YEAR 2, WEEK 37, Day 7, Sunday, 14 September 2025

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 14 September 2025:

Psalm 89:1-4 — I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”

Psalm 89 opens not with complaint but with praise. Ethan the Ezrahite, known for his wisdom in Solomon’s time (1 Kings 4:31), writes during what was likely a national crisis. Yet instead of beginning with lament, he sets his gaze on God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. This is wisdom: starting with who God is, then interpreting all circumstances in light of His character. Ethan knows God’s covenant with David is unbreakable, and so he sings of it — “forever.”

Notice how Ethan models the Lord’s Prayer, which begins not with requests but with worship: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). Likewise, before presenting his concerns, Ethan rehearses God’s promises, reminding himself that His faithfulness is established “in the heavens” — unshakable, beyond human reach, beyond the shifting sands of earthly events.

Paul reflects this same perspective in Philippians 4:4-7, where he commands us to rejoice always, to be content in every situation, and to bring our requests to God with thanksgiving. Why? Because the Lord is with us, and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Whatever happens is not happening to you but for you — shaping Christlike character, drawing you nearer to God, and enabling you to bear fruit for His kingdom (Romans 8:28-29).

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — …give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Ethan spends thirty-seven verses exalting God before ever turning to lament. That order matters. What we speak first in crisis often reveals what we truly believe about God and His heart toward us. Satan’s first tactic in hardship is always to sow doubt about God’s goodness — “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1-6). But praise anchors us in truth and shields our minds from deception.

Today, like Ethan, begin by praising God’s steadfast love. See your present situation as a gift in His providence, and let your perspective be shaped not by fear but by faith in His unchanging covenant promises.

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.” We were created to glorify God on earth. We were not created simply for heaven, and eternal life is not something we experience only after we die. Eternal life is something we experience now, on earth — “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (see John 17:3 and read Jesus’ prayer for us). We were specifically made as both physical and spiritual entities so we could translate God’s spiritual qualities and truths into the physical world for His glory. Don’t let sin distract you from your earthly calling of glorifying God and enjoying Him right now while you patiently await His triumphant return.

• Matthew 6:10 — Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
• Isaiah 65:17 — “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
• Isaiah 66:22 — “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain.
• 2 Peter 3:13 — But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
• Revelation 3:12 — The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God [remember these words when reading 1 Kings 7]. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
• Revelation 21:1 — Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
• Revelation 21:2 — And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

God’s plan brings the physical and spiritual into harmony. In fact, upon Christ’s return, His final restoration will include a new heaven and new earth, where everyone will see God as King over all, both a physical realm and a spiritual realm. While we wait for the final fulfillment of redemption and Christ’s triumphant return, we are to live out and proclaim the truth of our redemption on earth while on a mission of reconciliation. We have been given the wonderful calling to proclaim Christ and to display His love “that the world may believe!” We are Ambassadors for Christ, “God making his appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20).”

“With my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.” Remember, God’s plan is for generations. We don’t know when Jesus will return in His glory to restore all things — “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32) We are called to remain vigilant and ready, but also to prepare future generations. “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50) Proclaim the truth to the next generation.

• Psalm 78:4-7 — We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
• Deuteronomy 6:5-9 — You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
• Psalm 71:18 — So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Sing Jesus’ praises today to all generations. Live boldly and victoriously, rejoicing in all circumstances, not rejoicing because of the circumstances but because of the grace of God! The more you appreciate the love and faithfulness of Jesus, the more you will be compelled to sing out His praises uncontrollably, regardless the situation. If singing the praises of Jesus is not your natural reaction, pray for a deeper revelation of Him. In the meantime, sing anyway and see if that doesn’t help increase your joy and enthusiasm to share Him with others.

Psalm 89:5-8 — Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?”

Ethan now shifts from celebrating God’s covenant promises to magnifying His majesty in creation and in heaven’s courts. The heavens themselves testify to His greatness — not just the stars and galaxies (Psalm 19:1), but also the angelic host, the “assembly of the holy ones.” Even the heavenly beings who dwell in His presence recognize His uniqueness and glory. They fear Him, not in dread, but in awe-filled reverence. If the sinless angels bow before Him, how much more should we, redeemed sinners, be humbled and compelled to worship?

