Part 1-5: The Fire Before the Temple

Bible Reading:

2 Chronicles 5:1, 6—"So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God."

"Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude."

2 Chronicles 5:13-14—"the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,', the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God."

2 Chronicles 6:12-15—"Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: 'Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.'"

2 Chronicles 6:23—"then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness."

2 Chronicles 6:32-35—“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from 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. When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause."

2 Chronicles 7:1-3—"When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.'"

2 Chronicles 7;8-10—"At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the Lord had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel."

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day

Now we speak of the fire before the temple—this is the fire of revival reaching its peak. During the reign of David, the people of Israel were already ascending the slope of revival. When Solomon took the throne, the fire before the temple brought the revival of the saints to its highest point. Proverbs 4:18 says: "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”(ESV) Revival has no end. It is limitless, boundless, and cannot be fully experienced in one lifetime. It’s not as if we’ve reached the summit and can go no further. God is always moving forward, and so His people must also move forward. Naturally, revival continues to advance. Even if a church has been revived by the Lord, or you and I have personally experienced revival, remember this: the Lord desires to revive us again, and again, and again—unceasingly. Like the light of dawn, it shines ever brighter until the noonday. This is the kind of revival God desires—whether personal or church revival—it begins at dawn and continues forward… until the noonday. When Moses was 120 years old and about to pass away, his eyes were not dim, nor was his vitality diminished. He stopped at the spiritual summit—this was his peak, his noonday. Caleb was 85 years old, and as his days were, so was his strength—he had not weakened. This too was his peak, his noonday. Throughout the generations, all who walk in the path of God’s will. those who are witnesses of faith, their revival has no end. It continues until the day they meet the Lord, when life reaches maturity and their spiritual life reaches its highest point.

Revival of the Israelites in Solomon’s Era

Before we explore how revival can be sustained continuously, we must first mention the early revival during the reign of Solomon. The Old Testament records that when Solomon became king, his kingdom was firmly established, and the Lord was with him (2 Chronicles 1:1) Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees as abundant as sycamores in the lowland. (2 Chronicles 1:14–15) Not only was there peace throughout the borders, but surrounding nations also paid tribute and served him. (1 Kings 4:21–24) This was truly the peak of Israel’s prosperity—a golden age and a glorious revival. Soon after, the temple was completed. Solomon placed the sacred vessels into the treasury and brought the Ark of the Covenant into the temple. He offered sacrifices of oxen and sheep in such great numbers they could not be counted. The priests and Levites ministered, and at that moment, the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. This was a revival full of glory—unprecedented and magnificent. Praise the Lord!

The Fire Before the Temple Ushering in a Greater Revival

So when God’s people are revived, how can that revival not only continue without interruption or decline, but also keep advancing? Of course, this is the work of God—not of man. It is God’s doing, not human effort. Revival doesn’t happen simply because we desire it; it is the Lord who continually leads us forward in revival, like an eagle carrying its young on its back, bringing us to the destination. To bring about ongoing revival among His people, God sends fire from heaven before the temple. This fire enables the revived people to enter into a deeper, more sacred, fuller, and more glorious revival.

2 Chronicles 7:1 recorded that when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people of Israel saw this and fell on their faces on the pavement, worshiping and giving thanks to the Lord. At that time, King Solomon and all Israel gathered as a great assembly and celebrated the feast for seven days. It was held in the seventh month—a Feast of Tabernacles—which foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ as King, a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven, full of the Lord’s glory and His kingship. Everyone rejoiced and celebrated the feast for seven days. On the eighth day, a solemn assembly was held. Afterward, the people returned to their homes with joyful hearts. This was a mighty revival—a glorious revival—the revival within revival. Hallelujah!

Solomon’s Prayer Brought Down the Fire Before the Temple

So how was the fire before the temple brought down? In addition to offering burnt sacrifices and other offerings, there was one even more important factor—Solomon’s prayer. 2 Chronicles 7 started with “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven...” This shows that the primary factor in drawing down the fire before the temple was Solomon’s prayer. The verse opens with the moment he finished praying—and immediately, the fire fell from heaven.

