Study Desk

"And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation; may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.

O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed. Remember your unfailing love for your servant David."

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.

"And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord , the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.'"

In assigning the priests to their duties, Solomon followed the regulations of his father, David. He also assigned the Levites to lead the people in praise and to assist the priests in their daily duties. And he assigned the gatekeepers to their gates by their divisions, following the commands of David, the man of God.

Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne as king to rule for him. Because God loves Israel and desires this kingdom to last forever, he has made you king over them so you can rule with justice and righteousness."

Kings from every nation came to consult him and to hear the wisdom God had given him.

So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled the Lord 's message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

But the Lord said to Shemaiah, the man of God,

From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord , the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord , the God of their ancestors.

Don't you realize that the Lord , the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?

"But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the Lord as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.

They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the Lord our God, but you have abandoned him.

So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the Lord , the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!"

and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.

The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.

So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the Lord , the God of their ancestors.

Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God.

He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord , the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands.

Asa told the people of Judah, "Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God, and he has given us peace on every side." So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion.