Text: 2 Chronicles 2:3-10
When Solomon was about to build the temple, he contacted Hiram for workers & materials. His message to Hiram contains four important points that we can apply today.
Solomon Desired to Worship God According to the Pattern (v. 4)
- The temple was to be a place of worship – but Solomon did not intend to worship any way he wished; he intended the worship to be according to God’s instructions
- Having a desire to worship God is good, but we cannot invent our own way and expect Him to be pleased (Matthew 15:8-9; Colossians 2:23)
- We must worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24)
- We must follow the divine pattern – How did the early church, led by Holy Spirit-guided apostles, worship? … prayer, singing, teaching, giving, Lord’s Supper
Solomon Understood that God was Greater than Any God (v. 5)
- Because God was greater than any god, the house would be great
- He is the only true, living God (Isaiah 45:5-7, 20)
- We must recognize the supremacy of God in our lives – in our priorities (Matthew 6:24, 33), in our allegiance (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 10:37), in our fear (Matthew 10:28)
- Solomon was not afraid to speak of God’s greatness to a king he hoped to receive assistance from – we must not be afraid to speak about God & spiritual things; we must be ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15), sometimes we need to set people up to ask the question
Solomon Demonstrated Humility (v. 6)
- Solomon recognized the greatness of God, then expressed his own unworthiness – his father David had this same kind of humility (Psalm 8:3-4)
- Humility is an essential trait for a child of God (Matthew 5:3; James 1:21; 4:6)
- God expects our obedience (James 1:22), but He doesn’t need us to serve Him (Acts 17:24-25)
- We are unworthy of His kindness, but He extended it to us anyway (Romans 5:6-10)
- Humility helps us recognize the greatness of God’s gifts & respond appropriately – with gratitude & service, not entitlement & ungratefulness (Hebrews 12:28)
Solomon Was Willing to Treat Hiram Fairly (v. 7-10)
- Though Solomon was engaged in a noble work, he did not expect to get something for nothing (cf. 2 Samuel 24:21-24)
- As Christians we must be fair with others in all of our dealings
- Do not try to take advantage of others (Jeremiah 22:13; James 5:4; 1 Timothy 6:1-2)
- Do not try to get something for nothing (2 Thessalonians 3:8) – gifts are fine; a sense of entitlement to the things of others is not