Brothers and sisters, prayer is forever the catalyst of revival. Wherever a church is rich in prayer, revival will flourish. Wherever saints love to pray, their hearts will be zealous, and they will serve the Lord tirelessly. We must value prayer—pray more, pray without ceasing, and pray without losing heart. Today, nearly every Christian church holds prayer meetings, but many have become mere formalities. When things don’t work out, people resort to alternatives: using the first half of the prayer meeting for Bible study or preaching, leaving only a small portion of time for actual prayer. This is like bribing the conscience—it's a deceiving prayer meeting in name but not in truth. Outwardly, it may appear to be a prayer gathering, but inwardly, it lacks the essence of true prayer. There may be the sound of prayer, but no spirit of prayer. Naturally, the effects of prayer are absent, and revival remains out of reach. But Solomon’s prayer was not like that. His prayer ushered in a greater revival. It was a prayer that was heard by God, aligned with the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work, and met the conditions for revival fire to descend. His prayer was in accordance with God’s will and was pleasing to Him. Now, let us examine the key characteristics of Solomon’s prayer:

1. The Prayer of Humility

   The first characteristic is humility. When the people gathered, they witnessed a glorious scene: the glory of the Lord filled the temple, the Levites sang, and the priests blew trumpets, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Logically, Solomon could have taken pride in this moment. When King Nebuchadnezzar saw the great city of Babylon he had built, he said: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30) Likewise, when we achieve something, how easy it is to become proud like Nebuchadnezzar! But Solomon was not like that—he humbled himself even more. In front of all the people, he knelt on the bronze platform. He was an unparalleled king of wisdom, not only ruling Israel but receiving tribute from surrounding nations. In earthly terms, he was like the “king of kings.” Yet he knelt before the people to show that the Lord of heaven is the true King of kings, the only God worthy of worship from all nations and peoples. So Solomon knelt and prayed to God. This was a prayer of humility. He knew that revival came from the Lord, and that every blessing he received was from Him.

   Whenever I speak of humble prayer, it touches my heart deeply. This has been the Lord’s training in my life over the past six or seven years. I often preach—sometimes in Taiwan, sometimes in Southeast Asia—and when I see the Lord’s work and blessings increase, my old self tends to become proud. Not intentionally, but because of the Adamic nature—the flesh at work. The flesh loves recognition, praise, and glory. So the Lord stretches out His hand and brings me down to a place where I must humble myself. Whenever I become slightly proud, the Lord uses circumstances to restrain me. For example: the Lord’s presence is lost in a meeting, or the Holy Spirit stops working during ministry. At that point, I have no choice but to kneel and pray: “Lord, forgive me. I have not humbled myself. Have mercy on this sinner.” Through confession, repentance, and humility, the Lord’s presence returns, and the Holy Spirit begins to work again. This has happened repeatedly over the past six or seven years.

   Take offering as another example. These past few days, we’ve been offering ourselves to God—as if we’re giving Him honor or adding to His glory. Some brothers and sisters still struggle to surrender themselves to the Lord. But most have willingly offered themselves—praise the Lord! Truthfully, the fact that God accepts our offering is already an immeasurable elevation of our status. We are broken, filthy, and corrupt people, yet we are received by the almighty, holy, and glorious God. That alone should cause us to kneel in humility and gratitude, offering ourselves to Him. Imagine a beggar asking to be received into your home—who would accept him? Yet we are far filthier than any beggar, and God still welcomes us and accepts us as holy. Therefore, we should bow down in deep gratitude and offer ourselves to Him. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes even a little, we should humbly kneel and dedicate ourselves to the Lord. Revival will come through this. Solomon understood his own insignificance, and that led him to pray with humility.

