II Chronicles 7:1 "Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house."

The prayer of Solomon is given in I Kings 8:1-53, Where king Solomon prayed for God's mercy and blessings to come down on the people of Israel. He prayed: "And forgive Thy people that have sinned against Thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against Thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on Thee:" [50] "For they shall be Thy people, and Thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:" [51] "That Thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of Thy servant, and unto the supplication of Thy People Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto Thee." [52]

An altar was prepared to the Lord, the animals were made ready for the offering that would follow at the close of Solomon's prayer. Solomon is asking God to have compassion on His people, and to have open eyes for their requests.

I Kings 8:54-56 "And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of the praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven" [54] "And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying," [55] ""Blessed be the Lord, That hath given rest unto His People Israel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant." [56]

It was now time for the offerings and sacrifices to be made unto the Lord on behalf of the people. The Offerings that were to be offered at this moment was the "zebach", in the verb form. meaning to slay the animal (and offer it up); Hence to offer what has been slain in the sacrifice in this offering. When the "use of incense" is used the zebach became the "Kethoreth", and then when the offering is turning to vapor it becomes the "Katar", meaning (burnt offering to turn it to vapor).

II Chronicles 7:2 "And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house."

We read of this offering in I Kings 8:62, 63; "And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord." [62] "And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep.[63] What a glorious time as all the People and Solomon offered their praises and sacrifices unto the Lord. Later in the same day Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord.

I Kings 8:64 "The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings."

Think of all the fat and blood that would flow from the killing of the twenty two thousand (22,000) oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand (120,000) sheep. The children of Israel were truly repentant before the Lord for the sins in their lives. With this massive numbers to be offered the same day, the Lord came down and consumed the animals right before their eyes. Notice that the offerings mentioned here are the peace offering, the burnt, meat and the fat of the peace offering.

The "peace offering" is called the "Shelem", comes from the root word Shalam, which conveys the idea of peace on the ground of perfection of compensation or recompense. This gives the thought of rendering payment of vows or praise because of peace that this person has already enjoyed. At this moment in Solomon's time, the neighboring nations to Israel were all at peace with Israel: The Temple was completed, and there was prosperity in their promise land.

The "burnt" offering is called the "Olah". The Olah comes from the Hiphil of the verb " `alah", to cause to ascend, as the smoke and flames ascend because of the burnings".

The "Meal" or "Meat" offering is called the "Mincha", and is given to God as a present, and in such case is also called a "gift offering". The meal offering is not given necessarily to secure admittance to the throne of God, but to secure a favor from God. This offering could be given with blood, but in most early cases it was given by other means without blood. As time passed in the Old Testament, we see that only blood offerings were given in the "Mincha", meaning, "meal offering".

The "Zebach" is any offering requiring a "slain" animal, so it would be all of the above offerings. In that Zebach meaning slain, is also the word for victim, and requires a victim for the sacrifice. The Hebrew name for the altar is the Mizbeah and is derived from the same root word, and Mizbeah denotes a place of slaughter.

II Chronicles 7:3 "And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, "For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever."

There were many different blood offerings and sacrifices that were required under the law of God that was given to Moses. Each of these are given in Appendixes 43 and 44 of the Companion Bible. Sure it is nice to know each of these different offerings and what they stood for, but each of these blood ordinances were required once a year, each and every year. These blood ordinances are the only part of the law that was done away with when our Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross to become that Perfect Sacrifice for one and all times. At this moment that Solomon and the People were honoring the Lord, it was some 960 years before that moment when Jesus would walk up the hill to be scoffed at; nail to the cross; and finish the work that He was born into this earth age to complete. Jesus Christ became our Passover Sacrifice for one and all times, so that today we honor Him and show obedience to Him when we go to the Communion table to take the cup, and the bread in remembrance of that day when the vail into the Holy of holies was spit in two.

Matthew 27:51-53 "And, behold the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;" [51] "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, " [52] "And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." [53]

The work of the Lord was completed. Before Jesus died, He said to the Father, Luke 23:44-46 "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour." [44] "And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the Temple was rent in the midst." [45] "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, "Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit:" and having said thus, He gave up the ghost." [46]

Paul talks about why Jesus came to this earth age, as all men and women in the flesh have come. Each soul must enter into this earth age of flesh man through the womb of their mother. Each soul is born innocent of that first earth age, and given the choice to follow God's Ways or Satan. That is their choice, and when a soul comes to the Father, it can only be by God's way, and that is through Christ. Jesus came to fulfill all the prophecies in the Old Testament pertaining to the coming Messiah. And in His life He did just that.

