Dear TC-HOP Family,
Isaiah 56:6-7 says, “And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord, and to worship Him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my alter; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” After driving out the money changers in the temple Jesus quotes this passage out of Isaiah to those He was teaching, and the priests and teachers of the law were so in fear of Him, they were looking for a way to kill Him.
So why was Jesus quoting this passage as He spoke? Why a house of prayer and not a house of discipleship or evangelism or justice? Why does God want His house to be called a house of prayer? Over the next few weeks I would like to look at some reasons God has proclaimed that His house shall be called a house of prayer.
First, that we may know Him and thus make Him known. Malachi 1:11 says, ”For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down(day and night) My name (reputation/glory) shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place (global) incense(prayers) shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering (wholehearted worship); For My name shall be great among the nations.” In order to know Him and make His name known we first need to spend time with Him in prayer and worship. God’s burning desire is to dwell with us. We were created for fellowship with Him. When God stated why Moses was to build the tabernacle, He said it was so, “that I may dwell among them.” God’s first words to John regarding the age of the New Heaven and the New Earth was, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.” (Rev. 21:3)
The most valuable way we have in getting to know God is spending time with Him in reading His word and in prayer. To quote E.M. Bounds, “We can never get to know Him if we use the vehicle of prayer as we use the telephone–for a few words of hurried conversation. Intimacy requires development. We can never know Him by brief and fragmentary and thoughtless repetitions of intercessions that are requests for personal favors and nothing more. That is not the way in which we can come into communication with Heaven’s King. “The goal of prayer is the ear of God.” (Spurgeon) and this is a goal that can only be reached by patient and continuous waiting upon Him, by pouring out our hears to him, and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him; and as we come to know Him better, we will spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever increasing delight.”
How do we know that we know Him? I John 2:3-4,6: “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar.. Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” Thus, the second part of our statement, making Him known, and the second greatest commandment, love your neighbor as yourself. Making him known is secondary because we cannot introduce others to someone we ourselves do not know.
The more time we spend obeying the first and greatest commandment, the easier it will be to fulfill the second. Our hearts desire is to know Him and make Him known.
Blessings,
Gary