This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ – 2 Chronicles 7:21

Today's Scripture Reading (October 24, 2022): 2 Chronicles 7

The natives called it “The Mountain that Moves.” The English called it “Turtle Mountain,” a peak located in the Rocky Mountain Range in Alberta, Canada, just north of the border the United States shares with its northern neighbor. The mountain was a source of coal, and mining operations began in 1901. The mining operations resulted in a town called “Frank,” named after American entrepreneur Henry Frank, who had developed the first of many coal mines in the area. The Town of Frank grew quickly along with the coal mine at Turtle Mountain.

But at 4:10 a.m. on April 29, 1903, “The Mountain that Moves” moved. A piece of rock broke off the top of the mountain. The piece that measured a kilometer by just short of half a kilometer came crashing toward the Town of Frank at a very unturtle-like pace. Estimates place the speed of the rock at just over 110 km/hour or 70 miles/hour. While rumor has it that the town of Frank perished in the collision, in reality, only the eastern outskirts of the town were buried by the slide. The Frank slide in 1903 killed 70 to 90 people, and most of the dead are still buried beneath the rubble. Seventeen miners were working the night shift in the mine at the time of the slide. Amazingly, they were able to dig themselves out through a vein of coal that ran to the surface and were counted among the survivors of the slide.

But the haunting native name for the mountain remains one of the clues to why the mountain's peak came down in the first place. Even during the years of the mining operation, rocks falling down the mountain were not uncommon. Today we recognize that Turtle Mountain is inherently unstable, and any break in the mountain, like placing a mine into its fragile side, was likely to cause a catastrophic event. The slide resulted in two peaks on Turtle Mountain – a north and south peak (the slide came from the area in between). Experts caution that the south peak of the mountain will eventually fall. The collapse may not be imminent, but there is no doubt that “The Mountain that Moves” will move again, and the south peak will come down.

Moses had argued with God in his day that God should not move against this seemingly undependable group of people known as Israel to protect God’s reputation (Exodus 32). And so, God relented from his anger. But it is almost as if God remembered that conversation as he spoke to Solomon. God reminds him that he is “The Mountain that Moves.” He would protect Israel as long as they obeyed him. But if they disobeyed, he would reduce this temple built to house His Name to rubble, and the people of the world would not point at God's unfaithfulness but rather the nation's disobedience. Even after the destruction of the Temple, God’s reputation would remain unscathed.

Less than 500 years after this moment between God and Solomon, the Temple came down. The people were unfaithful and undeserving of God. As a result, God, who is “The Mountain that Moves,” moved. He brought a man named Nebuchadnezzar and a fledgling Empire to the Temple and reduced it to rubble. They did it so effectively that nothing was left; not enough evidence is left today to prove that it had ever existed.

All because the mountain moved.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 135

He said: "LORD, the 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. – 2 Chronicles 6:14

Today's Scripture Reading (October 23, 2022): 2 Chronicles 6

Marcus Aurelius ruled over the Roman Empire from 161 C.E. until his death on March 17, 180 C.E. Aurelius is probably best known for his persecution of Christians. However, historians are not convinced that he was even aware of the persecutions that were taking place during his reign, arguing that lesser officials would be more likely to order such persecution than the Emperor himself. Justin Martyr, an early Christian leader, includes in his writings a letter from Aurelius to the Roman Senate describing an incident that took place on the battlefield in which Aurelius believed that he was saved by Christian prayer. The letter was sent to the Senate earlier in Aurelius's life before he became Emperor. Today, however, the authenticity of that letter is in question, so the argument rages.

We sometimes forget that Marcus Aurelius, before becoming Emperor, was a Stoic philosopher. And as a philosopher, Aurelius taught us that we should "waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." It is good advice, regardless of who we are. We don't need to be able to communicate what we believe good is; we need to walk the talk and be good people. Nothing might frustrate me more than people who can talk about the Christian faith but who refuse to be Christian. Whenever these people confront me, I am reminded of Jesus's words to the church at Laodicea in Revelation. "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, we should "waste no more time arguing about what a Christian should be. Be one."

