2 Chronicles 1: Draw Near to the Lord

2 Chronicles 1: Draw Near to the Lord

4. Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

5. Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly sought the Lord.

6. And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

◇ This passage describes Solomon, who ascended to the throne following David.

The very first thing Solomon did upon becoming king was to lead representatives of all Israel and the assembly to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to God. While Solomon leads this act of worship, what's significant is that it wasn't Solomon alone, but all of Israel together. It wasn't a divided Israel, but the entire nation united as one in worship. Military commanders, centurions, judges, regional governors, and tribal leaders—all came together as one to offer sacrifices to God.

The phrase that particularly catches my attention in chapter 1 is found in verse 5: "sought the Lord." To whom did they draw near? Naturally, they drew near to the Lord. What David emphasized most as he passed the throne to Solomon was precisely this—drawing near to God. To draw near to God means to seek Him. It means seeking and keeping God's will (1 Chronicles 22:19; 28:8-9). Why did Saul lose his kingship? Because he failed to seek God and instead turned to other sources (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).

The most important thing for Christians is to seek Jesus Christ daily. It's seeking the Lord's will every day, every moment. Christians are those who labor and strive to seek the Lord, inquire of His will, and follow in Christ's footsteps. Such people are God's people.

♧ Good and merciful God, make me one who draws near to You daily. In every circumstance, help me seek the Lord with thanksgiving and patience. Holy Spirit, make me strong and courageous. Amen.