The two great pillars of our lives

"And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz" (1 Kings 7:21-22).

When Solomon built the Temple he also constructed 2 massive pillars and had them set on the porch of the Temple. He names one pillar Jachin and the other Boaz. These pillars obviously represented something to the children of Israel. In Hebrew the name Jachin means "he will establish." The name Boaz maeans "strength." Boaz was also the great-grandfather of King David who was the most prominent ancestor of Jesus Christ. One commentator suggest that as the children of Israel approached the temple for worship the massive pillars represented their dependence on the strength of God to establish and preserve the nation of Israel. Why the reminder?

When things were going well, the Israelites had a tendency to forget about God. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt Moses warned, "Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day" (Deut. 8:11-18).

The failure to depend upon God was always the beginning of spiritual decline for Israel. Prayer and God's word are the 2 great pillars of the Christian life that are essential to establishing and strengthing us in the Lord. If you're not resting hard on these 2 pillars you're headed for a fall. Give yourselves wholly to prayer and meditation upon God's word and these two pillars will hold you up.