Thursday, 3 Iyar 5785 / May 1, 2025
Charged or Compelled??
SOAP
Scriptures
WWCF Readings: 1 Chronicles 22=24
1 Chronicles 22
English Standard Version
1 Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
David Prepares for Temple Building
2 David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
Solomon Charged to Build the Temple
6 Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents[a] of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. 15 You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working 16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you!”
17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace[b] on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. 19 Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.”
English Standard Version
1 Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
David Prepares for Temple Building
2 David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
Solomon Charged to Build the Temple
6 Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’
11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents[a] of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. 15 You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working 16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you!”
17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace[b] on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. 19 Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.”
Bible in A Year : John 2
John 2
English Standard Version
The Wedding at Cana
1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.[a] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers[b] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,[c] and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus Knows What Is in Man
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
English Standard Version
The Wedding at Cana
1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.[a] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers[b] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,[c] and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus Knows What Is in Man
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Observation
In 1 Chronicles 22, Kings like David are driven to do things for GOD, whether they know GOD intimately as David did or not. For it is GOD who stirs the hearts of KINGS, HE gave them authority to rule with power and so HE also drives them to do things for HIM, like King Cyrus who did something for Israel even when it had no benefit to him. As for David, he set in his heart to build a temple for the LORD and GOD honored his request but it was not assigned for him to build HIS Temple but it was for his son Solomon, and so he prepared everything for Solomon to be equipped with all the materials needed for the Temple. David charged his son Solomon to build the Temple of GOD.
Similarly, in John 2, JESUS when he walked on earth, did not perform miracles until there was a need to do so that His mother wittingly moved (subtle way of charging her son) JESUS to do something about it. JESUS felt the pressure that's why His response was "What has that to do with me, Woman? It's not yet time" But then she was insistent and thus the first miracle happened because He was, in a way, pushed by His mother, something that could be done by godly women to their sons or their husbands. When it was nearing Passover, it was no longer Mary his mother who told him to drive out traders from GOD's Temple. JESUS was ignited to drive out the traders from GOD's Temple because it was an insult for GOD HIS FATHER that people should make HIS temple a market place, it was not a place to do business, it was a place to worship and honor GOD. It was an abomination to HIS FATHER that HIS house should be treated in such a way, as HE zealously turned tables over and said to them: do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” A mother can push us but the FATHER's love compels us to do things beyond what our parents or spiritual parents may want us to do.
Application
In relation to my life, I don't want to be pushy to the men in my life especially my brothers, but I had been the pioneer of starting things in their lives that has shaped them to be who they are now. To my brothers, I have been the leader of a Band and an inspiration to make music. I want to be used by GOD in such a way that I don't push but I ignite something in a man's heart that don't have to be done in a pushy way but in an inspiring way. PJ - a father figure I highly respect and trust had been a bit pushy on me about something that he believes in so much, but I can understand why he was pushy. Even though PJ is not really my biological father, more of a mentor and counselor but I listen to him and the men of authority that GOD put above me, especially my father, my pastors and even some spiritual mothers. I wondered if PJ was pushy on the other people that he believes in so much too? but I believe deep in my heart that he was compelled, stirred and moved by AVI (My ABBA FATHER) to do something for me. As for me, I am just blessed. favored and grateful to have fathers above me who unknowingly bring about a scene to fulfill the hidden desires of my heart. Whatever happens I will always be grateful for fathers who have shown me the LOVE and care of my FATHER - AVI in heaven. When I saw how much my biological father liked a certain guy, I wanted him for myself too, only to have him not want me so I had to let go of that "dream". But PJ's love for me was deeper in terms of the welfare of my relationships because he went beyond the regular way of setting up a blind date for me and for a specific person. PJ really pushed me and even prayed with his wife for me to open my heart and mind to something I was so closed minded about. I did eventually open my heart even though I got myself in trouble because it was not yet the right time for love but it was the perfect time for me to meet this person because I got myself in trouble with the man I adored so much who didn't feel the same way for me, GOD had to save again and again from the booby traps that satan sets up so successfully to lure me in . I believe GOD has a purpose for everything and HE is creating a wonderful and amazing love story for me. PJ was compelled by GOD to do something, he was so moved PJ charged me like I was his own daughter, but eventually his prayers brought My ABBA to move me and compel me to do something I had never done before, open my mind about something I did not believe in and this I believe is a miracle in itself. Like water to wine, that's what GOD did with me.
Can you imagine how deeply GOD feels for us that HE commands us to love HIM with all our heart, mind, soul and strength basically to love HIM with our entire BEING! GOD commands us, but if we do our part to draw close to HIM, to know HIM by reading HIS Word and seek HIM everywhere in the broken pieces of this world, we will find HIM and HE will eventually move our hearts so that we fall in love with HIM because HE really is the ONLY ONE worth and deserving of all our love and devotion. At first it feels like we are being pushed to love HIM, commanded or charged but then in the long run, we will be compelled to do it by HIS Spirit within us that drives us to do things according to HIS will. Then the command will no longer become a dictation, an obligation, or a hard thing because the power of HIS love compels us to do things that are pleasing and beautiful for HIM.
Prayers
My prayers go for my spiritual and earthly parents who have shown me much love. I pray consistently also for the person who is in my heart to be healed, made whole and made new before we meet again.
