The Inauguration of the President
“For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,
And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth;which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:” (2 Chronicles 6:13-14)
King David wanted to build a permanent house of worship. God told him he would not build it, but his son Solomon would. When Solomon became king, he obtained materials, hired workers, and arranged for the house’s construction. Once it was done, Israel held a special day when it was dedicated. It was a big day. As our verse says, all the congregation of Israel was there.
At the dedication, King Solomon knelt down on a scaffold before all the nation of Israel and prayed. Kneeling is a position of homage and worship to God: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” (Psalm 95:6) Solomon recognized out loud that God is sovereign over heaven and earth. He recognized that all people, including himself, were God’s servants who needed His mercy and to walk before Him with all their hearts.
He prayed, “Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:” (2 Chronicles 6:20) He asked for forgiveness of sins and for them to follow God’s guidance. He recognized God could chasten Israel with adversity. He prayed that Israel would represent God well, “…that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee,” (2 Chronicles 6:33)
On January 20, the United States will inaugurate a new president; more specifically, the return of a former president to power. This will be an important day in our nation, just as the day of dedication was an important day for Israel. Not all the nation will be in Washington. Many will watch remotely. Traditionally, the inauguration includes a prayer by a member of the clergy.
Wouldn’t it be great, though, if the President himself prayed! The Secret Service and security personnel would need to be in place to ensure his safety. Yet what if the President were to kneel and pray as Solomon did: recognize the God of the Bible is the one true God, holy and righteous, and all are his servants, even the President himself; to recognize God can chasten our nation for sin, as He had chastened Israel; and to ask for His mercy and for us to follow His guidance.
1 Timothy 2:2 tells us to pray “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” No matter what you think of any of our leaders, God’s word tells us to pray for them. Leaders need God’s guidance and grace. Leaders face difficult circumstances and decisions most of us never see. Pray for leaders to listen to God’s conviction on their hearts and lives. Pray for leaders to turn to the Bible for guidance.
The Bible is God’s inspired word. It has words of grace, truth and guidance for leaders and all people. God gave it to us to light our way: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) Most importantly, the Bible tells how to have eternal forgiveness of sins and eternal life by receiving the Lord Jesus as our personal Saviour. To learn more, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 1/14/2025
Cleveland Baptist Church 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216/671-2822