Solomon's failure was not because of ignorance. In the end, Solomon failed because he began to follow the gods of his wives. While Solomon knew that there was no God like Yahweh in heaven or the earth, Solomon began to worship Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon refused to give himself completely to the God he confessed to as no other God in heaven or earth.

Solomon knew how to talk about God but refused to walk his talk. He could talk about his faith, but his actions sent the world a different message. He might say that the God of Israel was above all other gods, but when it came to how he lived his life, he sent a very different message as he began to worship the gods of his foreign wives.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 7

When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God's temple. – 2 Chronicles 5:1

Today's Scripture Reading (October 22, 2022): 2 Chronicles 5

There is a plastic bag in my home office, and inside the bag is a treasure, although it is likely only valuable to me. The bag contains some paper that has yellowed with age, and on the paper are handwritten notes. The writing is a little hard to read, but that doesn't really matter. I like to puzzle through them anyways. The paper contains many of the sermons preached by my great-grandfather, Hallett Mullen. I didn't get to meet Hallett; he and my great-grandmother passed away a few years before I was born. Elizabeth (Dyer) Mullen passed away in a car accident, driving with her youngest son Paul and his family. A year later, according to family lore, Hallett died of a broken heart. A year after that, my parents got married, and eleven months after their marriage, I was born. But I have heard the Hallett Mullen stories, which lead me to believe he was a bit excitable when he was preaching, and I mourn not being able to meet him. And so, his sermons are my treasure. I also possess an audio recording of Hallett and Elizabeth singing with their sons, DeVerne and Paul. Apparently, during his ministry, Hallett Mullen was known as "The Singing Mullen," a tradition that his descendants have tried to uphold to the best of their ability.

Whether Solomon realized it or not, his father David had left him a treasure and a legacy. David had not only dreamed and planned the temple, but he had started creating articles that would be used in the temple and had dedicated some of the furniture that would be placed in the temple. So, as Solomon finishes the task he has spent the last seven years on, he returns to storage to get the articles his father had created for the temple. Some remembering probably went on as the articles David made for the temple were placed in the Temple that Solomon had built. These articles would have been placed alongside some of the pieces that Solomon had created for the temple.

I wonder if there was a moment when Solomon looked at the completed temple and saw the items his father had made that the son whispered to the father, "It is finally done. Your dream has been fulfilled. And Dad, I really wish you were here to see it with me." David may not have seen the beginning of the temple's construction, let alone viewed the finished project, and yet every aspect of the temple was filled with either King David's plans for the temple or articles he had created for the temple. And that probably made the temple just a little more special to Solomon, just like my great-grandfather's sermons, packed away in a plastic bag, are precious to me.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 6

All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated. – 2 Chronicles 4:18

Today's Scripture Reading (October 21, 2022): 2 Chronicles 4

If you have given to the ministry of VantagePoint Community Church, helping us make a difference in our community, I don't know about it. And my lack of knowledge is deliberate. But I also recognize that there are two sides to the issue. One is the assumption that if I did know how much people give, I might provide preferential treatment to those who donate to the ministry over those who don't. Actually, I admit that for me, it might be the reverse. I have never viewed my job as a ministry dedicated to caring for the saved. I believe we are being sent out into our broken world to have contact with those who are hurting. I value the time, as little as it sometimes is, when I get to spend time with people either on the edges of the church or outside the church. A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to talk with several of the church's neighbors, and I have to admit that after talking about politics, family, and the societal problems of the city over the back fences of my neighbors, I felt energized.

But on the flip side, if someone begins to tithe, a huge step in the spiritual development of the person, and they give that first check to the ministry, I don't know it, so I can't cheer them on. Every time someone gives to the church, it must feel like bells should go off, a spotlight should shine down on us, and even more so for those who are at the beginning of their journey. In other non-profits, large donors probably get a special call from the CEO, thanking them for their generosity. But in many churches, there is nothing but crickets heard from those with the highest profiles, thanking them for their generosity because we don't know who has started giving.

