My visit with Solomon was a visit to give answer to his prayer. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit will help you to pray for what I will give answer to. Joyce, I watched you as you read Solomon’s prayer. You were as moved within reading it as I was moved hearing it. Solomon the King made fervent intercession for his people. He prayed with utmost sincerity being moved by my Spirit. When a king walks with me having a sincere heart, the people of the land are blessed. The land itself is blessed.
In the early years of his reign Solomon served his people and served them well. He was greatly loved and highly respected. Your bible tells you that when a man’s ways pleases Me, I will cause his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7. War was not a consistent visitor in the early years of Solomon’s reign as king. Solomon’s troubles manifested after he went contrary to the laws given him on the night that he and I had our heart-to-heart meeting. For the most part Solomon’s humble servility as King ignited a want to do or a desire in the people to serve likewise.
One of the other heart moving moments of Solomon’s prayer is the moment where he made intercession for those of them who were not my people but had become circumcised in their hearts and joined themselves to the family of God. And not only for those foreigners who had already become a part did he pray but his prayer was also for future believers as well. So, as you can see the gentiles have exercised faith in me long before the manifestation of the Christ and as previously stated, my love for the world has always been. You have said many times over Joyce: Jesus Christ was crucified before the foundations of the world. He that has an ear to hear let him hear and understand.
After Solomon had made an end to his much prayer, I sent fire and consumed the offering and sacrifices that were on the altar. My presence filled the house built for me and how overwhelming was my glory. The priest could not even enter the house. The children of Israel experienced my glory that day and reverenced me. Some; out of love and others; out of fear. The people partied for seven days with feasting and seven days of altar dedication. It was after all the dedications and feasting that Solomon and I had a heart to heart. Solomon had prayed with expectations, and I answered with expectations. No one is above the law and there were some laws that were given to Solomon to follow as King over my people.
My purpose in taking you to this particular night with Solomon is to show the very thing that happened with Nineveh. These gentiles heard the word, was pricked in their hearts through the convicting power of my Spirit and by the same Spirit were they convinced of their sins and their need to change their way of life. The ministry of the Holy Spirit did not begin with the manifestation of the Christ. His ministry has been in the earth from the very foundation of the earth. Through all of the recorded history of Nineveh that we’ve given; the hatred, the merciless killings and torments, the pride and godlessness and their lawlessness as well as their immoralities and idolatry, this people who were not called by my name; humbled themselves, sought me, through much prayer and fasting and most of all turned from their wicked ways. I heard them from heaven. With joy I forgave their sins. I healed their land. The King of Nineveh heard the word and acted. The King commanded the fast of men and beast. The King ordered that the nation get right with Me. What a blessing to have a king that has an ear to hear.
After the the festivities of dedications, feasting, and consecrations, Solomon sent the people to their homes. The people were joyful in their hearts for the kept promises to both David and Solomon. Having given Solomon some wind down time I thereafter paid him another visit where he and I would have the before mentioned; heart to heart talk. Before I proceed with the talk we had Joyce let me say this. Today’s generation of believers doesn’t give time for an extended time of “heart to heart”. Many are rushed in my presence. Many will not sacrifice time to be in my presence, to enjoy the depths of my heart, to give ear to my concerns. Bless is the man who waits on the Lord and waits in the presence of the Lord. In my presence there is fullness of joy. (God’s word translation): You make the path of life known to me. Complete joy is in your presence. Pleasures are by your side forever.
When I visited Solomon that night I assured him that I’d heard his prayer by repeating some of his prayer back to him. I said to him: “Solomon, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. As you have both stated and requested.
Joyce you can only imagine how over joyed Solomon was knowing that I had heard his prayer and had come personally to give answer to his prayer. Giving answer to his prayer was not the only reason for my visit that night. I had my very own personal request for Solomon. My expectations of him and warnings were laid out on the table:
“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel. “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them. ” 2 Chronicles 7: 11-22 I had actually told Solomon in advance that the latter part of our heart to heart was what was going to happen. In the following part of my discourse we will see that the latter of the warning to Solomon happened. The temple was destroyed.
I want to at this time Joyce, talk about another King who moved my heart deeply through repentance. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign as king. He was young and teachable. The very one thing that he would not allow was to be persuaded or swayed from his devotion to me. Your bible tells you that Josiah did what was right in my sight. When Josiah was 16 years old, he began to seek after me. He wanted a walk with the God of King David. Though it isn’t mentioned in your bible I must add that David was a great example and encouragement to the young lad and in his heart, he wanted to walk with me as did David. David had long been off the scene prior to Josiah, but Josiah had heard or rather been taught about David’s walk with his God. Josiah at the age of 20 began to purge or cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of its idolatry. He had the carved images and molten images destroyed and ground into dust. The dust was poured on the graves of the priest who sacrificed upon the altars to idol gods. He burned the bones of the pagan priests upon their own altars thus fulfilling the prophecy spoken earlier by a prophet who cried out against the altars during the reign of Jeroboam: “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will burn on you.” I Kings 13.
Through a prophet years prior to the birth of Josiah, I called him by name and even told in specifics what he would do in reference to evil priest. Well Joyce??
