Exhortation, October 3

We have some difficulty understanding the biblical picture of prayer because we live in a country that sharply separates politics and prayer. Ancient Israel did not do that. The dedication ceremony for the temple began with the transport of the ark of the covenant from its location in the �city of David,�Ethe section of Jerusalem where David had put it in a tent, to the temple mount. Once the ark is set below the cherubim in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the glory-cloud entered the MHP and took a seat above the cherubim. Only then does Solomon begin to pray toward the house of God. The temple dedication begins, in short, with an enthronement ceremony, so that when Solomon the king prays, he prays to his King.

Prostitutes and others in Israel brought their �petitions�Eand legal �supplications�Ebefore the throne of the king, asking him to pass judgment. In the same way, Solomon and all Israel bring their petitions before Yahweh the enthroned heavenly Judge, and ask Him to render a verdict. One detail of Solomon�s prayer reinforces this: Solomon asks that Yahweh�s �eyes�Ewould be toward the temple day and night, and in Scripture, eyes are organs of discrimination and judgment. Solomon asks God to look at the petitions of Israel, and pass judgment.

Prayer is communion with God, and there is a proper intimacy to genuine prayer. Prayer is not an impersonal filing with an impersonal judicial system. But in Scripture prayer is petition before a judge, the living Judge of all the earth, whose ways are always just and right. Prayer is always a request that God would pass judgment. When we pray for a sick aunt, we are asking God to judge her righteous and to carry out that verdict by restoring her health. When we pray for salvation for the lost tribes of Africa, we are praying that God would pass judgment against the false gods, and vindicate His own name. We are asking Him �condemn the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.�E

Many of Solomon�s petitions are requests that the Lord �justify the ungodly�Eby forgiving His people. This also is a request for a judgment, a request that God would, in spite of all our sins, judge us favorably. In response, the Lord encourages prayer by promising, �My eyes shall be open and my ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.�E

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 08:09 AM

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