How does Solomon's use of the bronze altar reflect his devotion to God? Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 1:5-6 “Now the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there in front of the tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the assembly inquired of Him there. And Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD at the Tent of Meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.” Setting the Scene • The united kingdom has just passed from David to Solomon. • The tabernacle, its furnishings, and the original bronze altar built in Moses’ day (Exodus 27:1-8) are temporarily at Gibeon. • Before any palace plans or national reforms, Solomon gathers “all the assembly” (v. 2) to meet with God. What the Bronze Altar Signified • God-given Design: Crafted exactly as the LORD commanded (Exodus 31:1-5), the altar embodied obedience to revealed specifications. • Substitutionary Atonement: Every animal laid on its grating pictured innocent life covering guilty sinners (Leviticus 17:11). • Access Point: No Israelite approached God without first stopping at this altar; it proclaimed that fellowship requires sacrifice. Solomon’s Actions and His Heart Posture • Public Priority – Before erecting his own throne, he stands before God’s altar. – He draws the entire leadership to God first, showing national dependence on the LORD. • Wholehearted Generosity – “A thousand burnt offerings” (2 Chron 1:6; 1 Kings 3:4) signal lavish, uncalculated devotion. – Burnt offerings were wholly consumed, symbolizing complete surrender (Leviticus 1). • Continuity with Covenant History – Using the very altar built in the wilderness ties Solomon to Moses, Joshua, and David, confessing that nothing about Israel’s worship can be reinvented. • Expectation of Divine Guidance – He “inquired of Him” (v. 5) before governing, matching Proverbs 3:5-6—“Trust in the LORD…He will make your paths straight.” • Foreshadowing the Temple – By honoring the temporary altar, Solomon prepares his heart to build the permanent one (2 Chron 3:1). Worship precedes work. Patterns of Devotion Echoed in Other Scriptures • David: Stored temple materials first, then charged Solomon to seek the LORD (1 Chron 22:17-19). • Hezekiah: Re-consecrated the bronze altar during national revival (2 Chron 29:20-24). • Ezra: Rebuilt the altar before laying the temple foundation after exile (Ezra 3:2-3). • Romans 12:1: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”—the New-Covenant echo of wholehearted offering. • Hebrews 13:10-12: Jesus fulfills the altar’s meaning, but the pattern of costly surrender remains. Takeaways for Today • Start every endeavor at God’s appointed altar—the finished work of Christ. • Give God first place and the best portion, not the leftovers. • Honor the foundations He has laid; innovations in worship must never displace His revelation. • Lead others into God’s presence by example, not merely instruction. • Lavish, sacrificial giving is never wasted when offered to the LORD. |
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