Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles 2:7-18. Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%202&version=NASB1995
Here is a link to the following verses.
“Then Huram, king of Tyre, answered in a letter sent to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them.” Then Huram continued, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
“Now I am sending Huram-abi, a skilled man, endowed with understanding, the son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father, who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with those of my lord David your father. Now then, let my lord send to his servants wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which he has spoken. We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you on rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may carry it up to Jerusalem.” 2 Chronicles 2:11-16.
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Was Solomon king over all people? No. Solomon was only king over Israel.
Solomon was distinguished by the LORD. The LORD chose Solomon to be king over Israel.
Solomon was also distinguished by his father David who was the prior king over Israel. David had many sons, yet he chose only Solomon to be king over Israel.
Solomon was also distinguished by the “discretion and understanding” that the LORD gave him.
Solomon was also distinguished by Huram, king of Tyre, who, in a letter sent to Solomon stated: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them.” Notice that Huram provided so much to Solomon. Did Huram provide these things to all the kings? No. Solomon was distinguished by Huram.
Israel was also distinguished by the fact that Solomon was their king.
Even in our daily life, we see people and institutions distinguished. So, this should not be a foreign concept.
Certain universities are distinguished. Certain groceries stores and financial institutions are distinguished. We do not equally love them. But rather, we chose certain ones of them to attend and do business.
Certain people are distinguished. A husband does not equally love all women. But rather, he distinguishes his wife and only loves her.
Every day we make choices.
Thus, today’s Scripture leads us to consider that the LORD does not love all people. The LORD only loves His people a/k/a His chosen ones a/k/a His elect.
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6.
How do we know that we are His people a/k/a His chosen ones a/k/a His elect?
Our names may be written in the Book of Life which we cannot now read, but our names are not written in the Bible which we can read.
Moses wondered and asked the LORD specifically: “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” Exodus 33:16.
More generally, over time, we learn and believe that we are the elect a/k/a God’s chosen people by God doing special particular goodness to us, particularly “distinguished from all the other people”.
Everybody gets sunshine and rain, so when we experience such common good things, we do not feel “distinguished from all the other people”. But, when we feel that God is showing us special particular goodness to us, that all other people do not receive, we feel that we are distinguished from other people and we wonder and think we may be the elect a/k/a God’s chosen people.
As stated in the Canons of Dordt that I will later quote in full, “The elect in due time, though in various degrees and in different measures, attain the assurance of this their eternal and unchangeable election“.
So, let us look at some Scriptures.
“But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”’” Exodus 9:4.
“But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’” Exodus 11:7.
“And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” Joshua 21:44-45.
“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.” 1 Kings 8:56-58.
“7 I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD,
According to all that the LORD has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely, they are My people,
Sons who will not deal falsely.”
So He became their Savior.” Isaiah 63:7-8.
In regards to what I highlighted above, consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination.
Article 12. The elect in due time, though in various degrees and in different measures, attain the assurance of this their eternal and unchangeable election, not by inquisitively prying into the secret and deep things of God, but by observing in themselves with a spiritual joy and holy pleasure, the infallible fruits of election pointed out in the Word of God – such as a true faith in Christ, filial fear, a godly sorrow for sin, a hungering and thirsting after righteousness, etc.
God only shows “the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” Ephesians 1:3-4.
Just as a husband only distinguishes his own wife and only loves his own wife, not all women, “… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27.
“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.” Malachi 3:17-18.
“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.” Romans 9:22-24.
In other words than the above-stated Romans 9:22-24, we appreciate more being “distinguished from all the other people” and what God has done for us when we can see and compare ourselves with others, both in the goodness that we receive (lovingkindness) and the punishment from which we were saved (mercy).
“10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who judges on earth!” Psalm 58:10-11.
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.” 1 Peter 2:9-10.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 