   Dear brothers and sisters, humble prayer is the pathway to Holy Spirit revival in the church. Consider the church in Philadelphia—it was full of love, had the Lord’s presence, kept the word of patience, and was given an open door by the Lord. But immediately after Philadelphia comes Laodicea. Why? Philadelphia was a church commended by the Lord, but once it lost humility and became proud—thinking it was rich and became wealthy and had need of nothing—the Holy Spirit said: “You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Whenever humility is lost, a revived Philadelphia church can quickly fall into the state of Laodicea.

   Look at King Saul—wasn’t he a perfect example? At first, when anointed by Samuel, he was truly humble. He said: “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?” (1 Samuel 9:21) But after becoming king, he gradually grew proud. Eventually, he disobeyed the Lord’s command by sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock, and was rejected by God. Brothers and sisters, when we experience revival and want to move forward, we need even more humble prayer. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. On the other hand, God’s Word also reminds and enlightens us—we should be like Solomon, praying with humility.

2. Fervent Prayer

   After Solomon knelt on the platform, he lifted his hands toward heaven and prayed. “Lifting hands to heaven” is an expression of deep sincerity and burdened heart—it’s entirely different from a casual or relaxed posture. Sometimes we pray kneeling, sometimes sitting or standing, and sometimes we lift our hands. When we lift our hands, it often reflects a resolute spirit and fervent heart. Brothers and sisters, Solomon’s gesture of lifting his hands to heaven revealed a genuine and earnest prayer. At the end of his prayer, he said: “My God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 6:40) Today, many Christians offer perfunctory prayers—prayers that cannot bear God’s scrutiny or hearing. If God were to truly examine and listen to our prayers, we might feel ashamed.

   Fervent prayer arises from an urgent inner need, driven by a heavy spiritual burden. Naturally, God delights in answering such prayers. Earnestness and sincerity shake the throne of God, stir His heart to act, and prompt Him to stretch out His arm and display His power to accomplish His glorious work. Brothers and sisters, in the past few days our gatherings have focused heavily on information. But starting today, with only three days left, we must shift our focus to prayer. Without it, the fire of revival will not burn intensely. So in the afternoons, we hope to have group prayer—humble prayer, fervent prayer. We firmly believe that such prayer will bring down heavenly fire to burn among us.

   Throughout history, every revival in the church has been birthed through fervent prayer. Sometimes, in order to lead us into such prayer, God allows suffering to come upon us. When we face hardship and trials, we naturally turn to God with urgency. In times of trouble, we are compelled to pray wholeheartedly and fervently. As a result, the Holy Spirit begins to work—not only reviving individuals and families, but entire churches. Dear brothers and sisters, our prayers must not lose heart (Luke 18:1). We must pray fervently, watchfully, and tirelessly. The beginning of Acts shows us that the disciples devoted themselves to continual prayer (Acts 1:14) This led to the outpouring and filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2, birthing the church in unprecedented glory. The book of James also tells us that "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain… And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." (James 5:17-18) This shows how powerful fervent prayer can be.

   Over six years ago, the Lord called a few of us in Taipei to begin praying—several hours each day. In the morning, we would first draw near to the Lord individually, then pray together for one to two hours. After breakfast, we prayed again for another hour or two. In the afternoon, we prayed again. Evening meetings also included prayer. Altogether, we prayed for several hours a day. Before long, the Holy Spirit descended. The fire of the Spirit ignited, and we were consumed by it. It burned away all lowly and impure things and melted even the mountains. Our hearts were ablaze. During prayer, we were so immersed in the flow of the Spirit that we lost all sense of time. Kneeling was not tiring—instead, we were filled with anointing and joy. The meetings overflowed with the Lord’s presence, and the number of saved souls kept increasing. Praise the Lord!

3. Prayer to Know God

   Solomon’s prayer was also a prayer to know God, and this is a very important matter. Through several verses of his prayer, we can see some of his understanding of God.

