ESOCS Devotional 27 April 2025 – God is Faithful to the Obedient
MEMORY VERSE: “You have kept the promise you made to my father David; today every word has been fulfilled.” 1 Kings 8:24
TEXT: 1 KINGS 8:21-43
And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 24 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ 26 And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this [a]temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. 30 And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
31 “When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
33 “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.
35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
37 “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their [b]cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
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Our God is ever faithful. He does not fail in His promises. The record we see in the Bible shows that when God speaks of how He will bless those who obey Him, He also speaks of how He will punish those who disobey Him. God also states how He will show mercy to those who turn to Him with true confession and a penitent heart. In our text today, we see the fulfilment of God’s promises to David and we are testimonies of the truth that Jesus Christ is of the root of David, and He is on the throne forever.
One needs to willingly resolve to follow the word of God in every aspect of life. In verse 21, Solomon gave testimony of keeping to the proper way of handling the covenant box. In verse 23, he revealed the secret way of God: “You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you.”
There is no room for half way obedience to God’s word. We have to resolve to be continuously obedient. This is the key to enjoying accomplishment of what God has promised (1 Kings 8:25, 26). Those who rely on God must also continuously pray to Him. There should be no dull moment. Prayer should be done at all times and in all circumstances (vv. 27-32).
Again, confession of specific sin and prayer for forgiveness should be regular each day when we identify our misdoings. God does not despise a broken heart and a contrite spirit (Ps. 51:16, 17; 1 Kings 8:33-40). God does not discriminate for any reason. He hears and grants the prayer of those who rely on Him (v 43). May we live to obey God.
CHALLENGES
- Do you agree that God can do all things for those who rely on Him?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, keep me in steady obedience to your word, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 8:44-66;1 Corinthians 12:16-31; 13:1-13
ESOCS Devotional 27 April 2025
