1. 2 Chronicles 6 & 7 The Great Cost For The Building! Dedicating The Temple

2. The temple itself was no guarantee of God’s holy presence. “Will you steal and murder, commit adultery, and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house which bears my Name, and say, We are safe-safe to do all these detestable things? (Jer. 7: 9 - 10 ) God’s presence was connected to Israel’s dedication.

3. God’s holy presence depended upon dedication “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy…I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” (Lev. 11: 44, 45) In the O.T. God’s people were called to be holy, different, and separated unto God.

4. Can we expect the N.T. admonition to have any less a call for dedication than the O.T.? (actually, it is a greater call) “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.’” (1 Cor. 6: 16 - 17) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:…to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

5. 2 Chronicles 7:14 - 15 is included in the temple dedication How do we remain dedicated and experience the presence & blessings of God? “Humble themselves” “Pray” “Seek My face” “Turn from their wicked ways” Hear us / Cleanse us / Heal us