2 CHRONICLES 1 (SUMMARY OF A READING)
2 CHRONICLES 1 (SUMMARY OF A READING)
It often happens that when God has given light as to His mind those to whom it comes fail to rise to it. Solomon in this chapter is an example of this. In considering persons in the Old Testament who are typical of Christ we have always to distinguish between those features in which they are types of Christ and those incidents which bring out their own personal shortcomings. Even the latter are profitable to us and instructive; they are useful negatively just as the features typical of Christ are enriching in a positive way.
It is evident that if Solomon had acted in the light which had come to him through his father David he would not have gone to the tabernacle at Gibeon. He would have known that the true altar of burnt-offering was in the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite. He was not truly a son of his father in going to Gibeon. This teaches us how easily we may drop down from what is proper to sonship; then the house drops out of view. It is noticeable that there is no reference to the house in Solomon’s prayer in this chapter. The great outstanding interest of the moment was the house that was to be built, but Solomon was occupied with other things, very good and desirable things, but not God’s chief interest at the moment. Many believers honour God, and are even honoured by Him, as having desires of which He approves and which He answers, who yet fall short of His present movements in grace and of what is His present glory. They are content with a measure of communion which is far less than it [p. 270] might be and ought to be. Solomon in this chapter is a warning to us.
Two great events in David’s life were the bringing of the ark to its resting-place in Zion and building the altar of burnt-offering in the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite. Both these acts were the setting aside of the original order and the institution of something new in the ways of God. They were light given by God as to how He would get His place after the complete breakdown of the system set up by Moses. He would have His will done perfectly by Christ, and something set up to which the ark could be brought as a place of rest. Many scriptures speak of Zion as God’s dwelling place. We need to apprehend this before we can take up the thought of the house as built by Solomon. Zion had been the stronghold of the enemy’s power, but when taken by David it became the royal city and the resting place of the ark. Zion represents the assembly as the place where the reign of grace is known. The beautiful features of Zion, as seen in Scripture, set forth what marks the assembly as set up in the fulness of God’s grace in Christ; every hostile element has been overcome, so that, under the mighty influence of Christ every heart is pervaded by divine grace. It is the fruit of His triumph here, not in heaven. In a spiritual sense christians are born in Zion; that is how God writes them up; they are sons and daughters of Zion. So that the bringing of the ark to Zion is bringing it to a place where all is of grace, which therefore answers to God’s desires and is a place of rest for Him. He dwells there in complacency and can be known there. This is in contrast with the tabernacle which He had to forsake because it represented a system which failed to secure restfulness for Him.
Pending the setting up of the new system in Zion, God went on with the tabernacle service at Gibeon, though His ark was not there. He received the offerings and praises of [p. 271] His people at a level lower than what was in His mind for them. This was the evidence of His patience during a transitional period. But when Zion had been set up, and the ark placed there, any thoughtful Israelite could have understood that an entire change had come about in the ways of God. Zion would have superseded Gibeon in his affections.
Then the altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan was further light. It was to be the altar of burnt-offering for Israel. A new economy was to be set up, which would supersede the tabernacle economy, but which would, in due time, incorporate all the spiritual features of the old economy. This raises the question whether we understand the new economy, what Christ has brought in as the true David, Zion as His city, and the ark as brought there. Or are we going on with something which has ceased to be pleasurable to God? Many believers are like Solomon here; they ignore the light which has come in from God, and they go on with things which for the time He bears with but which have no correspondence with His present mind. This is a peculiar state of things, but it answers to a good deal which goes on today. It is an aspect of the situation which brings out in a striking way the patience and forbearance of God. But, though God may bear with what is not in accord with His present mind and may even accept offerings from His people who go on with it, He has no restful satisfaction in it. When He has given light He will not countenance His people in ignoring it. He allows them to prove that Gibeon and its effects result in depreciation of what is precious, and in links with Egypt, and in helping on the world, and in delaying spiritual movements in regard to His house. That is the lesson in this chapter.
At the beginning of the Acts Christ was presented as the true David, and the assembly appeared as the true Zion. But the influence of the old system soon came in, and the [p. 272] worship soon became lowered to the level of Gibeon, and has continued there. God has borne with this in true saints, but it has not pleased Him; it has lowered the whole character of His service and He has allowed it to be seen that it tends to worldliness. But the truth has been revived in these last days, and the character of Zion has been set forth in much precious ministry so that it may be known that God dwells there as His desired rest; it is therefore a very serious thing to go on with Gibeon. It is, indeed, said that Gibeon was the great high place, as though to mark that it partook of idolatrous character. People may claim that they offer spiritual sacrifices, and that they truly praise God and have happy times, and even get their prayers answered in a remarkable way. But all this may be at Gibeon, and not at Zion or Jerusalem. God would impress on all His saints not to go on with things which He may be bearing with, but which are not in accord with His present mind or in keeping with the light which He has given. Many would say, ‘God accepts our service and blesses us, and we are happy’, and they think that is all that matters. But if God had indicated His mind as to how He would be served it will not please Him if we disregard the light which He has given. The “palace” will not be built at Gibeon. For that we must move in the present light of God; we must come to Zion and see the ark there restfully, and then to the new altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan. The house is built there; it can only be built there. David, as a man instructed of God, could not go before the altar at Gibeon, “for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of Jehovah”, 1 Chronicles 21: 30. He realised that the tabernacle at Gibeon represented a system of things which was not in accord with the present mind of God, for He had forsaken it. And, moreover, it inspired fear because it was connected with legal requirement; a spirit of bondage again to fear came in that connection.