Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • 2 Chronicles 6

    2 Chronicles 6

    Read 2 Chronicles 6

    6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 2 I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”

    3 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. 4 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, 5 ‘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 so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’

    7 “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’

    10 “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.11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”

    Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

    12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 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. 14 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. 15 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.

    16 “Now, Lord, the 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 successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.

    18 “But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 19 Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 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. 21 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.

    22 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oathand they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, 23 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.

    24 “When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple,25 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 ancestors.

    26 “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 give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 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.

    28 “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, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart), 31 so that they will fear you and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

    32 “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 they come and pray toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. 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.

    34 “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, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

    36 “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; 37 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’; 38 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 ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 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.

    40 “Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

    41 “Now arise, Lord God, and come to your resting place,
        you and the ark of your might.
    May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
        may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.
    42 Lord God, do not reject your anointed one.
        Remember the great love promised to David your servant.”

    Go Deeper

    After finishing the detailed instructions on how the temple would be built for the past couple of chapters, this chapter might seem daunting because of its length! However, as we read we see that it’s actually a celebration prayer and speech packed with encouragement for the Israelites. The first thing Solomon does is bless God. He acknowledges that it is not by his own work or his father David’s work that the temple is built, but simply because God has faithfully fulfilled His prophecy. He begins his prayer kneeling, with arms stretched to represent surrender and ready reception which was the common posture of prayer in the Old Testament. Solomon humbled himself, glorified God and boldly asked Him to dwell in the temple and honor His people. 

    Then Solomon did something unique: He prayed for the future prayers that would be lifted within the temple. He asked that God would hear the oaths taken there and preserve justice and that God would hear when the Israelites are defeated or crying out from captivity or when there are times of plague and famine. He even asked that when foreigners find themselves near the temple praying that God would listen and they would come to fear Him. Solomon knew that even after this celebration, the world would still be broken and hardship is promised, but God dwelt with them and heard their prayers. 

    Now, we get to celebrate even more abundantly! Because the veil of the temple has been torn, through Jesus’s body being broken, the Holy Spirit now dwells within us. So even though we don’t have the temple or the Ark of the Covenant, we have the security that God not only hears our prayers, but listens. So, how often do we take advantage of this gift that hasn’t always been available? 

    We have the ability to commune with God in our quiet times as well as at work, in our cars, getting coffee, or while doing the dishes. When we shift our mindset from encountering God for thirty minutes in the morning to all throughout our day, we can grow exponentially in our relationship with Him.

    Questions

    1. What sticks out to you most about Solomon’s prayer? Why? 
    2. What small habit could you change today to encounter God more? 
    3. How can you be praying for the people within your church or community?

    Keep Digging

    If you want to learn more about the veil being torn and what that means for us, click here to read this article from GotQuestions.org!

    Leave a Comment below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

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    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Rest Day + Family Guide (1 Chronicles 29-2 Chronicles 5)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (1 Chronicles 29-2 Chronicles 5)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Keep Digging

    For a helpful landing page with summaries, a timeline, and other helpful resources, check out The Bible Project’s guide to 1 & 2 Chronicles!

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s 1 Chronicles 29-2 Chronicles 5 Family Guide!

  • 2 Chronicles 5

    2 Chronicles 5

    Read 2 Chronicles 5

    5 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.

    The Ark Brought to the Temple

    2 Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. 3 And all the Israelites came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month.

    4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, 5 and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The Levitical priestscarried them up; 6 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

    7 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles. 9 These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

    11 The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. 12 All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lordand sang:

    “He is good;
        his love endures forever.”Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

    Go Deeper

    Finally the day has come. The temple has been finished according to God’s design. Seven years of hard work and excellent craftsmanship have culminated into a work of art. But, even after all that, the temple isn’t complete until the ark of the covenant makes its way into the Temple. All the beautiful details are meaningless without the presence of God, symbolized by the ark of the covenant.

    Solomon knows this and so this day is marked by celebration, sacrifice, and praise. The text tells us that there were so many sheep and cattle sacrificed to God that they couldn’t even be counted. A huge festival marked the occasion, and all the Israelites came together to worship. Once the ark was placed in the Holy Place, the priests and musicians “joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord.” As they praised God, the temple became so full of the glory of the Lord that the priests couldn’t even do their jobs. Five hundred years after God commanded the Israelites to build the ark of the covenant, the day had finally come to move that ark into the Temple. God’s presence was permanently with them. What a celebration it was!

