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Where God Chooses - 1Kings 8
Where God Chooses - 1Kings 8
Having built the temple in Jerusalem, Solomon dedicates the temple and leads the people in prayer. Here in 1 Kings 8, Solomon mentions that Israel is God’s chosen people (1Kings 3.8), David is God chosen King (1Kings 8:16), and Jerusalem is God’s chosen city (1Kings 8:16, cp also vs. 44, 48; 11:13, 32, 36).
It has been a long time since God promised such choosing. He chose Abraham – Isaac – Jacob. Through Moses God promised to choose a king and a city. The city would be God’s place where He would establish His name and where they were to bring their sacrifice to worship Him. This is mention not once or twice, but over 20 times in the book of Deuteronomy! (cp. Deut. 12:5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26; 14:23, 24, 25; 15:20; 16:2, 6, 7, 11, 15, 16; 17:8, 10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11). Along with this, God warned them NOT to worship or sacrifice any other place, but ONLY in the place that HE WOULD CHOOSE.
Israel proved to be unfaithful and disobedient to this and eventually the nation, the city, and the temple were all destroyed by the Babylonians in 596 B.C. Though they were unfaithful to God, God was faithful to His word in raising up from David’s linage the promised King and Messiah – Jesus. The opening line of our New Testament reads: “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).
Now, it is IN JESUS that God has established His name and His people. All spiritual blessings now are to be found in relationship with Jesus (Eph. 1:3). Like the chosen people, king, and city of the Old Testament, the church is now God’s chosen people (1Peter 2:9), Jesus is his chosen king (Rev. 17:14), and heavenly Jerusalem is His chosen city (Hebrews 12:22).
As it was in the Old Testament, such choosing of God makes things exclusive and narrow. No one comes unto God except through Jesus (John 14:6 ). There is no other name given under heaven whereby a man MUST be saved (Acts 4:12 ). Unless one believes that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah he cannot be saved (John 8:24; Mark 16:15-16). .
Are you one of God’s chosen people in Christ?
Hugh
