The Temple is Built

7The priests  then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles. 9These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. 10There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

11The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. 12All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:

“He is good;

his love endures forever.”

Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, 14and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. (2 Chronicles 5)

Thoughts: One of the most amazing things Solomon did was build the Temple.  It was magnificent- one of the wonders of the world.  The shekinah glory filled the Temple to confirm that God had accepted the sacrifice of their labor.  This was the same cloud that was with the Israelites when they left Egypt. It was the same glory on Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments.  It was the same glory that filled the Tabernacle, and the same glory around Jesus at the transfiguration, and when he ascended to heaven.   God came in response to their gift, their praises, and their worship.  So God still comes when we give ourselves to Him.  

Prayer: Lord, may your presence be with me as I give myself to you.   

Thoughts on The Use of Chemical Weapons

Both Russia and Syria signed the Geneva Protocol that prohibited the use of chemical weapons.  This protocol began after the terror of chemical weapon use in World War I.   My grandfather was sprayed with mustard gas in France by the Germans in that war.  Syria was caught using Sarin gas 8/21/13 and four other attacks.  The UN confirmed the use.  The UN pointed to the government that had the weapons stockpiled, and that these were used against the rebels fighting the government.   The United States congress authorized the use of force in response to the use of chemical weapons in response.  The government drew a famous "red line in the sand" to stop the use, but did not follow through.  The Syrian government used weapons again December 2016 and precipitated a tomahawk missile attack in response by the US (a single site attack).  This morning the United States fired about 100 missiles into Syria in response to chemical weapons again, risking tensions with Russia who has troops in Syria and is allied with Syria.  The United States has 2,000 troops in the eastern half of Syria.

"They must turn from evil and do good.  They must seek peace and pursue it."  (1 Peter 3:11; Ps. 34:14).

Thoughts: It is sad that a nation feels they can use chemical weapons on their own people.  Saddam Hussein did this in Iraq and this fueled the second Iraq War by the US.  The United States cannot be the policeman of the world.  Yet, if the Syrian government were to use chemical weapons and go unpunished then they could use the weapons against Israel or US troops and feel no one will blink an eye.  Or Iran or Russia could be empowered to use chemical weapons too.
     There are those who think Christians should not care about the world.  But that is not what the Bible says.  The Jews cared only for their nation.  But both before and after his resurrection Jesus encouraged the disciples to care for the people in all nations.  Chemical weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction (in the class as nuclear weapons).  We should be in prayer for our leaders and also pray that the use of chemical and nuclear weapons to not be used again.

Prayer: Lord, we need your mercy.  Protect our world from evil, and evil we would bring on ourselves.  Give wisdom to our leaders.  Lord, there is not much we can do, but you can do all things.  We pray for the people of Syria as they face regular terror and hardships.

https://www.pcusa.org/news/2017/4/11/pcusa-co-moderator-requests-prayer-syria-urges-con/