Hebrews 10:7, 8 "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." [7] "Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offerings for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein;" which are offered by the law;" [[8]

Our Lord Jesus Christ was a willing sacrifice, and every part of His life was to fulfill and do the will of YHVH our heavenly Father. As God looked down on all these sacrifices that were going on in Old Testament times, each of them claimed the life of an innocent animal and were done as a requirement by God. Those animals filled the requirement for the sins of the people. "Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness, and God provided this way of animal sacrifice for the temporary forgiveness covering of sin for His people. This would continue until this time stated in Hebrews 10, when the perfect sacrifice could be made for one and all times.

Hebrews 10:9, 10 "Then said He [Jesus Christ], "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God,." He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second." [9] "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [10]

"The first" is the requirement by God of the blood sacrifices under the law; and the second that followed, is when our Lord Jesus Christ willingly became the blood sacrifice for all that would by faith look on the cross, and accept that sacrifice that Jesus made, in repentance. This is why "In Jesus' name" is required by God in all of our prayers, for it establishes you and your right as one of the sons or daughters of God. We are "sanctified" or set apart as His, when we accept the blood of Jesus Christ as our covering for our sins.

Hebrews 10:15, 16, 17 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before," [15] "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;" [16] "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." [17]

This Covenant from God was made within the Old Testament and witnessed by the Holy Spirit. Within this covenant there had to be the first, the shedding of blood of animals for that temporary covering for man's sins, until our Lord Jesus Christ could come in the fulfillment of the entire Scriptures. God's people learned the law and applied it to their lives. Then after Christ's death on the cross, that law would be placed in the hearts of God's people, and through repentance "in Jesus name", those sins would be wiped away forever. Not just a temporary covering, but those prior sins will be just as though they were never committed in the first place.

Hebrews 10:18 "Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin."

"Where remission of these is", this is singular, each of these sins that have been confessed and put under the blood of Christ by faith, there can be no more confession for that sin, for it just doesn't exist any more, except in the mind of the one confessing them. The church houses of today like to limit you for past confessed sins, but God doesn't. If that church doesn't allow you to put that sin behind you, as Christ and our heavenly Father has, then changes might be required for your sake; "there is no more offering for sin" required. Just don't bring them up, and don't allow others to throw them in your face either. Those of God understand this and won't, and those that will not release repented sin are of the devil. This applies to the sins that come through divorce, Sodomy, and all the other wickedness that may enter a life; for there is forgiveness at the cross of Christ.

In the case of murder, that sin cannot be fully released until the murderer faces the murdered party at the judgment seat of God. However, that judgment is for God to decide the true repentance of the murderer, not you and I. This is why under the Law of God, we are to have the trial, determine the gilt or innocence of the person, and if found guilty under the law, Dispatch that murderer's soul to the Father. It's called Capital punishment, and its an order by God.

So now in II Chronicles 7, king Solomon and all the people are offering up these many sacrifices unto the Lord.

II Chronicles 7:4 "Then the king and all the People offered sacrifices before the Lord."

II Chronicles 7:5 "And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the People dedicated the house of God."

Think of this massive number of animals being offered in Sacrifice unto the Lord, in praise and thankfulness for the mercies granted Israel. Remember that the Kenites were right in the middle of this celebration. David made the Kenites servants at the Tabernacle, and now at the Temple the duties of wood cutters would continue. By the time of the coming out of Babylon, the Kenites, the offspring of the lineage of Satan through Cain would have even taken over the priesthood, and the records keeping, as we were warned in I Chronicles 2:55. The Kenites were Hamath, and they were part of it all, as we will see. The Kenites provided the gold from the east for the covering over the Temple inside and out, and being the merchants that they were and are, they would be at the center of supplying the things required and needed for the construction.

II Chronicles 7:6 "And the priest waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because His mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood."

II Chronicles 7:7 "Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat."

Solomon set the middle of the court yard aside, in front of the Temple he declared it to be "hallowed", or holy before the Lord God. This would be the place then for these thousands of animals to be offered in sacrifice for the Lord. Of course the brasen altar that would be used after the this feast would be used on a daily basis, but it was to small for this feast day of praise to YHVH our Heavenly Father.

II Chronicles 7:8 "Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt."

Think of the massive numbers that were present at these feast day. The Kenites came from Hamath, and they even came up from Egypt. Virtually millions of people, with this massive choir, instruments, and all the people praising the Lord God of Israel. Think of what would happen in our nation or any nation that would come together to praise the Lord, and center their minds on keeping His commandments and requirements under the Law. Of course today, those requirements do not require blood sacrifices, yet they do require the rest of the law. We are under the New Covenant today, and that New Covenant is ours by the grace of our Lord through repentance and seeking His will in our lives: It comes to us through the cross of Christ. The law today is to love our brother as we do ourselves, to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. When we do this, it requires that each part of the law be followed.

