旧约 - 历代记下(2 Chronicles)第6章

Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;
I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."
While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them.
Then he said: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said,
'Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel.
But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'
"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.
Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood--he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.'
"The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel."
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
He said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth--you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.
You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it--as it is today.
"Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.'
And now, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.
"But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.
May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.
Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
"When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple,
then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence.
"When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and confess your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple,
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their fathers.
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,
then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.
"When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,
and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel--each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple--
then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men),
so that they will fear you and walk in your ways all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers.
"As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm--when he comes and prays toward this temple,
then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
"When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,
then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
"When they sin against you--for there is no one who does not sin--and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near;
and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly';
and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name;
then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
"Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
"Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness.
O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant."
历代志下第六章   第 6 章 

  代下 6:3> 在敬拜中所做的动作,若是发自心底的真诚,必会蒙神悦纳…… 

  6:3 百姓领受所罗门的祝福,全体肃立;所罗门向神祷告,当众跪下( 6:13 )。站立与跪下都是尊敬的表现,敬虔的行动使我们专心敬拜,也使别人看出我们是敬畏神的。你在聚会之中或跪下、或站立、或祈祷,都不要因为这是传统,乃要藉这些行动来表明你爱神的心。 

  代下 6:12-13> 领袖应作群众敬拜亲近神的榜样。我的领导,是否只在工作上,而忽略了信仰上的角色? 

  6:12-13 贵为一国之君的所罗门,在他百姓面前向另一位下跪,这表明他降服于另一位更高的掌权者;所罗门俯伏在神面前,表明对神至大至深的爱,说明他承认神是裁决万事、真正掌权的君王,而他也鼓励百姓同样敬畏神。 

  代下 6:18> 创天造地的主,今天却与我同在,我还惧怕什么? 

  6:18 所罗门惊叹圣殿竟然能充满神的大能,神竟甘愿在地上与犯罪的百姓同住!神的儿子耶稣成为人的样式、住在我们中间,显明神永恒的旨意,也使我们惊奇不已。这是神以祂的大爱临到我们,要我们认识祂并全心全意地以爱回应。我们不仅要赞美祂的大能,更要花时间认识祂。 

  代下 6:19-42> 不论在任何时刻,任何境况中,神总愿意垂听我们的心声…… 

  6:19-42 所罗门领百姓祷告时,他求神多方垂听百姓的祈求:( 1 )犯罪之时( 6:22-23 );( 2 )仇敌攻击时( 6:24-25 );( 3 )干旱之时( 6:26-27 );( 4 )饥荒之时( 6:28-31 );( 5 )外邦入侵之时( 6:32-33 );( 6 )与仇敌争战之时( 6:34-35 );( 7 )百姓得罪神之时( 6:36-39 )。不管我们的光景如何,神依旧关怀我们;祂要我们向祂祷告、悔改归向祂。请切记,在你祷告的时候,神会垂听你的祈祷。不要因为环境恶劣就怀疑神的关怀。 

  代下 6:26> 自然灾害在某些情况下,代表神的警戒;我生活中的困难,是否也是神对我的提醒? 

  6:26 所罗门认为干旱是犯罪的结果,原因何在呢?罪恶不一定是天灾的祸因,但这里所说的却是特殊情况。神曾明示百姓,祂可能以干旱来刑罚他们(参申 28:20-24 )。 

  代下 6:30> 神不单在垂听,也在赦免为罪痛悔的心灵,祂也知道我的心…… 

  6:30 你曾否因为失败、软弱、困顿,而与神疏远隔绝呢?所罗门在祷告中说明,神随时侧耳垂听百姓的祷告,赦免罪孽,使他们与自己和好。祂正在等候,要垂听我们认罪,重新顺服祂。我们将一切需要和困难向祂倾吐,祂就垂听,随时赦免,使我们能再与祂相交。不要耽延了,来领受祂的慈爱和宽恕吧! 

  代下 6:36> 自以为毫无缺点,或无可救药,都是没能摆正人与神的关系;我是否属于其中一种? 

  6:36 “人人都犯了罪”──圣经讲得斩钉截铁,没有人不犯罪,就连神所立的君王也如此。犯罪是人类的通病,我们都要像所罗门一样向神认罪。我们一看出自己犯了罪,就应当尽快求神赦免,与祂和好。认识自己有犯罪的倾向,我们就该与祂时刻亲近,寻求祂的引导,并求祂赐下能力(诗 14:3 ;传 7:20 与罗 3:23 都提到世上人人犯罪的事实。)──《灵修版圣经注释》