    The crazy thing is, because of Jesus, we no longer must only access God through a Temple and a priest. The very presence of God that filled the Temple that day lives within us as believers. As Paul reminded the church in Corinth: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”(1 Corinthians 3:16) Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We house God’s presence within us; we have access to His power and presence all the time.

    The Israelites threw a massive festival just to celebrate God’s presence nearer to them through the Temple, even though they couldn’t have direct access to God themselves. We walk around housing His Spirit in our bodies and yet don’t think twice about it. We spend most days completely unaware of God’s presence within us. We take the gift of His nearness for granted. But, what would today look like if we were aware of God’s presence throughout each moment? What could God do through us if we were fully alert to His presence? Friends, let’s not miss it. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, and help us every moment today.

    Questions

    1. Solomon knew that as beautiful and detailed as the Temple was, it was incomplete without the presence of God. No matter what your temple looks like, the most important thing about your body is that it houses God’s presence. How can that thinking re-shape how you view yourself today?
    2. How often are you aware that God’s presence is with you each day? How could remembering that He is with you help you to rely on Him more today?
    3. Take the next 5-10 minutes to sit with God in silence. Breathe slowly and tune into God’s presence within you. Acknowledge His presence and ask for more awareness of Him today.

    Listen Here

    Listen to this podcast from The Bible Project about the connection between the Temple and the Spirit.

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  • 2 Chronicles 4

    2 Chronicles 4

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    The Temple’s Furnishings

    4 He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high. 2 He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. 3 Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

    4 The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 5 It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.

    6 He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.

    7 He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.

    8 He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.

    9 He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. 10 He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.

    11 And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls.

    So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God:

    12 the two pillars;

    the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

    the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars;

    13 the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars);

    14 the stands with their basins;

    15 the Sea and the twelve bulls under it;

    16 the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles.

    All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. 17 The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. 18 All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.

    19 Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple:

    the golden altar;

    the tables on which was the bread of the Presence;

    20 the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;

    21 the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold);

    22 the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter continues on with the detailed narrative of how the temple was constructed, down to specific dimensions and the furniture that was built specifically for the temple. Solomon was building according to the plan that had been passed down by God to his father (King David) and, as we read in previous chapters, no expense was spared. The temple was so much more than a building to be half heartedly cobbled together. It was a place of worship–a place where people could worship and experience God (both individually and collectively). 

    Imagine the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the construction of such a place. It is thought that the temple took seven years to build! Everything had been thought through and meticulously built, from the bronze altar (34 feet long, 34 feet wide, and 17 feet high) down to the golden wick trimmers. What makes such labor intensive, grueling work worth doing? At the end of the day, it all comes down to the motivation and the heart behind why you do what you do. The construction of the temple had an important purpose. People would encounter God there! Solomon understood that. A theme throughout the scriptures is the importance of diligence (and the dangers of laziness). God calls us to work (and work well) and when we do, He is ultimately glorified in that.

    While the temple was the place to meet God back then, we know that things are different now for believers in Jesus. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have the Spirit of God living inside of us. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6, even describes our bodies as a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer limited to a finite space full of elaborate bronze and gold furnishings, but instead we have the Spirit living inside of us. As we go about our days today, ask God to use you (through the Spirit inside you) as a way for people to encounter Him today.

    Questions

    1. What first stuck out to you as you read this chapter? Why?
    2. Do you find yourself lacking purpose in the work that you do (whatever it might be)? How can you focus today on glorifying God through the work that you do today?
    3. With the Spirit living inside of us, we are able to interact with God all throughout the day. How can you be more mindful of that as you go about your day today?

    a Quote

    Check out this quote from Tim Keller’s book Every Good Endeavor on work:

    “Everyone will be forgotten, nothing we do will make any difference, and all good endeavors, even the best, will come to naught. 

    Unless there is God. If the God of the Bible exists, and there is a True Reality beneath and behind this one, and this life is not the only life, then every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God’s calling, can matter forever.”

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  • 2 Chronicles 3

    2 Chronicles 3

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    Solomon Builds the Temple

    3 Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.2 He began building on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

    3 The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard).4 The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits long across the width of the building and twenty cubits high.

    He overlaid the inside with pure gold. 5 He paneled the main hall with juniper and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs. 6 He adorned the temple with precious stones. And the gold he used was gold of Parvaim. 7 He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.