A few years ago, I received special permission to look at the givers to the ministry, but I never took advantage of the opportunity. Deep down, I really don't want to know. And partially, it is an extension of what Jesus said about giving to the needy. "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3). I get that technically giving to a non-profit is not "the needy" (although if you could look at many of our books, you might change your mind). However, still, someone has to count and send out the year-end receipts (thanks, Lynn), but it doesn't have to be me.

The author of Chronicles tells us that there was so much bronze donated to the building of the Temple that its weight could not be calculated. Maybe there was just too much to count, but Baptist preacher F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) saw a different biblical principle at work.

This was as it should be. There was no attempt to keep an accurate account of what was given to the service of God. Even Solomon's left hand did not know what his right hand did. There is a tendency in all of us to keep a strict account of what we give to God…but the loftiest form of devotion overleaps such calculation." (F. B. Meyer)

I have a friend who believes that the tithe is an outdated concept. He believes that what God wants from us is to give generously. And if we are devoted to Christ, our gifts mount up beyond the 10% tithe to something else, all because we believe that God makes a difference in every aspect of our lives. And so, we give to him with every portion of our being, and we just don't worry about the end percentage.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 5

He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it. – 2 Chronicles 3:14

Today's Scripture Reading (October 20, 2022): 2 Chronicles 3

As a science fiction lover, one of the places on this planet that holds an endless fascination for me, and many others like me, is Area 51. If you don't know what Area 51 is, it is the colloquial title given to a government base located in southern Nevada. Area 51 is an unofficial name for the military facility, whose official name is Homey Airport or Groom Lake, the latter of which is named for a salt flat next to the facility. Area 51 is a training base, and it has served as an experimental testing base for the Lockheed U-2 aircraft in the 1950s and likely numerous other experimental planes and probably weapon delivery systems since then. As for the Lockheed U-2 aircraft, it is an intelligence-gathering plane that can fly at high altitudes and stay in the air for long periods. And the craft was first tested at Groom Lake.

But, for science fiction fans, other rumors occupy our imaginations. For those who believe in aliens and UFOs visiting us from other planets, Area 51 is the facility where all the bodies are buried, and all the evidence of extraterrestrial visits is stored. The truth is that imagination is usually much more fun than the truth.

Of course, we will never know. Area 51 is strictly off-limits to most of us ordinary people. And those who have entered the Groom Lake facility aren't talking. I suspect that not knowing is probably a good thing. Reality would probably be a big disappointment.

The author of Chronicles describes the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The cherubim worked into the new Temple curtain reflected similar cherubim which had been worked into the original curtain of the Tabernacle. But the reality was that this was as close as most in Israel would get to that curtain. Much like Area 51, the problem is that ordinary people would never get close to the Holy Place. Only the Levites and priests working in the Temple would be able to go into that Holy Place. And behind the curtain lay the Most Holy Place, and there only the High Priest could go, and he could only go there once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

But most people would never see the Holy Place, the Most Holy Place, or the curtain that separated the two places. All they would ever have are the description of these places and the curtain that separated them printed in books like Chronicles, and maybe imagine what such a place might have looked like if we had been allowed inside.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 4

He assigned 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working. – 2 Chronicles 2:18

Today's Scripture Reading (October 19, 2022): 2 Chronicles 2

During Passover week, Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem and didn't like what he found. We often seem to think that the problem that Jesus discovered was that commerce, the buying and selling of stuff, was taking place in the Temple. And as a result, some churches have become hesitant to allow the buying and selling of anything inside the church. But the truth was much worse. What was being sold in the Temple were the specific things needed to worship the God of Israel; the sacrifices and Temple coins.

Sacrifices needed to be perfect. Sure, you could bring a newborn lamb from your flock at home, but the experts at the Temple had become specialists at finding the imperfections in a sacrifice. So, if you brought that first-born lamb from your flock to be sacrificed at the Temple, there was an excellent possibility that you would be returning home with the same lamb because the priests had rejected your sacrifice. Instead, the priests would offer to sell sacrifices from their own herds. The lamb that you purchased would be guaranteed to pass the Temple inspection. But it was going to cost you. These sacrifices were being sold at an extremely inflated price.

