Opus 2026-388: Should-a-Beens: Temple Anarchy

I recently looked into the events and declaration around the building of the temple.  I started in II Chronicles 6 and went all the way back to the building of the Tabernacle.  Part of the impetus of this was the declaration by a Bible teacher that God never told David or Solomon to build the temple. It was not His idea.

That seemed a strange statement, but as you look at the beginnings, you can see that the idea was born in the “heart of David”.  Solomon is speaking,

(2Ch 6:7 KJV)  Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

It did not come directly from God.

In one of the passages, God even declares that during all of the years of moving in and the wilderness, He never asked them to build him a house of Cedar. 

(2Sa 7:5 KJV)  Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
(2Sa 7:6 KJV)  Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
(2Sa 7:7 KJV)  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Notice the question marks.  The idea was that God was perfectly happy with the tabernacle.  I would say that God’s plan was for a mobile worship center.

We run into a similar issue in the monarchy.  What was God’s original plan for how His people were to be governed?  God wanted to be their king.  The people started to pout and we have this confession,

(1Sa 8:7 KJV)  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Did God always planned on Saul becoming king?  Was a monarchy always in the works?  That depends on whether you’re a Calvinist or not.  No matter what your theology, God is obviously unhappy about it.

Why would God be satisfied with the anarchy of the judges and the mobility of the Tabernacle?

Both the monarchy and the temple speak of a stationary location for the center of power.  The monarchy transfers the focus of power from God Almighty to a king.  The temple ties the presence of God to one location.  Neither one of these was God’s plan.  He conceded them because it seems that the people needed it, or at least wanted it.

Where would we be today in living out God’s plan for humanity if Israel had never had a king and had been content with the Tabernacle?  Interesting thought.  Maybe I will find it interesting again.

homo unius libri

Opus 2021-250: Parable or History

Are you ready for a question?  Maybe you have thought about it.  Maybe you wonder what I am talking about.  Maybe you wonder if I have been in the rhubarb again.  The question is, “Is the book of Job history or a parable?”  Is it a literal event that took place in a land called Uz or is it a story written to explore the problem of evil?  

If you are a five point Calvinist then you have to believe it is a parable.  Consider the first verse,

(Job 1:1 NAS77) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil.

I say that because such a person could not exist in their theology.

I meddle.

Back to the question at hand.  I go back and forth on this.  I don’t think the book itself gives us the answer.  I don’t think the answer changes the message of validity of the message.  The arguments are true either way.

As I began to read Job it struck me that this must be some kind of parable.  If you have a Bible handy read through the opening scene of the book.  Look down to verses 6-7.

(Job 1:6-7 NAS77) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

It doesn’t go into much detail but I get the idea of the classical stereotype of God as an old man with a long beard sitting on a throne with others gathered around.  It is a nice picture but it doesn’t fit the actual statements about God such as,

(Joh 4:24 NAS77) "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

and

(1Jn 1:5 NAS77) And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Then you have the understanding that God is not just your everyday deity.  He is a bit more awesome than that.  Solomon understood this thousands of years ago.

(2Ch 6:18 NAS77) "But will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built.

Think about what it would have been like in the presence of God as it is described in Job.  I think the story is given in order for us to understand the events that are going to happen.  I don’t think our minds could wrap themselves around the visual of Almighty God in conference with the Angle of Light.

I could be wrong.  As they say, you are entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it is.

homo unius libri