    8 He built the Most Holy Place, its length corresponding to the width of the temple—twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold. 9 The gold nails weighed fifty shekels.He also overlaid the upper parts with gold.

    10 For the Most Holy Place he made a pair of sculptured cherubim and overlaid them with gold. 11 The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub. 12 Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub. 13 The wings of these cherubimextended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall.

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

    15 For the front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits long, each with a capital five cubits high. 16 He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains. 17 He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter, King Solomon begins the temple project that his father (King David) prepared for him to accomplish. First Chronicles 28:19 states, “All this, David said, I have in writing as a result of the Lords’ hand on me, and He enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.” The construction of the temple has long been awaited by the people of Israel. This magnificent structure would represent the presence of God in their midst. 

    Solomon’s efforts to construct the house of God spared no expense in decorating every section of it with extravagant materials. The design included nothing but the finest of materials that would be used to build and decorate the house of God. This temple would represent the heavenly King’s earthly palace, displaying His holiness and glory. 

    There are so many details described in the building of the temple that point us to Jesus. The location of the temple is significant. Not only was it the place where the Lord had appeared to David, but it is also the place where Abraham offered Isaac, and the Lord provided a ram instead. (Genesis 22) It is also believed by scholars to be near, if not on the set of hills where Jesus’ cross was placed. 

    Another detail is that the Most Holy Place was separated by a heavy veil. Only the High Priest could enter once a year to offer atonement (payment) for the sins of the people of God. At Jesus’ death, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom, forever representing our access to God through Jesus’ sacrifice of His life. Hebrews 9 describes Jesus, as our high priest, entering once for all by His blood, securing our eternal redemption.

    Now there is no need for an ornate temple to represent God’s presence. As believers in Jesus, we are God’s temple and His Spirit dwells in us. However, pondering the holiness, beauty, perfection, and excellence of God may deepen our desire to reflect His character. Our response to His presence in our lives may prompt awe, worship, praise, and surrender.  He alone is holy, holy, holy, and worthy.

    Questions

    1. How does beauty stir your awe of our Holy God?
    2. How do your gifts to serve Christ reflect His presence in you?
    3. How will you express your thanks for God’s presence in you?

    Watch This

    The construction of the temple was an important milestone in the Old Testament. To learn more about the temple and its significance, check out this video from The Bible Project!

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  • 2 Chronicles 2

    2 Chronicles 2

    Read 2 Chronicles 2

    Preparations for Building the Temple

    2 Solomon gave orders to build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself. 2 He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.

    3 Solomon sent this message to Hiram king of Tyre:

    “Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in. 4 Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals of the Lordour God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

    5 “The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. 6 But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

    7 “Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers, whom my father David provided.

    8 “Send me also cedar, juniper and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants will work with yours 9 to provide me with plenty of lumber, because the temple I build must be large and magnificent. 10 I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.”

    11 Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon:

    “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.”

    12 And Hiram added:

    “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself.

    13 “I am sending you Huram-Abi, a man of great skill, 14 whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.

    15 “Now let my lord send his servants the wheat and barley and the olive oil and wine he promised, 16 and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem.”

    17 Solomon took a census of all the foreigners residing in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18 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.

    Go Deeper

    In 1 Chronicles, we read about the anointing of David and his reign in Israel. We ended with David passing the torch down to his son Solomon. In the previous chapter, Solomon, who is young and inexperienced, asked the Lord for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people. This wisdom was granted to him. King David’s dream of building a temple for the Lord is now the task of King Solomon. The chapter begins telling us that “Solomon gave orders to build a temple for the Name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself” (v. 1). 

    This temple was going to be built in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. This place is significant for many reasons. It is where God called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac back in Genesis 22. Now about a thousand years later, God is calling Solomon to build the First Temple there. Solomon then selected “70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them” (v. 2). This is a lot of people! The assignment at hand was large, and Solomon needed a big team to complete this project. Solomon then reaches out to the King of Tyre named Hiram. Tyre was a port city on the Mediterranean Sea just north of Israel. We are first introduced to King Hiram back in 2 Samuel 5 after David had conquered the city of Jerusalem and established his capital there. Hiram had always been a friend and ally with David and was now partnering with Solomon in this project.  

