9月17日
標 題：神的榮光
經 節：所羅門祈禱已畢，就有火從天上降下來，燒盡燔祭和別的祭。耶和華的榮光充滿了殿。（歷代志下七章1節）
神的榮光就是祂的同在。當神降臨時，祂的榮光會清楚顯現！神對於祂顯現的地方有最高標準，祂會讓人清楚知道祂的顯現。祂不會依著我們突發奇想的怪念頭，或我們所陳列的條件，臨到我們。
所羅門渴望神會明顯地臨及自己細心努力為祂建造的聖殿。所羅門付上最大的心血與代價，為主建造這壯麗宏偉的殿堂。然而，他清楚知道，建造如此豪華壯觀的殿堂，並不能夠保證神會選擇居住其中。所以，所羅門預備自己和百姓，希望神會悅納他們。祭司和歌唱者一同吹號與唱歌，虔誠地讚美神（歷代志下五：11～14）。這些祭司在祭壇上獻上許多的動物，多得不可勝數（歷代志下五：6）。所羅門向神禱告。當他祈禱完畢時，火從天上降下來，燒盡所有的祭物。耶和華的榮光充滿了殿宇！神的榮光在所羅門王的殿中大大彰顯，以至於祭司們不能進殿繼續他們的事工（歷代志下七：2）。
當神降臨某處是不會有誤的。神的榮光會充滿這地，你不可能再我行我素地作事！新約教導，我們的身體是聖靈的殿，因為神住在我們當中（哥林多前書三：16）。我們不能因此就假設自己的生命討神的喜悅。我們要像所羅門徹底地預備自己，神將選擇在我們的生命中彰顯祂的同在。當祂如此行的時候，你會毫無疑問地知道這就是神！
The Glory of the Lord
When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down
from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory
of the LORD filled the temple. (2 Chronicles 7:1)
The glory of the Lord is His presence. When God
occupies a place, His glory is unmistakably evident! God has high standards for
where He will make His presence known. He does not respond to our whims or come
on our terms.
Solomon longed for God’s presence to be obvious in
the temple that he had painstakingly built for Him. Solomon had spared no
expense or effort in building this magnificent temple as a house for the Lord.
Yet he understood that constructing a spectacular building was no guarantee
that God would choose to inhabit that place. So Solomon prepared himself and
the people in the hope that God would look upon them with favor. The priestly
choir sang and played instruments in reverent praise to God (2 Chron. 5:11–14).
The priests sacrificed so many animals on the altar that they could not count
them (2 Chron. 5:6). Solomon prayed, and when he finished, fire came down from
heaven and consumed their offering. The glory of the Lord filled the temple!
God’s glory was so overpowering in Solomon’s temple that the priests could not
carry on their normal activities (2 Chron. 7:2).
There is no mistaking when God inhabits a place.
God’s glorious presence fills a place, and it is impossible to carry on
business as usual! The New Testament teaches that our lives are temples because
Christ abides in us (1 Cor. 3:16). We cannot assume by this that our lives are
pleasing to Him. Like Solomon, we must thoroughly prepare ourselves so that God
will choose to reveal His presence in our lives. When He does, there will be no
doubt that it is God!