Notice the repeated emphasis on God’s faithfulness — it is not only declared on earth by His people but also recognized in heaven. Faithfulness surrounds Him “all around.” That means it is not one attribute among many, but essential to His very being. He cannot be unfaithful; He cannot betray His word. When we feel shaken or uncertain, we can anchor our trust in this truth: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

The rhetorical questions in verses 6-7 drive home God’s uniqueness: “Who is like the LORD?” The answer is obvious: no one. Not the greatest angel, not the most powerful ruler, not even the devil himself can compare to the Lord Almighty. Ethan’s perspective here anticipates Revelation 4-5, where John sees the heavenly throne room and the Lamb who alone is worthy to open the scroll. Heaven’s worship reminds us that history is not spiraling out of control, it is centered around God’s throne.

Verse 7 highlights that God is to be “greatly feared.” This is not a paralyzing terror but a holy reverence that acknowledges His supreme authority and goodness. The truth is, what you fear most will rule you. If you fear people, their opinions and approval will control you. If you fear failure, your decisions will be dominated by anxiety. If you fear loss, you will cling to possessions or relationships too tightly. But if you fear the Lord above all else, His wisdom, peace, and strength will direct your steps. Proverbs 9:10 reminds us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” To fear Him rightly is to live freely under His faithful rule. When we truly, from the depths of our souls recognize God as not only all powerful and sovereign, but also perfectly loving and faithful, the One who loves us so much He gave us His Son, we will abide on love, joy, peace, contentment, and thanksgiving, regardless the circumstances.

This truth also reminds us of spiritual warfare. Satan, though powerful, is not God’s rival. He is a created being, subject to the One who sits enthroned. We do not live in a cosmic “dualism” of equal forces of good and evil; rather, the Lord alone reigns supreme, and all others are creatures under His sovereign hand. That’s why Psalm 89 ties praise of God’s faithfulness with His might: God is able to keep every promise He has made.

• Psalm 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
• Hebrews 1:6 — “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
• Nehemiah 9:6 — “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host… and the host of heaven worships you.”

Today, let this vision of God’s majesty humble and encourage you. The same God who is worshiped in heaven is the God who calls you His child in Christ. When you feel small or overwhelmed, remember that your Father is the One before whom even the angels bow in awe. Live today with reverence, joy, and confidence in His mighty, faithful care.

Psalm 89:9-14 — You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it — you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Ethan now turns from heaven’s worship to God’s reign over creation and history. The Lord rules not only the “assembly of the holy ones” (v. 5-7) but also the raging sea and the nations that rise like storm waves against His people. The sea in Scripture often symbolizes chaos and evil (Genesis 1:2; Revelation 21:1). Yet here God is pictured as sovereign over it, calming it at will — language that anticipates Jesus, who stilled the storm on Galilee with a word (Mark 4:39). The same Lord who quiets physical storms also brings peace in the storms of our lives.

Verse 10 recalls God’s victory over “Rahab,” a poetic name for Egypt (Isaiah 51:9-10), representing both a historical oppressor and a symbol of chaos. Ethan points back to the Exodus, when God crushed Egypt and delivered His people with “a mighty arm.” Past victories are reminders of present security — the God who defeated Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, and scattered enemies will not fail His covenant now. When we face opposition or uncertainty, we too must rehearse God’s past faithfulness as fuel for present trust.

Verses 11-12 expand the scope: not only the seas and nations but all of creation belongs to Him. “The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours.” From north to south, from Mount Tabor in the Jezreel Valley to Mount Hermon in the north, all creation testifies joyfully to His name. The mountains themselves are pictured as praising Him, reminding us of Psalm 19:1 and Isaiah 55:12: “the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing.”

