Tuesday, June 1
A heap of rubble
Scripture: 1 Kings 9-10, Ephesians 3
1 Kings 9:8–9 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 9 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.’ ”
Observation
Shortly after Solomon built and dedicated the temple, the Lord appeared to him a second time and gave him a promise and a warning. These verses are the warning.
I was struck by how jarring this must have sounded: “This impressive temple will become a heap of rubble.” It was newly constructed, beautiful and very impressive—admired by all who saw it. Hard to imagine it as a heap of rubble!
This graphic image was designed to get Solomon’s attention. Sadly, it failed. Solomon’s great accomplishments are described in chapters 3-10, and then his failure, downfall and death are in chapter 11, which eventually led to the destruction of the temple and Israel’s demise as a nation.
Application
It’s possible for us to turn our accomplishments into a “heap of rubble.” I’m thinking of some well-known pastors whose sins resulted in personal shame and for some, institutional failure. Their life work, once so impressive, became a heap of rubble.
I’ve seen people blow up their personal lives as well—a marriage becomes a “heap of rubble” through neglect or betrayal. Or once healthy individuals descend into addiction and disease because of a series of compromises and bad choices—and their life becomes a “heap of rubble.”
What was unimaginable becomes a sad reality—a wonder becomes a heap of rubble.
How to avoid this? One word: faithfulness. God is faithful to us and simply calls us to be faithful to Him. Stay the course. Keep the faith. When presented with a diversion, we say no to that and yes to God.
For example, years ago, I made a list of the consequences of marital infidelity. It was staggering. In that list, I saw my life in ruins—a heap of rubble—and decided to minimize the pleasure and maximize the consequences. I chose faithfulness. And I’m so glad I did.
Prayer: Lord, thanks for this graphic image, and for Your faithfulness to us. I don’t want my life to be a heap of rubble, nor do I want that for anyone I love. Help us stay faithful.