Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Kings 8:46-51 (New International Version)

⁴⁶ “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; ⁴⁷ and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; ⁴⁸ and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; ⁴⁹ then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. ⁵⁰ And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; ⁵¹ for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.

These are the words of Solomon. He is praying during the ceremony to dedicate the Temple in Jerusalem. Solomon isn’t telling God anything that God doesn’t know – the people will sin against God and turn their backs to God. Then, perhaps, the people will repent. They will turn to God and seek God in prayer.

Solomon pleads that when they people turn back to God that God will forgive them.

Forgiveness is not a big topic in the Old Testament. I have searched the Old Testament and haven’t found a place where God commands people to forgive one another (if you can find such commands, please let me know). There are examples of people forgiving one another such as Joseph forgiving his brothers (Genesis chapter 50). Commands to forgive? Well, I can’t find them.

In the New Testament, we are ask to forgive one another. If we don’t forgive one another, God will not forgive us (Matthew chapter 6).

I find this a bit odd.