““Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.” I Kings 8:41-43 NKJV
a. Moreover, concerning a foreigner: The temple was in Israel, but it was always intended to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray.
i. The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. When He came to the temple and found the outer courts – the only place where the Gentile nations could come and pray – more like a swap meet than a house of prayer, He drove out the money changers and the merchants (Matthew 21:13).
b. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You: Solomon asked God to hear the prayer of the foreigner out of a missionaryimpulse. He knew that when God mercifully answered the prayers of foreigners, it drew those from other nations to the God of all nations. (Guzik)
House of Prayer!
Some churches seem to forget this concept of being a house of prayer! Our home church has a prayer meeting before the church service and afterwards reminds the congregation that prayer partners are up front if you need prayer. Our previous church had a private prayer room you could go to for prayer.
Is your church a house of prayer?
Blessings
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