The Second Book of Chronicles
Chapter 2
1. Solomon decided to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. 2. Solomon conscripted seventy thousand laborers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country with three thousand six hundred to oversee them.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 1 to 2)
Oh God, my Father how nice it is when we aim to seek Your glory instead of only our own fame and power. Solomon could have given a priority to the construction of his own royal palace and then consider building Your temple, however, Solomon did not make such a choice, because You and the fulfilling of Your will were his main priority. As people who declare that we love You, this is to be our aim in life, to seek Your will as You reveal it to us and seek to fulfil it according to Your will Amen.
3. Solomon sent word to King Huram of Tyre: "Once you dealt with my father David and sent him cedar to build himself a house to live in. 4. I am now to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for offering fragrant incense before him, and for the regular offerings of the rows of bread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God, my Father when we communicate among ourselves we go into much detail regarding our plans and ambitions and also our intentions. When we communicate with You in a spirit of prayer we are also to be that open and share ourselves and all that makes us ourselves to You my God and Father. We are to hold nothing back from You my, God and Father, even though at times we might feel mad at You or for ourselves most likely and project it on to You we are to express ourselves with the faith and confidence that we are communicating with You Amen. As in the case of Solomon we are old business partners and have been communicating together and doing business from the moment of our existence Amen. Therefore as partners, there is goodwill and trust between us.
5. The house that I am about to build will be great, for our God is greater than other gods. 6. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father although we believe that our place of worship is called the 'House of God' and that Your 'Eucharistic' presence is found in the 'Tabernacle', You are not limited to the space of the Tabernacle. Your presence in its totality cannot be limited to one place or Church. You are not conditioned by time and space and can, therefore be anywhere at any time even if we live on the farthest end of the world or on a lonely tropical island still to be discovered You oh God my Father can also be present there. Amen.
7. So now send me an artisan skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to join the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 7)
Oh God my Father as in the case of worldly employers they recruit people with particular qualities, You also call on us to work in the kingdom of heaven which we all are called to work in throughout our daily life on earth. However, in order to apply for a vacancy, we do not need to send the Curriculum Vitae and introductory letter for You my, God already knows us inside out Amen.
8. Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting Lebanon timber. My servants will work with your servants 9. to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 8 to 9)
Oh God, my Father if we know each other so much as humans in relation to our skills and even belief, and faith, You know us much better. You have been following me even before the time of my birth. You know my strengths and You know my weaknesses, however, You still chose me to be employed in Your services in the proclaiming and spreading of Your Word of Good News Amen.
10. I will provide for your servants, those who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil."
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my Father if Solomon was ready to provide so much in return for his employees, how much more will You provide for us for being in Your field and doing the work of spreading Your 'Word' 'Name' and 'Faith'. I would do it even if there was no reward. I pray that You continue to provide me with faith, time, health, and a life, that is long enough to finish the entire Bible, so that all may continue to benefit from this bounty of our relationship Amen.
11. Then King Huram of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people he has made you king over them."
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father, I would also like to thank You for all the people that You have assigned to rule over us such as prime ministers, supervisors, kings, queens and many others, for although their acts, or legislations were not always according to our values, I am sure, that You gave us these people because You also love us Amen.
Today I would like to thank You for all my superiors, colleagues, and even all my clients that You gave me to serve because You love me Amen.
12. Huram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD, and a royal palace for himself.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God, Your name may always be blessed throughout all the corners of the world and even in the depths of its core and beneath the ocean floors for indeed Your name is worthy to be praised.
13. "I have dispatched Huram-abi, a skilled artisan, endowed with understanding, 14. the son of one of the Danite women, his father a Tyrian. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your artisans, the artisans of my Lord, your father David.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God my Father I thank You for all the skills that You that You have given us, for all knowledge and skills find their origin in You. I pray that as a global nation we use such resources in order to be of help to those who may be skilled in other areas but not in particular skills that are necessary to enable them to have a good quality of life with the dignity of human beings Amen.
15. Now as for the wheat, barley, oil, and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants. 16. We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon, and bring it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa; you will take it up to Jerusalem.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father when we place our trust in You, anything can be made possible, for You work in ways we cannot see and You will make the best for me. By air, or by sea in the form of a raft, You are able to deliver. Amen.
17. Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had taken, and there were found to be one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred. 18. Seventy thousand of them he assigned as laborers, eighty thousand as stonecutters in the hill country, and three thousand six hundred as overseers to make the people work.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 17 to 18)
Oh God my Father thank You for wise people and the wisdom that You gave to Solomon, whom You empowered with heavenly wisdom to manage well the networks and resources that You provided in order to undertake such an enormous project, that of building You a huge temple. I that when faced with the projects of life whether big or small, easy or difficult I turn on You in order to obtain that special ingredient that only You can give. I pray that You make me a possibility thinker Amen.