Josiah loved me with a pure heart. Loving me as he did; Josiah had a burden for the temple that Solomon had built for me. Josiah wanted the house restored. He appointed men to oversee the works of renovations and excavations of the temple. While the work was underway Hilkiah the priest found a scroll of the law in the house. The priest gave the book to Shaphan the scribe who in turn took the book to the king. King Josiah wanted to hear what was written on the scroll of the law therefore, Shaphan read the law on the scrolls which laws by the way, had been given to Moses. When Josiah heard the reading of the law, he tore his clothes. He immediately commanded his officials to inquire of prophets, old heads left in Israel and Judah concerning what he had heard from the reading of the law. Josiah realized that my anger was kindled against my people and that judgement was imminent. He realized from the hearing of the law that the forefathers had not kept my word to observe and do what was written in the scroll. So, his officials went to a prophetess name Huldah and told her all that they heard from the reading of the law. I spoke a word to her to give to Josiah in the hearing of the officials and instructed her to tell them to take that word back to the king. She said” you tell the man that sent you that Yahweh is going to destroy the city and all of the curses that was read from the scroll of the law will come true. Tell him the reason why destruction is imminent. Judah abandoned Yahweh and worships pagan gods and Yahweh is angry with them for all that they have done. Yahweh says that his anger will be poured out and there is nothing to stop it.”
I gave the prophetess a personal word for the king as well. That word was: because he’d humbled himself before me when he heard the reading of the law, tore his raiment in despair and wept before me in repentance I would not send the promised destruction on the city and the people until after he died and was buried in peace. I promised Josiah that I would not allow him to even see the destruction that was going to come upon my people. Josiah from that point, went through the cities like a wild man, destroying the detestable things that displeased me so. He called an assembly at the temple and renewed the covenant vows as did all of the people of Israel. He observed to do what was written in the law and as long as he lived the laws of the scroll was observed. Again, I say Joyce when the King of the nation’s serves Me, the people and the land is blessed. The kings in the land today do not want to serve the Greater than themselves. Doing so would make them seem inferior in their way of thinking. The honest truth is everything created in the earth and under the earth is inferior to the Creator, yet man has been deceived to believe that he is equal to and or greater than his Creator. The kings play a very important role to the blessings of the people and the land. Your bible exhorts you to pray for your kings. Record the scriptures, Joyce.
I Timothy 2:2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men 2:for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. 3:This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, (Berean Study Bible)
Pray for kings and others in power, so we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. (Contemporary English Version)
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honest. (King James Version)
Thank you, Joyce. In conclusion to these verses of scripture I will say this: A humbled and upright king before his creator produces a prosperous nation. Many souls were saved from the impending destruction that was going to come from me. Josiah’s obedience turned people to me. He too was a type of savior.
The world today Joyce has waxed worse than Nineveh. The most heart wrenching torment referencing the world today is this: Jesus gave his life so that man can be united with me and live lives acceptable and pleasing. The hearts of man at this time in the history of the world is wicked, hardened, and rebellious. The disbelief is quite painful. And what is more saddening is my people Israel has yet to believe. In conversing with the pharisees of Jesus’ time in the earth, Jesus rebuked their unbelief. He even mentioned how Nineveh of all nations humbled themselves and believed. Nineveh a people that was not called by name would rise up in judgement and condemn my people who will not believe.
The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign (Matthew 12:38-41)
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed, a greater than Jonah is here.
Under the old covenant Joyce, the people of the earth feared me. For some the fear was reverence and for others it was exactly what it was… FEAR. Some were scared to death as you humans say; of me. If a person sinned in days of old and that sin had not been found out by others his greatest torment was the imagined torment incited by his fear of what I would do to him knowing his sin. You would best know that this individual made a quick exit to make confession to the priest and have a sin offering made for his sin. The people of old many of them, served out of fear and not out of a devout loving heart. Men were quick to enforce the punishment of the law when one had been found breaking the law yet went unpunished having the very same sin in his own heart. The law was brutal to the point that it did not allow for mercy and grace when put into operation in the hands of man. Apostle Paul asked a very good question. ” You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? Let’s record the passage of scripture Joyce that tore your heart to shreds.
Penalty for Violating the Sabbath
Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died. (Numbers 15:32-36)
Joyce, you presented a good argument or case when we came face to face with this passage of scripture. I remember so well. I have heard many believers say how they wish they were back in the early biblical days. Trust me when I say that the believers today are where they need to be because many of you would not have made it under the Law. The people feared me greatly and I do not say this with arrogance or pride. In fact, there is not great joy in fear. There is no freedom in fear. Obedience was out of fear and not out of a pure authentic heart. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18) He that has an ear. Josiah was not afraid of death. He had become perfect in love in reference to Me. This reason is the cause of his despair after hearing the reading of the law. He was torn because there were laws given that he as well as his forefathers had not kept. Josiah wanted to please me in all things. Oh, what a love Joyce.
The individual in the scripture was not ignorant of the Commandment. Regardless of what extenuating circumstance there may have been as you many years argued in his defense, he was not ignorant of the law. Breaking the law simply says by the law breaker…”I do what I want.” Breaking the law says there is no respect or reverence for the law or the giver of the law. The individual by breaking the sabbath law included all of us in his sin. The people were waiting to see what the outcome of his sin would be. Had the individual been set free then there would have been great repercussions for me with the people. Every man would expect that when he broke the law there would be no consequence.
When Josiah heard the law that he too had not been keeping, it devastated him. He was crushed to the core because his love for me was authentic, and his service was authentic as well. The fear he had was one of reverence and love and this is why he was so broken up after hearing the law. Can I find this kind of love among 50 in the earth today, among 40, among 30, among 20….how about 10? You do know where I am going with this right Joyce?
“I certainly do Righteous One.”
continued…….