Verses 13-14 bring us to the heart of God’s character and reign. His arm is mighty and His hand is strong, yet His throne is not founded on raw power but on righteousness, justice, and above all, love. Unlike earthly rulers who exploit their strength for selfish gain, the Lord’s rule is perfectly just and perfectly loving. He cannot be bribed, swayed, or corrupted, and His aim is always for ultimate good. The foundation of His throne is moral perfection with steadfast love and faithfulness (ḥesed and ’emunah). This is the beautiful balance of God’s kingship: unshakable justice and unwavering love. His love does not compromise His justice, and His justice does not cancel His love. Both meet perfectly in His covenant faithfulness, and ultimately in Christ’s cross, where mercy and truth embraced, and righteousness and peace kissed each other (Psalm 85:10).

• Mark 4:39-41 — And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
• Isaiah 51:9-10 — Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?
• Psalm 85:10 — Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Again, what we fear most tends to control us, but this passage reminds us that nothing in creation, whether chaos of seas or schemes of nations, holds ultimate sway, only God does. Anchoring your life in His righteousness, justice, love, and faithfulness frees you from fear of circumstances. If His throne is secure, so is your hope.

Today, meditate on the foundation of God’s throne: righteousness and justice. Ask yourself: Do I fear the storms of life more than I fear the Lord? Do I trust the world’s unstable powers more than I rest in His steadfast love? Recenter your heart on His faithfulness, knowing that the One who rules the raging seas also rules over every detail of your life.

Psalm 89:15-18 — Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

The psalm now turns from God’s throne (v. 14) to God’s people. Those who live under His righteous and faithful reign are described as blessed. What sets them apart? They “know the festal shout” — the joyful cry of worship used in Israel’s festivals when the presence of God was celebrated among His people. In other words, blessedness is not tied to circumstances but to knowing and rejoicing in God’s presence.

To “walk in the light of Your face” recalls the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26: “The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.” God’s people live not in darkness but in His favor and light. This light leads to joy — “they exult in Your name all the day.” Joy is not occasional, nor circumstantial, but continual for those who root their strength in God. Therefore, the most obvious attribute of a Christian should be unshakable joy. Has that been your experience? Has that been you?

The repeated theme here is that our strength, our “horn” (symbol of power), our protection (“shield”), and even our king belong to the Lord. Israel’s king was never meant to rule independently; he was to be God’s representative, dependent on His favor. This points forward to Christ, the true King, who perfectly embodied God’s righteousness and faithfulness.

• Numbers 6:24-26 — The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
• Psalm 27:1 — The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
• John 8:12 — Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

When the Almighty is your horn and shield, you can live in perfect peace (everything is ok), so peacefulness should be another obvious attribute of a Christian, possessing a peace (another Galatians 5 fruit of the Spirit) which surpasses understanding. Would peacefulness be an attribute others would ascribe to you foremost, along with lovingness and joyfulness?

Today, ask yourself: Do I walk in the light of God’s face, or am I trying to find strength in myself? True joy is not found in freedom from trials but in fellowship with the God who is faithful in every trial.

Psalm 89:19-29 — Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him…. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted…. I will establish his line forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.”

Here the psalm recalls God’s direct promises to David. God Himself chose David, exalted him, anointed him, and pledged to strengthen him against all enemies. Notice the repeated emphasis: God is the one who acts, establishes, and sustains. David’s kingship was never rooted in his own greatness but in God’s covenant grace.

This covenant finds ultimate fulfillment not in David himself but in Christ, the Son of David. Jesus is the eternal King whose throne endures “as the days of the heavens” (v. 29). The Lord’s steadfast love (Hebrew hesed) and faithfulness, the central themes of Psalm 89, find their clearest expression in Christ, who embodies God’s covenant loyalty.

• Isaiah 9:7 — Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom.
• Luke 1:32-33 — The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David… and of his kingdom there will be no end.

God’s promises to David were not temporary but eternal. That truth still holds: God’s promises to us in Christ are unshakable, not because of our performance but because of His covenant faithfulness.

Psalm 89:30-32 — If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules … then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.

Here we see both God’s justice and His covenant faithfulness. Sin will not go unpunished, yet God’s steadfast love will not be removed. God makes clear that sin within David’s line would bring discipline — but never covenant abandonment. Israel’s kings would face consequences for disobedience, yet God’s steadfast love would not fail.

This passage teaches the balance of God’s covenant: mercy does not eliminate discipline, and discipline does not cancel mercy. As a Father, He corrects His children (Hebrews 12:6), yet He never forsakes them.

