READING THE BOOK OF Second Chronicles CHAPTER Eight.
Our favorite verse in 2 Chronicles Chapter 8 is:
Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”(2 Chronicles 8:11 NIV).
Consequences of partial obedience.
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Solomon did not take his Egyptian wife the city of david: “In seeking to strengthen relations with the powerful kingdom in the south of Israel, Solomon entered forbidden territory. From a human standpoint, this marriage, although contradicted the teachings of the law of God, appeared to be a blessing, because the pagan wife of Solomon became involved in the worship of the true God. But in forming an alliance with a heathen nation, and sealing the alliance by marriage with idolatrous princess, Solomon rashly disregarded the wise provision made by God to preserve the purity of his people. The hope that this Egyptian wife may convert and worship the true God was a very weak excuse to sin “(PR 37). God forbade intermarriage with unbelievers (Deut 7:1-4) and disapproved for the kings to increase their number of wives (Deut. 17:17).
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Saul obeyed only partially in the extermination of evil from the kingdom of amalek.– When Saul meet Samuel he says he claims to have “obeyed” the divine command. Yet the prophet says that he could hear the bleating and animals roar, to which the king argues that it was to offer them in sacrifice to God. Samuel gives the following response, which should impact echoes in our ears: “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam 15:22).
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Ananias and Sapphira told half-truths.– Peter asked both of them separately, after the sale of the property, about the amount they indicated to have made, sadly they both said the same lie, so Ananias and Sapphira died the same instant (Acts 5:1-10).
Prayer
Our dear living God. We pray you save us from obeying only that which is conveniant for us or obeying half way. Please fill our minds with integrity to obey you completely and fully. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
By Dr. Franz Rios, Translated and adapted by Pablo J. Rios.