    Solomon makes a request to Hiram, seeking help with the Temple. He says, “Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers, whom my father David provided. Send me also cedar, juniper, and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there” (v. 7-8).  King Hiram sent silver, gold, craftsmen, and more! This was an opportunity for both kingdoms to mutually benefit, as they formed a trading alliance.  

    What can we learn from this partnership? It is notable that a pagan king, one who did not follow the God of Israel, was a large part of why the construction of the Temple was possible. Hiram praised the God of Israel because of the great wisdom He had given Solomon, but there is no evidence that he was a believer himself. The descendants of Abraham, or the Israelites, were God’s chosen people, and those who were not a part of the nation of Israel were considered Gentiles. However, the Old Testament is filled with references of God’s heart for all nations and all people, not just the Israelites. 

    We see this displayed in 1 Kings 8 where Solomon is praying to dedicate the temple to the Lord. Solomon prays to God saying, “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. 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” (1 Kings 8:41-43). This temple would be a means for Gentiles to be introduced to the God of Israel. Solomon’s partnership with Hiram was an example of how God uses all people and desires all people of all nations to be in relationship with Him.

    Questions

    1. For Solomon to build the temple, he needed to recruit people with different talents. What unique gifts or abilities has the Lord given you? How can you use them for His glory?  
    2. Why do you think God used a pagan king to be a part of building His Temple? What does this teach you about the heart of God? 
    3. What are other examples in the Old Testament where you can see God’s intent to redeem, not just the Israelites, but all people to Himself?

    Keep Digging

    Interested in learning more about King Hiram? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org!

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  • 2 Chronicles 1 + Overview

    2 Chronicles 1 + Overview

    2 Chronicles Overview

    Second Chronicles picks up right where the previous book leaves off: as King David’s reign is ending and Solomon, his son, assumes the throne. Originally one long book, 1 and 2 Chronicles were divided into two parts some time around 200 BC as the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew to Greek (known as the Septuagint). Like 1 Chronicles, this was likely written in the fifth century BC after the Jewish people had returned home from exile and began rebuilding the temple. While the author isn’t explicitly identified, one leading theory amongst many scholars is that Ezra was the one who penned this book. 

    This book covers a few hundred year span from when Solomon became king in 971 BC until the southern kingdom of Judah was carried into Babylonian exile in 586 BC. This book focuses on the story of Judah (and less so on the northern kingdom of Israel). The beginning portion of the book opens with the story of Solomon building the temple (according to the plans God had given to David). From there, we see a cyclical pattern of righteous and unrighteous kings that followed and disobeyed God’s instructions (and the ramifications of their choices). 

    Since this book was written as a historical piece to help God’s people remember where they had been and what they had come from, we would do well to let it serve as a reminder to us as well. As we read these words and chapters from over two thousand years ago, let us be reminded of the importance of honoring and obeying God’s instructions in our own lives. We, too, can be forgetful people and fail to remember what God has done in redeeming our own lives, let alone the lives of those who came before us. As we read over the coming weeks, let’s be reminded of the goodness of God in our own lives.

    To refresh your memory and to be reminded of the overall story arch of 1 and 2 Chronicles, check out this video overview from The Bible Project.

    Read 2 Chronicles 1

    Solomon Asks for Wisdom

    1 Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

    2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel—to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families— 3 and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 4 Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 But the bronze altar that Bezalelson of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the Lord; so Solomon and the assembly inquired of him there. 6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

    7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

    8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

    11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

    13 Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting. And he reigned over Israel.

    14 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 15 The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 16 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.

    Go Deeper

    Second Chronicles transitions from the end of David’s reign as king to the beginning of the kingship of Solomon. David reigned in Israel for 40 years, and his reign was marked by successes in battle and a heart passionately devoted to God. Solomon’s establishment as king was marked by three things: David’s gathering of building materials to enable his son to build God’s temple, Solomon publicly leading his people in worship of the one true God, and his request to God for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people (v. 10).  

    God offered Solomon anything he wanted, so He was pleased when Solomon asked from his heart for wisdom to rule well rather than for tangible things such as possessions, wealth, or long life. This request was evidence of Solomon’s desire to govern well rather than pursue selfish ambition. As a reward, God blessed him in such a way that his rule was known for riches and honor far beyond any king that ruled before him. 