The same was true for the Temple coinage. The Temple Tax had to be paid with Temple currency. Wherever you came from, that currency would need to be exchanged for a Temple coin, and again, the money changers at the Temple inflated the prices of the Temple Coin, which meant that paying the Temple tax was going to cost you significantly more than it should have.

All of this had one major effect; it often stopped the poor from fulfilling their religious obligations. They simply couldn't afford the inflated prices they were being forced to pay. So, they didn't. They didn't partake in the sacrificial system, didn't bother to come to the Temple even during compulsory days, and didn't believe that it was even possible for them to be full-fledged worshipers of the God of Israel. Oh, some came, but they were made to feel like they were second class citizens, and not worthy of God's attention. Being an observant Jew had become a rich man's game.

Enter Jesus. He entered the Temple and declared the charge he had against them to all present. "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers'" (Mark 11:17). The quote is actually from Isaiah, spoken sometime near the end of the Babylonian Exile. At the time it was written, the Second or Zerubbabel's Temple was the prophet's focus, and later it would become the place where Jesus would throw out the moneychangers. Isaiah had written

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:6-7)

Once again, we are confronted with the idea that the Temple in Jerusalem, both Solomon's and Zerubbabel's, was intended not just for the Jews but for the world. Isaiah insists that Gentiles or non-Jewish people would be brought to God's holy mountain. These Gentiles would love God, keep the Sabbath and hold fast to the Covenant of God. Because of that, it would be a house of prayer for the nations and not just a house of prayer for Israel. So maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that foreigners also played a key role in the construction of Solomon's Temple. The Temple used both material and men foreign to Israel in its construction. From the very beginning, the Temple was embraced by those living in Israel as well as those living outside of the Jewish religious system.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 3

The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. - 1 Kings 9:3

Today's Scripture Reading (October 18, 2022): 1 Kings 9

Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" (the Theme from "Titanic") had a rocky road to reality. James Cameron did not want a theme song for the movie "Titanic" period. Celine Dion originally did not want to sing the song. However, she later admitted that she was glad no one listened to her. I guess not; the song made her filthy rich (my words, not hers). However, Kate Winslett, who starred as the character who provides the viewpoint for the song lyrics as she looks back over her life, has said that she feels like throwing up every time she hears the song.

Despite all this, the song was recorded. "My Heart Will Go On" was recorded "in secret." Celine Dion did the demo in one take, and it is that demo that is used in the movie. Celine says she sang the song once and never sang it again, at least not in a recording studio. Of course, Dion has sung the song many times live in concert. Cameron did not order the demo. That was the action of composer James Horner, and he held the demo close to him until he could find a moment when director Cameron was in the "right mood." And while the movie is a classic (personal admission, I have never watched "Titanic" all the way through to the end), the song might just be bigger. Oh, yeah, and today "My Heart Will Go On" is quickly becoming one of the most hated songs on the planet: in other words, more and more of us are starting to agree with Kate Winslet. But that isn't because the song isn't any good, but rather that it is massively overplayed. And, as some critics have discovered, barring the song from personal playlists doesn't help. The song has been played so much that it has become a form of music tinnitus. Our brains tend to play the song even if we refuse to; as in, why can't I get that song out of my head? Apparently, our hearts will go on and on and on and on.

As God speaks to Solomon, he accepts the Temple built for his Name and promises to Solomon that his eyes and his heart will always be there. God promises that he will hear the prayers prayed in that sacred place and that he will have compassion on those who worship there. But unlike Celine's overplayed song, this is an extremely rare sentiment on the part of God. The idea of God having a heart is an unusual thought in the Bible; God's heart is rarely mentioned.

When God's heart is mentioned, it usually has to do with God's suffering because of humanity's evil. But there might not be a more intimate way of God commenting on his nearness to Solomon and the people of Israel. As Christians, we can be confident that God's eyes and heart are on us because Jesus has built the Temple to his Name in our lives as we grow to be more like Christ.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 2