Names of God: God of Israel

Today's name for God occurs 195 times in the Bible. And although, we may not be Jewish people from the nation of Israel, we follow the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and today's description about God is still very applicable to our lives as Christians.

Click here to listen and read 1 Kings 8:1-30.

If you have ever doubted that our God is a personal God, today's name should put those thoughts to rest. The fact that God chose a group of people to call His own is incredible and gives us hope that He is personally interested in us.

In this passage, King Solomon is dedicating the newly built temple in Israel and God's presence fills the temple and indicates his presence with His people. Let that truth fill your heart, that God loves you and desires to be ever present with you as you worship Him. Some things have changed since the time of King Solomon. We no longer have a temple in Jerusalem to go to. But with Jesus' death, the Most Holy place where God's presence dwelt has been opened and we have all been given a backstage pass to meet with God as we worship, pray, and listen to His voice.

Throughout the Old Testament, God's people continued to recount the Exodus from Egypt. That event was a picture of the Lord's salvation for his people. Here again the people remember that it was the God of Israel who delivered them. God proved in the Exodus that He was greater than the gods of Egypt, even greater than any other god or idol. Gain confidence in God and comfort that He is your God. Nothing is too difficult from Him and He is to be worshiped because He is greater than any other god.

One final direction for our prayers needs to be for the nations. Solomon's prayer is worth quoting and praying ourselves...
41 "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name- 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

Blessings!
Pastor Arlen