2. “My people are bent to backsliding from me.”
THE several historical allusions to the former glory of the Temple will prove only the more interesting if we consider these in connection with the history of the royal house of David, since, while the former manifest the holiness and the abounding grace of Jehovah towards Israel, the latter, in sad contrast, testifies to the sinful backslidings of Israel.
The latter part of David’s reign (1 Chronicles 28 and 29) and the former part of the reign of Solomon, might well be considered as the period during which was displayed the first glory of the kingdom. If we may be allowed to make use of the expression, the culminating point of this glory was reached when the presence of the Lord God of Israel was manifested in His holy temple; when Israel could rejoice indeed, and sing, “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.”
It was then that the queen of Sheba came from a far-off country to hear the wisdom of Solomon, to behold his glory, and, out of the abundance of an overflowing heart, to bless the Lord God of Israel. But, like the sun, which has no sooner attained to the height of its meridian splendor than it commences to decline, even so did the first glory of the kingdom prove of very short duration. Why? Not because the Lord had ceased to delight to bless Israel, and to display His tender mercies towards the nation of His choice. Alas! the reason is only too plainly discernible. Israel, as a nation, quickly turned aside from following the Lord. And it saddens one to reflect that Solomon-chosen of God to build the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:6)—was also the builder of the high places upon the mount of corruption (i. e. the Mount of Olives), severally constructed for Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech (2 Kings 23:13). This fact alone sufficiently explains the reason why the first glory of the kingdom proved so transitory; and it may also be suggested as one reason why the several historical allusions to the former glory of the Temple are so few and far between; which latter (as we shall see as we proceed (in the sight of those who were privileged to behold the same) positively became even more glorious! yet we know not for how long or how brief a period the glory, as seen upon the day of the dedication of the Temple, was openly discerned.
Israel’s declension in the latter years of Solomon’s reign was very deplorable, but that in the days of his immediate successor proved even more so. When the revolted ten tribes exclaimed, “What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel! now see to thine own house, David” —did they simply reject Rehoboam? Did they not at the same moment deliberately reject the Son of David—He whom David acknowledged as “Lord?” They could, not reject the house of David and not reject the “Prince of the house of David, “to the open dishonor of Him who had promised that He would set His King upon His holy hill of Zion. With the exception of a faithful remnant (many of whom willingly vacated their possessions rather than forsake the Lord, 2 Chronicles 11:13-.7), these ten tribes quickly turned from the living and true God to serve idols; and Bethel, i.e., house of God, became Beth-aven, i.e. house of iniquity. (Comp. 1 Kings 12:29, Hosea 4:15;10. 5.)
For three years Judah “walked in the way of David and Solomon;” then they forsook the Lord: and, for this cause, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Judah was severely chastised by Shishak, king of Egypt. They “humbled themselves,” and for a brief season “things went well” in Judah. During the reign of Abijah there was at least a formal acknowledgment that Jehovah was with them (2 Chronicles 13:1-12). “Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” Jehoshaphat “walked in the ways of his father David,” but brought great trouble upon himself, his household, and his kingdom, by taking the daughter of Ahab to his son to wife. Nevertheless, when the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites allied their forces and came up against Judah, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast in Judah. “And all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” We are not told that these beheld the Shekinah glory; but this we are told, and it is well that we should mark this, that they received an immediate answer to their petition; thus they were enabled to realize that the Lord was present in His Temple. And those who sought the Lord in a day of trouble, returned after their bloodless victory, with joy unto the house of God, to own God’s great deliverance (2 Chronicles 20).
Very bitter were the fruits of the sinful matrimonial alliance with the idolatrous house of Ahab. For three generations we read of bloodshed, and murders in cold blood. Humanly speaking, but for the faithfulness of a woman, the direct line of the royal house of David had become extinct! For six years the house of God was the refuge of the infant Joash (2 Chronicles 22:10-12.). It is worthy of remark that the names of the son, grandson, and great-grandson of the daughter of Ahab, are omitted by Matthew in “the book of the generation of Jesus Christ.” See Matthew 1:8.
We also might have refrained from referring to the several reigns of these, and also to Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne, if it had not been recorded that “the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman,” broke up the house of God, and bestowed the dedicated things upon Baalim (2 Chronicles 24:7). Her grandson Joash, however, in the days of Jehoiada the priest, repaired the house of God. But after the death of Jehoiada, Joash forsook the Lord, and with the treasures of the house of the Lord he redeemed Jerusalem from plunder (2 Kings 12:18).
Uzziah the son of Amaziah the son of Joash, “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.. and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” He was “marvelously helped,” but “when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” He presumed to enter into the sanctuary, and utterly ignoring the vehement protests of Azariah and those eighty faithful priests, was determined that he would burn incense upon the golden altar; but the Lord smote him instantaneously with leprosy, so that he was “thrust out” of the sanctuary; and he was a leper unto the day of his death.
Uzziah was smitten with leprosy in the house of the Lord: was the sanctuary rendered thereby defiled? This question might have troubled very many of the godly in Israel for many years after this had occurred, if the God of all grace had not mercifully interposed, surely for their sakes.
In the year that king Uzziah died, the prophet Isaiah was privileged- to behold a glory, the description of which favors the thought that it far surpassed “the glory” which Israel saw upon the day of the dedication of the Temple. Israel had seen “the glory of the Lord upon the house,” but Isaiah now saw “ the Lord, sitting upon a throne.” In short, as John informs us, the prophet saw “His glory” (John 12:41). The throne was high and exalted: though this glory was now displayed in connection with the Temple, it was simply “the skirts thereof” which filled the sacred edifice. His was discerned to be the transcendent glory.
Above the Temple stood the seraphim; now seen in connection with the throne. Each of these had six wings; “with twain he covered his face,” as unworthy to look upon Jehovah; “with twain he covered his feet,” as unworthy that the Lord should look upon him; “and with twain he did fly”; in instant response to the will of God.
Full many have been the speculations concerning those created intelligences. But we have no desire to speculate. It is most evident, that, by means of this vision, the Spirit of God taught the prophet, and through him all Israel who had eyes to see, ears to hear, and understanding hearts, that the throne of God was established in holiness. To this the seraphim bore witness as they cried “holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” “And the posts of the door” (the prophet probably refers to the pillars Jachin and Boaz, 2 Chronicles 3:17) “moved” (or trembled) at the voice of the seraphim.
Who can estimate the comfort which this vision afforded to the godly in Israel, especially after the report that a leper had been driven forth from the sanctuary? Notwithstanding this had come about, notwithstanding the unholiness of the nation at large, the Holy One of Israel had not deserted His holy temple.
The latter part of the vision is also most instructive. If Isaiah had before this been exercised about the uncleanness of Uzziah, in the presence of the holy Lord of •hosts, it is the realization of his own personal uncleanness that causes him such exercise of heart. Have we not all been taught the same lesson? It needed that Isaiah’s iniquity should be taken away, that his sin should he purged, before he essayed to go forth to proclaim the word of the Lord.
From this time henceforward the prophet Isaiah wearied not of testifying to Israel of His glory.
(To be continued.)