It is late 7th century BC and Judah finds itself in the crosshairs of Babylonian aggression. Habakkuk provides a short prophetic insight into the situation as a warning to change course or suffer the consequences. In a sung, thankful prayer, Habakkuk includes these words acknowledging the actions of God: “Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind.”
I recently had a lunch with a new friend who lives in Ottawa. As I listened to him chronicle some of his heritage I learned much which draws us together. But what was most fascinating was his acknowledging that his people, the Tutsi tribe of Rwanda, were descendants of the union of Israel’s King Solomon (mid 10th century BC) and the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia).
His ancestors were nomadic cattle herdsmen who followed the pasture’s availability wherever it led. From Ethiopia, through Eritrea, along the Nile River, eventually settling in the verdant hill country, Rwanda, with its abundant water sources and phenomenal growing conditions.
Israel’s King David had a son Solomon, who became his successor. He was considered one of the wealthiest and wisest men to ever rule in Israel. Riches seemed to flow into the Jerusalem coffers in every form imaginable.
God had granted Solomon the opportunity to do what his father was prevented from doing –building a Temple to Israel’s God – Yahweh – the place for the Name of God to reside in Israel’s midst. Although the temple was not one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, it was lavish in ways we find difficult to comprehend.
Gold was employed everywhere to cover walls, to make temple instruments … When the queen of Sheba visited, she brought with her gold, equivalent to about 7 tons – 120 talents (1 Kings 10:10) – among other gifts! Remember this is a gift and not her whole treasury! You can do the math!
My focus is not so much on the temple per se, but rather on a portion of the prayer of dedication where Solomon invoked God for his blessing on the Temple, the nation and his kingship (1 Kings 8).
Solomon prayed that this Temple, this residence of Yahweh’s name on earth, would be a place where prayers were heard, where sins were temporarily covered/forgiven, where relationship was restored and where judgment was initiated.
“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence [pandemic] or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.” (vv. 37-40)
The two highlighted words above caught my attention, especially in our current universal situation.
Pestilence – “plague, pestilence, disease, a pandemic occurrence of sickness and death;…”( Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary.)
Affliction – plague
“If there is pestilence (Pandemic) … whatever prayer, whatever plea … each knowing the plague of his own heart … then hear in heaven from your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know … that they may fear you …”
What is our a part in our world’s condition … examine our hearts Father … and hear!
We repent!
Looking back 100 years, we created our own Pestilence! (don't blame Him !)