II Chronicles 7:9 "And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days."

This Seven Day feast days, is called the "Feast of tabernacles", . This feast day was set aside by God, and given to Moses in the wilderness.

Leviticus 23:33, 34 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying," [33] "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, `The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of Tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord." [34]

This feast time is also called the "Feast of scooths, or booths". A time when the people would leave their houses, and set up booths to live in for seven days, to remind the children of Israel of the forty years that God provided for their keep and protection while wandering through the wilderness on their way to the promise land.

Leviticus 23:35, 36 "On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein." [35] "Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein." [36]

Do you see now why king Solomon picked this very day to start, and why the feast days went on for seven days. The celebration of the Temple of the Lord took place during the very time that the entire country would be celebrating the feast of Tabernacles, and these days are set by God, forever. Even today these days are honored, and they will be until the coming of Jesus Christ, and on into His thousand year kingdom here on earth. The people were released from all worldly work and obligations, except for those things that could not be put off, like provision for animals, and feeding the children, and so on.

II Chronicles 7:10 "And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the People away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel His People."

Exodus 23:34 told us that this feast of the Tabernacles started on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and ended on the twenty third day of that month. The first day of the year starts with the Spring Vernal Equinox, for God set this time when the year would start back in the wilderness, when they were camped at the foot of mount Sinai. This also is just after the harvest season, and the hearts of the people filled with gladness, for God's provision and goodness to them. Remember that this time is also the feast of booths, where they would live for that seven day period in tents. There was no need for putting up housing for this massive number of people in Jerusalem at this time. They lived in their tents and brought their provisions. It was not a cold time of the year, at the end of September, and into October.

II Chronicles 7:11 "Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the kings house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected."

All of the construction projects for God's house and his own homes were now completed.

II Chronicles 7:12 "And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to Myself for an house of sacrifice."

The time that the Lord appeared here to Solomon in this prayer, was four years after the foundation was laid, and seven years to the completion of the Temple. There was a two year period from the time of Solomon's request to the Lord in prayer for wisdom and understanding, after he became king, to the laying of the foundation of the Temple. This would show us that the prayers of his children are forever before Him, and continually fresh before our Heavenly Father's eyes.

II Chronicles 7:13 "If I shut up the heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My People;"

God is telling Solomon in this vision, that no matter what form of correction He sends on Israel for the sins that they shall do, it will be taken away if their is true repentance by His people.

II Chronicles 7:14 "If My People, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Back in Solomon's day, God's people were called Israelites, but today God's people are those people that are called Christians. If those people which claim the name of the Lord "will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways:" In Solomon's day that required the Israelites to follow those instructions of the feast of Passover, and here in the seventh month, keep the feast of Tabernacles. It required the offerings and sacrifices of animals, and keeping the laws and commandments of the Lord.

This promise from God to Solomon is directed to you and I also, that if we as Christians claim the name of Jesus Christ and follow His Instructions through His Word. This means that each of us has by faith placed our sins under His blood and come to the Father in Jesus name. If we as a people will humble ourselves before the Lord and pray and seek His Face, and we do that through Jesus Christ only. John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto Him, I am the way the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." No there are no other way or routes to the eternal Father YHVH, except through the way that God has provided for us, at the cross.

As we study the rest of John 14, God has made some promises that we can count on no matter what our problems are. When our Lord would die and defeat death, and ascend into heaven, He promised that He would send a Comforter, the Holy Spirit; and in those things that Jesus did while on earth, the Holy Spirit would allow His people to do the same. Those requirements set forth, was that we "keep His commandments". "If ye love Me, then ask anything in My name, I will do it." People today like to think that the commandments are not necessary today, for they say we are not under the law, but they overlook what Jesus said in Matthew 5:18-20. He states that only the blood ordinances under the law were done away and and would be fulfilled in the blood of Christ. The rest of the law would stand and not one jot or tittle of the law would change.

If we as a nation want God's blessings to continue on our nation, then there is a requirement by God on each of those that claim the name of Christ, and call themselves Christians. That requires a change in all of our ways that go against the teaching of Christ, and a renewing of our minds to the way of God. Jesus told us that if we keep our part under the covenant, then God would keep His.

II Chronicles 7:15 "Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place."

No, God will not turn his back to the prayers of the righteous man and woman, nor to their prayers of faith and belief. All prayers are fresh in the mind of our Lord.

II Chronicles 7:16 "For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there for ever: and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually."

As God is speaking to Solomon some thirteen years after the dedication of the House of the Lord [Temple]. those prayers are just as fresh to God as when they came off the lips of Solomon. This is an eternal covenant promise for God to us living today, in these end times.