   1. Beholding the Greatness of God

      When Solomon began his prayer, he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You” (1 Kings 8:23). He recognized the greatness of God. Then he continued: “Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You” (1 Kings 8:27). Solomon saw that God is the all-encompassing, almighty God of the universe. Oh, brothers and sisters, our God is the One who works wonders. When you truly behold His greatness, faith in prayer arises. When this great and almighty God is known by you and me, our faith is stirred. He can part the Red Sea, cause the sun to stand still in the sky, and raise the dead. What in heaven or on earth can compare to our God? Our Lord is on the throne—He is supremely great and incomparably powerful. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes even a little, when we truly see and know Him, that is the moment He delights in most. And in that moment, prayer is answered swiftly.

   2. Holding Fast to God's Faithfulness

      Solomon also prayed, saying that God is the One who “keeps covenant and mercy… who has spoken with His mouth and fulfilled it with His hand” (1 Kings 8:23–24).This is a prayer that clings to the faithfulness of God. If God were almighty but not faithful—if He didn’t keep His promises—what would we do? Praise God, He is not only almighty, but also faithful. What He promises with His mouth, He fulfills with His hand. Solomon knew God as a covenant-keeping and faithful God. We too must hold fast to His faithfulness in prayer, and then He will bring it to pass.

      George Müller was a man of extraordinary prayer. Throughout his life, over 50,000 of his prayers were answered by the Lord. He held onto the promise in Psalm 81:10:“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it”. Believing that what God spoke, He would surely fulfill, Müller went on to establish orphanages. So many orphans—day after day, month after month, year after year—were sustained purely by faith in the Lord’s provision. Without fundraising, he witnessed the faithful God providing for them. He became a living testimony of faith, proving that the living God is absolutely faithful and trustworthy. Paul also experienced God’s unwavering faithfulness throughout his life. That’s why he declared: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). Brothers and sisters, those who do not know God’s faithfulness are people without faith. They do not understand what it means for God to take full responsibility. The path of revival that God calls us to walk is a path of faith. We must hold onto His promises to walk this road of revival and witness His wondrous works and the glorious manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

   3. Trusting in the Mercy of God

      From the lengthy prayer recorded in 2 Chronicles chapter 6, we behold how Solomon knew to entreat the Lord by relying upon His lovingkindness and tender mercies. He recognized God's mercy and prayed: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant” (2 Chronicles 6:14). And again, “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers” (2 Chronicles 6:24–25). This is the prayer of one who knows that God is full of compassion and mercy. Solomon understood that “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13), and such prayers are pleasing to the Lord. For He is the God who forgives iniquity, abounds in steadfast love, and is rich in mercy. Therefore, though we stumble once, we may rise again; though we fall twice, He still lifts us up. Even when we fail to offer ourselves, He bears with us patiently and waits in longsuffering.

      Brothers and sisters, we are all fallen and corrupted, blind to our own condition. If the Lord should mark iniquities, who could stand before Him? Yet when we turn to Him and willingly offer ourselves, He draws us with cords of kindness, with bands of love. He has loved us with an everlasting love, and though heaven and earth may pass away, His love shall never fail. Solomon trusted in the mercy of God and prayed accordingly. And the Lord heard him from heaven, and fire came down from heaven upon the altar. Truly, it was a most beautiful prayer.

   4. Upholding the Righteousness of God

      Solomon knew that God is not only great, faithful, and loving—he also clearly understood that God is righteous. Therefore, he prayed, saying, “Then hear from heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, bringing retribution on the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness” (2 Chronicles 6:23). Solomon prayed by holding fast to the righteousness of God. Brothers and sisters, as Christians, we must know the righteousness of God. We cannot be careless simply because God loves us. For example, if one is in debt and deliberately delays repayment, or even hopes the matter will be forgotten—this is not acceptable. The Word of God says, “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (Matthew 5:26). God is righteous; He will not condemn the innocent nor justify the guilty.