Notice the imagery: the sun and moon are enduring, visible signs of God’s unchanging faithfulness. Just as they continue in their cycles, so God’s promises remain fixed. For Christians, this points us again to Christ, the eternal King whose kingdom cannot fail.

• Hebrews 12:10 — He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
• Romans 11:29 — The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Even when we stumble, God’s covenant stands. His discipline refines, but His love never departs.

This tension between God’s justice and His grace finds resolution in Christ, who bore the stripes for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5). Through Him, God remains just and the justifier of those who trust in Him (Romans 3:26).

Psalm 89:38-45 — But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed…. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins…. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame.

Ethan now laments the present reality: it looks as though God has abandoned His covenant. Israel’s king is humiliated, his throne brought low, his kingdom in ruins. From a human perspective, God’s promises seem broken.

This is where faith is tested most deeply. Do we trust God and His word even when our circumstances appear to contradict it? Ethan teaches us to bring honest lament before God. Faith does not deny pain but lays it before the Lord, anchored in His promises. It take humble faith to admit to God (really to yourself — God already knows) you lack faith; and when you lack faith the only place to go is to God.

• Habakkuk 3:17-18 — Though the fig tree should not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the LORD.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 — For we walk by faith, not by sight.

When all appears lost, remember the cross: the darkest moment in history was in fact the fulfillment of God’s promises. What looked like rejection was the path to redemption. You can trust God with the turmoil around you and the turmoil within you. In crisis, don’t turn away from God, turn to Him.

Psalm 89:46-52 — How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? … Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? … Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

The psalmist wrestles with God’s apparent absence and delayed fulfillment of His promises and ends with raw questions: How long? Will God’s promises fail? Ethan pleads for God to act, to remember His covenant, to defend His honor against the mocking nations.

Even in sorrow, Ethan anchors his cry in God’s covenant love. Likewise, in seasons when God feels distant, our hope rests not in shifting circumstances but in His unbreakable word and the throne of Christ. This hopeful longing points us to Christ, the ultimate Anointed One, who bore the insults and rejection of men (Isaiah 53:3). At the cross, He endured the shame we deserved, yet His resurrection proved that God’s promises never fail. For us, Psalm 89 teaches the rhythm of faith: start with praise, cling to covenant promises, lament honestly in crisis, and end with hope that God will vindicate His word.

“Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.” The psalm closes where it began — with praise. Despite confusion, despite lament, Ethan blesses the Lord. This is the essence of worship: to declare God’s worthiness even when His plan is hidden.

1 Kings 7:1-2 — Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house. He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars.

Solomon built the temple of the Lord in seven years (1 Kings 6:38), but his own palace took nearly twice as long. Not only that, but his personal dwelling was significantly larger and grander than the temple. The text does not hide this disproportion — it quietly points to a shift in Solomon’s priorities. When the house of self grows larger than the house of God, trouble is near.

What begins as subtle imbalance can become dangerous idolatry. Jesus reminds us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). It is not wrong to build, plan, or enjoy what God provides, but when we devote more energy to our own glory than to His, we show where our hearts truly lie.

1 Kings 7:3-12 – All these were made of costly stones….

These verses describe the grandeur of Solomon’s palace complex — cedar ceilings, costly stones, and a “Hall of Judgment” where he sat on a throne to decide cases. The palace’s magnificence dwarfed the temple in size and duration of construction.

What stands out here is the danger of extravagance. What began as a desire to honor the Lord in building His house shifted into a consuming desire for Solomon’s own prestige. The text never condemns beauty or excellence in itself (indeed, God filled the temple with glory and skill, cf. Exodus 31:1–5), but the order of priorities reveals the heart.

This is a caution to us: Are we more invested in our careers, homes, hobbies, or reputations than we are in God’s kingdom? Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 7:31, “For the present form of this world is passing away.” Our true house is eternal, “a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

1 Kings 7:8 — His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court within the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

Here the cracks in Solomon’s faithfulness widen. He had taken Pharaoh’s daughter as his wife (1 Kings 3:1), a marriage contrary to God’s command (Deuteronomy 7:3). Worse still, he built her a magnificent house within his palace complex. Solomon permitted in his own house what God had forbidden in His. This is hypocrisy — a double standard of holiness. Character cannot be compartmentalized. You cannot be faithful to God in one area of your life while ignoring Him in another. The same heart that builds the temple also builds the palace. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters…. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

1 Kings 7:13-22 — And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He cast two pillars of bronze…. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz.