II Chronicles 7:17 "And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before Me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe My statutes and My judgments:"

David kept those ways of the commandments of the Lord, and this then became an eternal covenant between David and God. God has honored this covenant, and even today we can trace the lineage of David through all the king lines of Christian nations today. There is a chart that details this through all the lineage of the kings and Queens that sit on the thrones over All Christian nation, that included Russia, Spain, the Scandinavians, Holland, Spain, as well as England.

II Chronicles 7:18 "Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, `There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.' "

After Solomon does His part, and follows the ways of the Lord, then God promised Solomon that he will be covenanted just as David was. When God said, "`There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel." Remember today the Israel of the middle east is not the Israel that carries the Abrahamic Covenant promises that Jacob passed on to the two children of Joseph, in Genesis 48:17-20.

Genesis 48:17, 18 "And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head." [17] "And Joseph said unto his father, "Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head." [18]

Joseph knew that the covenant blessing of Abraham that Jacob had received was to go to the first born. Reuben was not in line, as the first born of Leah, because of his defile of Jacob's bed, and lying with his mother. However Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel, the second in line, and his firstborn was Manasseh. This was the reason for the changing of the right hand, for the right hand is the one that carries the promise and responsibility of the family. Manasseh was the first born, and also was aware that this change had to be. The reasons are not given here.

Genesis 48:19, 20 "And his father refused, and said, "I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations." [19] "And he bless them that day, saying, "In thee shall Israel bless, saying, `God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh:" and he set Ephraim before Manasseh." [20]

Later, at the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was split, the ten nations to the north would be called Israel, "The house (nation) of Israel", while Judah and Benjamin would be called from then on, "The house (nation) of Judah", or Jews of today. The book of Judges :19 through 21 tells us of that time when Benjamin fell deeply in Sodomy, and God passed judgment on that land. All of the people of Benjamin were killed to the last woman and child, except for 600 young men that didn't stick around with their people. God rebuilt that tribe with the young women of Judah, and thus the tribes of Judah and Benjamin would forever by bound together. The Levites also are scattered amongst all the tribes so they would be represented also amongst the house of Judah, as well as Israel tribes.

II Chronicles 7:19 "But if ye turn away, and forsake My statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them:"

Again God is demanding that the king, as well as the people must keep My statutes, and my commandments, that He had given to Moses. If you fail to keep them, then don't expect your prayers to be answered and God's blessings to be showered upon you. Matthew 5:17, 18 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." [17] "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." [18]

Heaven and earth shall not pass away until after the great white throne judgment, at the end of the Millennium kingdom of Jesus Christ. The seventh trump must sound first and all flesh being done away with, as recorded in I Corinthians 15:50-54. The law is in, and notice that the law and statutes are named, for the blood ordinances will all be fulfilled in the blood of Christ.

II Chronicles 7:20 "Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of My land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for My name, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations."

When Israel turned their eyes away from God and his laws and judgments, and followed the ways of Baal, God allowed the Assyrians to enter their land and up root them and scatter them over the face of the earth, just as He said He would. Then about one years later, Judah turned its back on God. King Manasseh destroyed the writings and took the world gods to himself and the house of Judah, and the nation shortly after was overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar, and his Babylonian army.

Sure Judah has returned to the land of Palestine, but the name they have chose for themselves is not the Israel spoken of in the Scriptures of the latter days. Why do I say this? Because of the words of Hosea the prophet pertaining to Lo ammi, the house of Israel.

Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, `Ye are not My People,' there is shall be said unto them, `Ye are the sons of the Living God'."

The "Living God" today is Jesus Christ, and those that claim themselves to be the sons of the the Living God are called "Christians". The Christian nations of today are in many nations around the world, and their numbers are not countable because of the ways that censes are taken around the world. However, we know the limited number of the house of Judah, in the middle east and scattered around Russia and the other other nation. God has kept his promise on this to Solomon, for when the nations turn their back to Him, then they become infiltrated by outside peoples, and scattered.

II Chronicles 7:21 "And this house, whch is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, `Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house.?"

The world today is astonished at the Peoples and Nations that call themselves Christian nations; and the turn of events that surround them, and the trouble that is coming over them. God keeps His Word, and you can count on His correction when you violate His ways, both as a person, a family and as a nation.

II Chronicles 7:22 "And it shall be answered, `Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, Which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath He brought all this evil upon them.' "

When the children of Israel came up out of Egypt, God gave them a way to follow, and that way is called the law. When they forsake that law and the commandments within that law, then God keeps his promise and allows them to go the ways of the fool. God didn't bring the evil, but he lifted the hand of protection that He hand over them and their nation, and pestilence, sickness and the enemy was allowed in come into their homes and communities.