Yeah.
- [37:35]
A
And then of course, it makes me think of Jesus who. He says, I died to make you holy. Like your holiness had a cost. The reason you're so val. Valuable and you're the reason you're worth so much is because of what someone was willing to pay for it. And as I say that about the relationship I want with God and others, what makes it holy is actually what I'm willing to pay for it. It's not. It's not like buying into a system or, you know, or anything like that. It just is. It just. That's. That's just what it is. Like, it's a relationship between a mother and a child or father and a child is so sacred because of the cost of it. And I think that's a lesson that we. That we learned here from that. Now, the second part of that on that worksheet is what are the promises? And in chapter 8, after the description of the whole building of that temple, chapter eight is the dedication chapter of the. Of Solomon's Temple. And you'll see on the worksheet, it's verses 26 to 61. And I think this is such a great place in scripture to just read what the promises of. Of. Of being in the presence of God is right. And. And what the promises of. Of. Of those who. Who come and worship and sacrifice and spend time. Bless you.
- [39:12]
B
Thank you.
- [39:13]
A
In this. In this holy place. So if you start in 1826-61, and we won't go through all of them, but I think everybody should and kind of find and just mark and go through and maybe we can just talk about some in there that stand out and that are favorites. I marked him in my other scriptures, so I'm like pulling that up right now as I'm umming through that, trying to do two things at once. So starting in verse 26. And he just goes through and just talks about, you know, this is the dedication prayer of this place. 30 is one of my favorites when he says, when they. Your children shall pray toward this place. Hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling place. And when thou hearest, forgive if any man trespass against his neighbor. And I just love that it goes through different scenarios that people find themselves in in life. If they've made a mistake, will you hear their prayers? If they find themselves in a plague or a famine and they come here and petition you, will you please hear and bless them with answers? If there is trouble of any way, if they're looking for wisdom, will you bless them with that? Here are there ones that you just love that you wanted to say, I'm
- [40:41]
B
going to all of them. No, you're fine. You're fine. I'm going to go back to 27. It's the very, very beginning. And it's so cute because it just says this. But will God actually dwell on earth? Because nothing can contain him. Why on earth would we ever think that he would want to stop at this house? Why would he want to stay here? And then you just get that word that we love so much. And I circled it in verse 28. Yet, yet have thou respect unto the prayer of your servant. And then verse 29, that your eyes may be open towards this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there. You will know, and you may hearken unto the prayer which your servant shall make towards this place. And what I love the most is that he says, nothing can even contain you. You're too big for this entire world. And yet you will be so aware of this house night and day that you won't miss a single thing. And I believe in a God that is aware of everything that happens in Earth. And I believe he is just as much at Lake Powell as he is anywhere else. And then all the places that I love, I just do believe that God is there. But there's something so sweet to me about in the middle of the whole entire Earth, him building a little house in your neighborhood and saying, no, but I'm going to be there if you need me. That I'll find you wherever you are. But you'll know where to find me.
- [42:04]
A
Me, yeah.
- [42:05]
B
Night and day, whenever you need me.
- [42:07]
A
Makes me so happy that at least some temples keep their lights on at night. I know this makes you think of that idea of, like, porch lights on. I left. I left the light on for you. And one of the things I love about this dedication prayer is that so much of it is a request and say, will you hear the prayers of your people?
- [42:28]
B
It's like the majority of it, the whole thing.
- [42:32]
A
And if you go back to that chapter three, first Kings three, the Lord comes to Solomon and asks him the question, what do you want? And teaches all of us that God actually cares what we want. And this chapter, that chapter and this prayer teach us and remind us that God cares, we want. And he gives us permission to tell him. I think so often we're hesitant to tell God what we want because we're afraid. Like, is this the right thing to ask for? But the most repeated sermon and line and statement of God throughout Scripture is, ask, ask for what you want. And I love the permission that this prayer gives. And says the prerequisite to the promise is just your petition. It's just your asking, come to where I am and ask me for help and blessing. And I will answer that prayer. And I just, you know, like, he's. Like he did to Solomon, he does to all of us. And he says, come and ask me. And I like that. After this is over, he goes, Solomon goes in chapter nine to this, back to that temple. And it says in verse 2, the Lord appeared to Solomon, Solomon the second time as he had appeared to him in Gibeon. And I love that temples and holy houses are places where God can remind us of these things, of the promises and of his availability. And if you ask, you can receive. For Solomon happened in two holy places. It was in those places that he felt closest to the Lord and was reminded of the promises and reminded that God cares about what it is that he wants. And I like that there's a place on earth if, you know, like you said, he's anywhere and everywhere, but there's something about a particular place that allows us to go and petition and to pray. And anyways, I just was so drawn reading these chapters this time, that dedicatory prayer about how. I mean, that prayer, about how much prayer was in that. And just that the prerequisite for prayer is just, I mean, for the promises, it's just asking, just ask is what this. This. These chapters kind of say, I think so.
- [45:04]
B
Good. And just so you know, there's no limits. That's so cute. In chapter eight that it says, and if there's a stranger who's not of our people and they come from a far away. And this is so cute, too, just because they heard of your great name. Just listen to them, too. And I just think it's so cute that there are moments when maybe God feels like a stranger and you show up at his house and you say, you know, it's been a while. Maybe you don't know me as good as you used to, and maybe I haven't prayed in a long time. And he hears those prayers just as clear as any other.
- [45:38]
A
Yeah. Yeah. That's so awesome. Our word this week is dedicated because of what happens, right? That they dedicate this place to God. By the way, the word in Hebrew for dedicated is Hanukkah. That's what the holiday is named after. It's a holiday of rededication. I'm rededicating my life to, to you, God. But I do love that holy places, temples in particular, are reminders of how dedicated God is to us. So when you see that word sitting on your counter and you talk about it with your kids, yes, let's talk about dedicating our lives to the Lord. But let's also remember that those temples stand as promises and reminders of how dedicated he is to us, to our stories, and how dedicated he is to the things that we care about and the things that, you know, the things that we want. So the last chapter in this is about Solomon's downfall. And we're just not doing it today because we just think of how happy we ended. And you just don't have minutes in your Sunday school class to be talking about that this week because.
- [46:48]
B
And no one has minutes for that in their week. They get enough of that.
- [46:52]
A
But we will talk about it next time because of what happens in the history of the House of Israel because of, you know, some of those decisions. And don't worry, we'll get. We're going to add that chapter in last name. But let's end on that happy note for today. So we will see you next week. If you want to follow along in everything we're doing, you can find us on Instagram at. Don't miss this study, at this week's Grace and @MrDaveButler.
- [47:16]
B
And if you want to subscribe, subscribe to the app or get our weekly newsletter. All of the information can be found at don'tmissthisstudy. Com.
- [47:22]
A
See you next week.