Hiram, a craftsman from Tyre, was brought to oversee much of the temple’s design. While Solomon’s partnership with foreign artisans added skill and beauty, it also carried seeds of compromise, for Tyre was a center of idolatry. Israel’s later syncretism (mixing of Yahweh-worship with idolatry) can be traced back in part to partnerships like this.

God wants us to do the right things for the right reasons in the right way at the right time. God decides what is right. Be careful not to compromise your integrity in order to produce results. The word integrity means truthfulness but also soundness or wholeness. For example, if a chair has integrity, you can sit on it confidently, but if it doesn’t, it will collapse under the pressure of your weight. When we compromise our integrity, we compromise both our fidelity and our soundness. We will eventually collapse under the pressure, despite our early accomplishments. The foundation of your integrity is Jesus who is your firm foundation. Be careful not to build on any other foundation – “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)

Still, the bronze pillars Jachin (“He establishes”) and Boaz (“In Him is strength”) stood as visible reminders of God’s faithfulness. They proclaimed that Israel’s stability and strength were not from Solomon, nor from foreign alliances, but from Yahweh alone. Every time worshipers entered the temple, they passed under this testimony: God establishes, God strengthens. Now let’s circle back to Revelation 3:12 as I referenced above —

• Revelation 3:12 — The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

We are to stand, within the continual presence of God, as shining pillars for all to see, to His glory, proclaiming Christ and His Kingdom, with a new name (a new identity and character) which is Christ. As pillars, we should be immovable and prominent, revealing the glory of God to all. This is exactly what Satan doesn’t want you to do, but he can’t stop you, he can only try to deceive you into not fulfilling the purpose God has given you and already empowered you to fulfill. With faith, nothing is impossible for you! You already have all you need, despite the doubts Satan will put in your head – “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3) Conquer in His Name!

1 Kings 7:23-39 — Then he made the sea of cast metal….

These verses describe the massive “sea” of cast bronze used for ceremonial washing, as well as the stands, basins, and utensils for temple service. The sea symbolized cleansing and purity — not just physical but spiritual. Priests could not enter God’s presence without being washed. This anticipates the cleansing we receive in Christ: “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

The lampstands (v. 49) spoke of God’s light (John 8:12), the table of bread pointed to His provision (John 6:35), and the altar of gold foreshadowed Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12). Every item whispered of Jesus, the true temple (John 2:19–21), in whom God dwells with His people.

1 Kings 7:40-51 — So Solomon finished all the work that he did for the house of the LORD…. Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated… the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

The temple was filled with beauty, wealth, and holiness, a house for the Lord’s name. Every detail pointed to God’s majesty and His provision for His people. Yet even here, a shadow hangs: Solomon’s heart was divided. He gave great attention to God’s house, but greater attention to his own. This reminds us of Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15: each person builds on the foundation of Christ, but the quality of their work will be revealed by fire. Some will build with gold and silver, others with wood and straw. The question is not only what we build, but why and for whom.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 14 September 2025: Psalm 89 reminds us that God is perfectly faithful — His covenant love cannot fail. 1 Kings 7 reminds us that we must reflect that faithfulness through integrity in how we live, work, and worship.

One practical action for today: Examine your priorities. Are you building more for yourself than for God? In your words, choices, and relationships, are you showing the same integrity in private as you profess in public? Choose one area today where you will put God’s honor above personal comfort.

Pray: “Father, You are faithful and true. Your steadfast love never fails, even when we cannot see how Your promises are being fulfilled. Teach us to begin every day with praise, to walk in the light of Your face, and to trust Your covenant even in times of crisis. Guard us from compromise and double standards. Give us integrity — to honor You in the hidden places as well as in public. May our lives point to Christ, the true King, the Light, the Bread, the Sacrifice, and the One who cleanses us. We bless Your name forever. Amen.”