2 Chronicles 7:1-6: a reflection

1Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the LORD’s glory filled the house. 2The priests could not enter into the LORD’s house, because the LORD’s glory filled the LORD’s house. 3All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the LORD’s glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!” 4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God’s house. 6The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to give thanks to the LORD, when David praised by their ministry, saying “For his loving kindness endures forever.” The priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.

When Solomon finished praying at the dedication of the temple, fire came down from heaven and consumed the offerings, and the glory of the LORD filled the house so completely that the priests could not even enter. And the people's response was immediate and instinctive: they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped and gave thanks, saying, For he is good; his steadfast love endures forever. Overwhelmed by God's glory and goodness, they fell down in worship.

Notice the response that God's manifest presence and goodness evoked: worship and thanksgiving, and a specific confession, he is good; his steadfast love endures forever. Faced with the overwhelming glory of God, the people did not analyze or discuss; they bowed, they worshiped, they gave thanks, they confessed his goodness and everlasting love. Their whole posture, faces to the ground, was the fitting response to being in the presence of the good and glorious God.

That is a picture of the response God's goodness ought to draw from us. When we glimpse God's glory, when we taste his goodness, when we consider his steadfast love that endures forever, the fitting response is not merely to take note but to worship, to bow, to give thanks, to confess with the people, he is good; his love endures forever. Do not let God's goodness and glory pass without response. Let them draw you to worship, to gratitude, to the glad confession that he is good and his steadfast love endures forever. That confession, made in worship, is the right response of the heart to the good and glorious God.

Lord, when your glory filled the temple, the people bowed and worshiped and gave thanks, confessing, he is good; his steadfast love endures forever. When I glimpse your glory and taste your goodness, let my response be theirs: not merely to take note, but to worship, to bow, to give thanks. You are good, and your steadfast love endures forever. Draw that confession from my heart in glad worship, and let your goodness and glory never pass without moving me to praise.