Earthquakes, famines, floods, pandemics, confusion, fallaciousness (the quality of being false), anger, riots, wars, and rumors of war surround us. The earth tremors under the weight of sin, hurling toward destruction and one final day of judgement. How do we trust God while mountains quake in a broken world and it appears the battles for righteousness are being lost? It feels at times that evil is winning. And yet, throughout history, we see a God who fulfills every covenant promise. Even when at moments it would seem all hope was lost, God marched forward through history to bring forth His Glory and His redemptive plan. This despite of rebellious sinful humanity chasing after self-righteousness.
God chose flawed, weak men and women who at times chose sin. Yet, He saw their heart. A heart moldable, pliable and He opened their eyes to see His glory. They could do no less than fall in love with Him, once they recognized their utter unworthiness and His magnificent Glory. King Solomon was a perfect example. From the days of Moses, God lived among His people in a tent referred to as a Tabernacle. David longed for God to have a beautiful Temple in which to dwell. God promised King David that his son would be chosen to build the temple. David gathered the finest materials to be ready. King Solomon meticulously had the temple built. Finally, the temple was completed exactly as promised by God. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the inner sanctuary.
I Kings 8 (NASB)
6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark …10 And it happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the Glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
How to Trust God In a Broken World While Mountains Quake
King Solomon bowed down in prayer to God.
First, he acknowledged God’s faithfulness
“Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping the covenant and showing faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24 You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. I Kings 8: 23 (NASB)
Second, he recognized the chasm that lay between an Almighty God and humankind.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28 Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the prayer of Your servant and to his plea, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today, 29 so that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place. I Kings 8
Third, he asked that God remain merciful whenever His people would come to the temple in true repentance. He listed famine, plague, drought, and defeat as coming from sin. Then, He pleaded for the foreigners who would come to worship God. He 4 times states,
“Then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people: indeed, teach them the good way in which they are to walk” I Kings 8: 36.
Undone
Solomon had been King of these people and he was wise enough to recognize their sinfulness as his own. There was no way, he or they could stand faultless before a righteous, holy God. Much like Isaiah when he first glimpsed at God’s Glory, King Solomon could have said.
“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.” Isaiah 6:4-6 (NKJV)
And so, he prayed trusting God in a Broken World.
“When they sin against You (for there is no person who does not sin) and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, distant or near; 47 if they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your favor in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name.
49 then hear their prayer and their pleading in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their wrongdoings which they have committed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, so that they will have compassion on them 51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 so that Your eyes may be open to the pleading of Your servant and to the pleading of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. I Kings 8 (NASB)
The Mountains Quake in A Broken World
At Mount Sinai, the mountain quaked with fire, lightening, and thunder with God’s Glory. After the first encounter with God where He gave them the 10 commandments, they pleaded that Moses go up and bring them back the messages after that. They magnitude of God’s Glory and Righteousness was more than they could feel.
The earth quaked and the sun went dark, as Jesus died on the cross bearing the full weight of God’s wrath for sin.
This creation will one day be shaken for one final time as we are told throughout scripture.
The earth is broken apart,
Isaiah 24:19-23 (NASB)
The earth is split through,
The earth is shaken violently.
20 The earth trembles like a heavy drinker
And sways like a hut,
For its wrongdoing is heavy upon it,
And it will fall, never to rise again.
21 So it will happen on that day,
That the Lord will punish the rebellious angels of heaven on high,
And the kings of the earth on earth.
22 They will be gathered together
Like prisoners in the dungeon,
And will be confined in prison;
And after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be ashamed and the sun be put to shame,
For the Lord of armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
And His glory will be before His elders.
God Will Make The Mountains Quake with His Justice
My Spirit remains in your midst; do not fear!’ 6 For this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of armies. I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 And I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’ 23 ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord of armies, Haggai 1 (NASB)
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. H
Hebrews 12 (nkjv)
But Our Hope Is in the Unshakable Kingdom
Even though we walk through tremorous times, socially, politically, socially, economically, emotionally, and spiritually—we have no fear because we hold fast to an unshakeable kingdom of righteousness that will last forever. He has never failed to complete any of His promises. And even though this world will be shaken and incinerated one day, we who know Jesus have no fear.
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10 (NKJV)
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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