I would like to end this second chapter of the book of Chronicles with the following prayer:-
Blessed be the LORD my God and Father who intervenes at the right time and in the right time according to His Holy Will. I thank You for never rejecting our prayers, but for always being present in our lives even though we may not always feel Your presence Amen.
3. Solomon sent word to King Huram of Tyre: "Once you dealt with my father David and sent him cedar to build himself a house to live in. 4. I am now to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for offering fragrant incense before him, and for the regular offerings of the rows of bread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God, my Father when we communicate among ourselves we go into much detail regarding our plans and ambitions and also our intentions. When we communicate with You in a spirit of prayer we are also to be that open and share ourselves and all that makes us ourselves to You my God and Father. We are to hold nothing back from You my, God and Father, even though at times we might feel mad at You or for ourselves most likely and project it on to You we are to express ourselves with the faith and confidence that we are communicating with You Amen. As in the case of Solomon we are old business partners and have been communicating together and doing business from the moment of our existence Amen. Therefore as partners, there is goodwill and trust between us.
5. The house that I am about to build will be great, for our God is greater than other gods. 6. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father although we believe that our place of worship is called the 'House of God' and that Your 'Eucharistic' presence is found in the 'Tabernacle', You are not limited to the space of the Tabernacle. Your presence in its totality cannot be limited to one place or Church. You are not conditioned by time and space and can, therefore be anywhere at any time even if we live on the farthest end of the world or on a lonely tropical island still to be discovered You oh God my Father can also be present there. Amen.
7. So now send me an artisan skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to join the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 7)
Oh God my Father as in the case of worldly employers they recruit people with particular qualities, You also call on us to work in the kingdom of heaven which we all are called to work in throughout our daily life on earth. However, in order to apply for a vacancy, we do not need to send the Curriculum Vitae and introductory letter for You my, God already knows us inside out Amen.
8. Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting Lebanon timber. My servants will work with your servants 9. to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful.
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 8 to 9)
Oh God, my Father if we know each other so much as humans in relation to our skills and even belief, and faith, You know us much better. You have been following me even before the time of my birth. You know my strengths and You know my weaknesses, however, You still chose me to be employed in Your services in the proclaiming and spreading of Your Word of Good News Amen.
10. I will provide for your servants, those who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil."
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 10)
Oh God my Father if Solomon was ready to provide so much in return for his employees, how much more will You provide for us for being in Your field and doing the work of spreading Your 'Word' 'Name' and 'Faith'. I would do it even if there was no reward. I pray that You continue to provide me with faith, time, health, and a life, that is long enough to finish the entire Bible, so that all may continue to benefit from this bounty of our relationship Amen.
11. Then King Huram of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people he has made you king over them."
(The Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father, I would also like to thank You for all the people that You have assigned to rule over us such as prime ministers, supervisors, kings, queens and many others, for although their acts, or legislations were not always according to our values, I am sure, that You gave us these people because You also love us Amen.
Today I would like to thank You for all my superiors, colleagues, and even all my clients that You gave me to serve because You love me Amen.
12. Huram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD, and a royal palace for himself.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God, Your name may always be blessed throughout all the corners of the world and even in the depths of its core and beneath the ocean floors for indeed Your name is worthy to be praised.
13. "I have dispatched Huram-abi, a skilled artisan, endowed with understanding, 14. the son of one of the Danite women, his father a Tyrian. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your artisans, the artisans of my Lord, your father David.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God my Father I thank You for all the skills that You that You have given us, for all knowledge and skills find their origin in You. I pray that as a global nation we use such resources in order to be of help to those who may be skilled in other areas but not in particular skills that are necessary to enable them to have a good quality of life with the dignity of human beings Amen.
15. Now as for the wheat, barley, oil, and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants. 16. We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon, and bring it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa; you will take it up to Jerusalem.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father when we place our trust in You, anything can be made possible, for You work in ways we cannot see and You will make the best for me. By air, or by sea in the form of a raft, You are able to deliver. Amen.
17. Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had taken, and there were found to be one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred. 18. Seventy thousand of them he assigned as laborers, eighty thousand as stonecutters in the hill country, and three thousand six hundred as overseers to make the people work.
(Second Book of Chronicles Chapter 2 verses 17 to 18)
Oh God my Father thank You for wise people and the wisdom that You gave to Solomon, whom You empowered with heavenly wisdom to manage well the networks and resources that You provided in order to undertake such an enormous project, that of building You a huge temple. I that when faced with the projects of life whether big or small, easy or difficult I turn on You in order to obtain that special ingredient that only You can give. I pray that You make me a possibility thinker Amen.
I would like to end this second chapter of the book of Chronicles with the following prayer:-
Blessed be the LORD my God and Father who intervenes at the right time and in the right time according to His Holy Will. I thank You for never rejecting our prayers, but for always being present in our lives even though we may not always feel Your presence Amen.