    As the new king, Solomon had everything he needed to continue David’s work. His reign begins to sound like the perfect, storybook career until we reflect on God’s instruction to the kings in Deuteronomy 17, which specifically warns against multiplying horses, multiplying wives, and multiplying silver and gold. Was Solomon unaware of these instructions? Of course not. David, a man who knew God’s law intimately, would have been sure to instruct his son in them and have him write a copy of the law as commanded.  

    So, like David before him, Solomon also had flaws, despite his great gifts from God. These things appear in the words of the Chronicler, beginning in verse 14. When it came to wealth, Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. Silver and gold in Jerusalem were as common as stones. He used his wealth to import horses from Egypt (versus 14-16). While his reign began on a promising note, it was his trust in wealth that led to dire consequences in the chapters to come. 

    Questions

    1. If God were to give you anything you wanted, what would you ask for? What is your gut response and what does that reveal about your heart?
    2. How is it possible that the great gifts given to Solomon would become the catalyst that led to his downfall? 
    3. Where else in the Old Testament have we seen man mishandle God’s perfect gifts?

    Pray This

    Father God, 

    Help me see the gifts that you have created exclusively for me. Allow me the wisdom to take those gifts and create fruit that advances your kingdom. Let me understand the importance of being a vessel that you can work through and shine your light to others. Continue to teach me in your Word where you provide everything I need to walk closely with you and share the good news, according to your perfect plan. 

    In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

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  • 1 Chronicles 29

    1 Chronicles 29

    Read 1 Chronicles 29

    Gifts for Building the Temple

    29 Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities.3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: 4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”

    6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officialsin charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

    David’s Prayer

    10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

    “Praise be to you, Lord,
        the God of our father Israel,
        from everlasting to everlasting.
    11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
        and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
        for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
    Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
        you are exalted as head over all.
    12 Wealth and honor come from you;
        you are the ruler of all things.
    In your hands are strength and power
        to exalt and give strength to all.
    13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
        and praise your glorious name.

    14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. 19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

    20 Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.

    Solomon Acknowledged as King

    21 The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day.

    Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the Lord to be ruler and Zadok to be priest. 23 So Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.

    25 The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.

    The Death of David

    26 David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. 27 He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.

    29 As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, 30 together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.

    Go Deeper

    We have reached the end of 1 Chronicles! We have read genealogies to David, David’s anointing as king of Israel, and David’s reign in Israel. The Lord established a covenant with David promising him a house, or a dynasty from which the future Messiah would come, an eternal kingdom, and a throne that would have ultimate authority. David is Israel’s most celebrated king and there is a strong sense of unity around him. This book recaps some of David’s triumphs and greatest moments throughout his life. 

    Now, we are at the end of David’s reign. David is passing the torch down to his son Solomon, who would rule over Israel. David wanted to build a temple for the Lord so that the Ark of the Covenant could have a permanent home, but this is not what God had in mind. His ways are not our ways. The Lord tells David that he will have a son that would build a house in His name. He then commissions Solomon to build the temple, just as the Lord instructed, and tells him simply to “be strong, and do it.” David reminds Solomon that the Lord is with him, even though he is young and inexperienced. The Lord won’t leave him or abandon him in this process. David gave Solomon the blueprints for the temple with very specific details regarding how it was supposed to be made.

    The work of building the temple was great, and there was a great need for resources to complete it as well. This chapter goes over the contributions the people of Israel gave for building the temple. It tells us that people gave willingly for the service of God’s house. Their eagerness in giving reflects 2 Corinthians 9:7, which tells us to “give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” They had given to the Lord wholeheartedly and rejoiced greatly over it. David commissioned the Israelites to consecrate themselves to the Lord, and to wholly dedicate themselves to Him. 

    David then blessed the Lord in a prayer in front of the entire assembly. He said, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all (v. 10-11). David gave all the praise and glory to the Lord. He saw the greatness, power, and majesty of God. He recognized that everything we have is from Him, and we are to steward the resources that He has entrusted to us to build His Kingdom (James 1:17). 

    David’s dying instructions and some of his last words to Solomon are similar to those of Moses, Joshua, and Samuel. He calls Solomon to serve the Lord, fear Him, be obedient to His Word, and remain faithful to Him. He prayed Solomon would have an undivided heart to keep the Lord’s commands. We will read more about the reign of Solomon and the kings of Judah in 2 Chronicles. The chapter ends with a summary of David’s life and his reign in Israel. He is an image of future hope for Israel. Although David is a great king, he is not the king. One day there would be a messianic king that would rebuild the temple and invite all nations into the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 11). This is a reminder that the story is not over for Israel!