      Thanks be to God, when we understand His righteousness, our lives, work, and service wouild be in peace. For instance, if your superior treats you unfairly in the workplace, or your friends are unjust in society, you can pray to the righteous God. He will surely watch over you. We do not ask God for vengeance, but trust that He will uphold and preserve us according to His righteousness. Even the holy fire of God can only descend upon the foundation of righteousness. Therefore, we must pray with a heart that understands and upholds the righteousness of God.

4. A Prayer for the Glory of the Lord’s Name

   We also see in Solomon’s prayer that he mentioned the Lord’s name two or three times. For example, “When a foreigner comes from a far country for the sake of Your great name and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven”. And again, “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.” This is a prayer that seeks the glory of the Lord’s name. When a person truly prays for the glory of the Lord’s name, God will surely hear. Yet this is no easy thing—for man is fallen. Though we may say with our lips, “Lord, to You be the glory”, in our hearts we secretly grasp a portion of that glory for ourselves. In the hidden places, we still desire to be glorified. Therefore, such prayers are not heard by the Lord. Sometimes, even after praying earnestly for a month, half a year, or even several years, the Lord does not answer. For He knows that if the matter were granted, though He would receive some glory, we would steal an even greater portion for ourselves.

   On the other hand, we must ask the Lord to give us a pure and clean heart—just as the Lord Jesus prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You” (John 17:1). This is also a prayer I often make. When I was preparing to go to the Philippines, I prayed in this way: “Lord, glorify me, that I may glorify You. Let Your glory rest upon me, that I may return it to You. But do not let me steal Your glory, nor glorify myself. Let me not receive glory from men (John 5:41), but seek the glory that comes from the only God. (John 5:44)". As a result, the Lord often hears such prayers—for He listens for the sake of His own name’s glory. Brothers and sisters, in our daily lives and actions, we often reveal our vanity, seeking glory from men rather than purely desiring the Lord’s name to be glorified. This is why our prayers do not bring revival. May we all receive grace to pray for the glory of the Lord’s name, that He may send down the fire of revival.

5. Prayer to Confront the Enemy, Satan

   Lastly, we must speak of the prayer that confronts the enemy—Satan. Solomon prayed, saying, “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and supplication, and maintain their cause” (2 Chronicles 6:34–35). The path to revival is also a path of warfare. When the enemy—the devil—is defeated, revival breaks forth. Therefore, we must engage in prayer that confronts the adversary. When Nehemiah returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, it marked the beginning of revival. The people labored with one hand holding a weapon and the other building the wall (Nehemiah 4:17). Revival requires warfare to be completed. Thus, we must pray warfare prayers, standing upon the foundation of the Lord’s victory, exercising spiritual authority to destroy the works of the enemy and bind the powers of darkness. Many do not believe in Jesus because the god of this age has blinded their minds. Likewise, many believers do not offer themselves to the Lord because their spiritual eyes are veiled by the enemy. They have not seen the glory of Christ nor felt the compelling power of His great love. These works of the enemy must be rebuked and broken in the name of the Lord, that we may manifest the victory of Christ and witness the revival of the Church. This kind of prayer—prayer that defeats the enemy—is also a prayer that ushers in revival. May the Lord open our spiritual eyes to see.

   The characteristics of Solomon’s prayer were key to ushering in revival and the descent of holy fire. Therefore, the beginning of chapter 7 declares: “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices...When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down… they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:1–3). When the Holy Spirit descends in power, we cannot help but fall prostrate before Him.

   In recent years, I have witnessed several times the fire of the Holy Spirit descending from heaven. The Spirit’s work came so powerfully upon the church meetings that all were filled with awe and trembling. Many saw the Lord with their own eyes and could no longer remain seated—they naturally bowed down in worship. When the fire of the Holy Spirit descends, you and I cannot help but fall to our knees. It is impossible to remain seated; we must bow in reverence. For God has revealed Himself, and the fire of heaven has come down. This kind of overwhelming presence—where we cannot help but bow—is beyond description. Words cannot express it. May the same Spirit that moved Solomon to pray also move us, that individuals, families, and churches in the midst of revival may be led into even greater revival.

   
   

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