    Questions

    1. What is your heart towards giving? Do you give with eagerness and cheerfulness, or reluctantly?   
    2. What are some characteristics of God that David mentions in his prayer? 
    3. What lessons have you learned from the life of David throughout this book? How will you apply these lessons to your life?

    Keep Digging

    After reading the entirety of 1 Chronicles, we know King David plays a pivotal role in the Old Testament. To dive deeper into the importance of David (with references to 1 & 2 Samuel, as well) check out this helpful blog post from The Bible Project: “David: What’s the Big Deal?”

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (1 Chronicles 23-28)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (1 Chronicles 23-28)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Keep Digging

    For a helpful explanation of 1 Chronicles and how it’s not simply a repeat of other Old Testament stories, check out this article from The Bible Project! 

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s 1 Chronicles 23-28 Family Guide!

  • 1 Chronicles 28

    1 Chronicles 28

    Read 1 Chronicles 28

    David’s Plans for the Temple

    28 David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the warriors and all the brave fighting men.

    2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name,because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’

    4 “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel. 5 Of all my sons—and the Lord has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lordover Israel. 6 He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.’

    8 “So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commandsof the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.

    9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lordsearches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will rejectyou forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”

    11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. 12 He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. 13 He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. 14 He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service: 15 the weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; 16 the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables; 17 the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; 18 and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

    19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.”

    20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. 21 The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilledin any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”

    Go Deeper

    First Chronicles 28 is the beginning of the last speech that King David gives to the leaders of Israel before he dies. Knowing that their king’s days were numbered, there would have been two questions that the rulers of Israel would have had in mind: “Who will build the temple?” and “Which one of David’s many sons will become king?” David answers both of these questions in this chapter.

    When seeking advice on who to date, what job to take, how to raise children, or whether or not we should buy that pair of shoes, the world will almost always tell us to do what we “feel” like doing. “Follow your heart” is the motto of the world. According to Psychology Today, when put under a time-constraint, people are much more likely to make risky decisions when we feel happy versus when we feel sad. Our emotions have a profound impact on the decisions we make.

    In verse 2, David tells us that he “had it in his heart” to build the Temple as the dwelling place of God’s presence on the earth. Does David follow his heart in this task? No. Instead, he obeys what God speaks to him, and appoints his son, Solomon, to be his successor and the architect of the Temple. Conventional wisdom tells us that we can make rational decisions when we give ourselves the time to think through the pros and cons, but Christians have more than just logic to inform our decisions. 

    Just like David, we have the Word to God to inform us. The Bible, both explicitly and through biblical principles, instructs us on how to date, choose a vocation, raise children, and spend money. It is full of wisdom that applies to every decision we will have to make in this complex world, but that may not always be apparent. This is why it is important for believers to study the Word. The Bible is still living and active (Hebrews 4:12), but because of our vastly different context than its original audience, we may have to do some digging to understand how it applies to us. Study Bibles and online commentaries, such as Blue Letter Bible and Enduring Word, can be helpful in this pursuit. God does not leave us to make decisions by our heart alone, but in His kindness has preserved the Bible to be “a lamp in a dark world” (Psalm 119:93).

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you most in this chapter as you read it? Why? 
    2. When has “following your heart” led you astray? What did you learn from that experience?
    3. How can you utilize God’s Word as you go about making decisions this week (both small and large)?

    Featured Resources

    Interested in further resources to help you study God’s Word? Check out a few of these used by the Bible Reading Plan team:

    • SonicLight-The study notes of Dr. Thomas Constable, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Constable’s notes for each book of the Bible are updated annually and are available for free.
    • BibleRef-A free online commentary to help you develop a greater understanding of each passage you read. They do a fantastic job of providing extra insight, but they don’t have a full commentary for every book of the Bible (yet).
    • Enduring Word-The teaching notes of David Guzik, pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, who has taught through the Bible verse-by-verse. There’s a free app as well!
    • The Bible Project-A website full of videos to help you understand each book of the Bible (as well as some comprehensive themes and ideas). Especially helpful if you’re writing for a book you don’t have a lot of familiarity with! 
    • GotQuestions.org-A website containing answers to over 500,000 questions about the Bible, ranging from interpretation of specific verses to larger, more complex theological topics. This site is extremely helpful when you’re addressing a complicated topic/subject!

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